New community gardening scheme for Hull estate

The scheme will be run from the Hope Allotment in Sir Henry Cooper Park

A new community gardening project is being launched on a Hull housing estate.

The Postcode Gardener scheme on Orchard Park aims to restore wildlife to 50 sites across the area.

Planters and bird boxes will be installed alongside the planting of bushes and trees and the creation of mini meadow areas for wildlife habitats.

John Pickles, who is project manager at Hope Allotment in Sir Henry Cooper Park, said he hopes it will "foster a stronger sense of community in the local area".

Mr Pickles said: "As recent times have emphasised, getting out in green spaces and connecting with others is vital for improving our physical and mental wellbeing.

“I want this project to create a space for socialising and collaboration.

"We already have ideas about what we’d like to do to ‘wild the ward’, but we are interested to hear local people’s ideas about what they want to see in their neighbourhood, rather than simply imposing our own plans."

The development is being supported by environmental group Friends of the Earth alongside the Cooperative Bank and Hull-based food and fuel poverty charity EMS Yorkshire.

The project will launch at a community event taking place from 11:00 to 19:00 BST today at Hope Allotment, with gardening activities such as sunflower planting, paper pot making, bug hotel building and an adventure trail around the site.

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