Libraries have long been vitally important pillars of local communities, providing a service that extends far beyond the bookshelves inside.

As well as improving access to a wealth of information and resources, they also act as community hubs, offering a quiet place for people to learn new skills, support their children’s development, or simply spend some time away from the noise of daily life.  

In the case of Irlam Library in Salford, it can now also offer its visitors a peaceful garden to relax in, thanks to support from our Green Spaces Fund.   

We visited the Friends of Irlam Library (FOIL) to celebrate the grand opening of their Secret Garden project. The event was extremely well attended: testament to the impact their project has had in the community. 

Here’s what the Friends group had to say about their fairy-tale themed green space:

1. Hello FOIL! What’s the backstory of your project? 
 

The idea to develop the green spaces within the grounds of Irlam Library came from a member of the library’s book club. But when we asked about the unused garden, we realised that it wasn't as simple as taking out some tools and getting started: we had to find out who owned the land and whether we had permission to work on it.

With the help of Suzanne from the Health Improvement Team, Martyn from Salford CVS and Maggie from Salford Community Leisure Libraries, we were put in touch with people who could advise us. This led to us meeting Nina from the RHS, who is also one of the Green Spaces Fund Advisors, and she encouraged us to look at the fund.

We formed the Friends of Irlam Library (FOIL) group so that we could get the project off the ground: carrying out research, consulting with the community, creating our designs and applying for the funding. We started work on the library courtyard as this is a smaller space that needed much less landscaping.

Our success here really boosted our confidence in being able to work on the rear garden when we were successful in our application for the Green Spaces Fund. 

2. What did you hope to achieve with your project? To what extent have you been able to accomplish your goals?
 

To begin with, our main hope was just to create a usable green space. The rear garden of the library had not been used for years and was no longer accessible, but when we asked members of the community if they would use a garden at the library, they said yes.

We wanted to create a place that prioritised wellbeing where people could sit with a book, chat with friends or attend a workshops and classes, particularly if they were isolated or didn’t have easy access to a garden of their own. 

We feel that we have now created what we hoped to and more. Thanks to Nina and other members of the RHS, and through networking with other organisations, we have achieved so much more than we expected.

Our focus now is on letting people know the garden exists and creating opportunities for people to discover it. We always intended for it to be a community space where everyone could get involved and feel that it was partly their garden, too.

3. What has been the biggest impact that your project has had?
 

The biggest impact has been around community engagement. The garden is now being used as a place where groups can meet up and engage with nature, and the library is using it for activities like wellbeing sessions.

Those engaging with the job centre or the library can make a visit to the garden part of their day, which helps when managing challenging situations. Being able to offer a tranquil and refreshing space for people in the community is amazing, and people are taking ideas home and improving their own green spaces, too. 

The garden is also improving the biodiversity of the area. Hundreds of flowers, vegetables, herbs, grasses and shrubs have been planted as well as three potted trees. We have seen an increase in birds, bees and other creatures in the space, including two resident cats! 

4. What has been the most challenging aspect of bringing your project to life?
 

The most challenging aspect of the project is managing all the needs of everyone involved. Questions, concerns and requirements need managing effectively, and being able to do this to a timescale can be particularly demanding.

We had to discover what could realistically be achieved and keep communication flowing when things couldn't be actioned straight away. We are all volunteers with individual challenges such as health needs and family commitments, so it was a bit of a balancing act at times. 

5. In relation to your project, what are you proudest of? 
 

As a group, we’ve got so many highlights and proud moments, including hosting a group from the Prince’s Trust and creating a wildflower meadow that's even better than we imagined.

But we all agreed that we’re most proud of the community links we have made. The networking events, the visits and the volunteering opportunities have all made the project so much more impactful.

We now know how to bring people together and support local organisations in making things better for both the green spaces and the community, and we know the project will continue to be successful because of it. 

6. What’s coming next?
 

We continue to meet at least once a week as there is always something we can do in the garden. We’re planning to set up a regular gardening group that all members of the community would be welcome to join.

We know for example that there will be bulb planting to do, seed harvesting and willow weaving and pruning.

We also want to offer more workshops and plan to host a flower arranging session by a local independent florist this winter. 

7.  How has the funding from the Green Spaces Fund aided your project?
  

We could not have started on the garden without the Green Spaces Fund. We were initially a bit nervous about the scale of what we were taking on, but our Nina helped us to imagine the space, connect with the right people, and see our ideas come to life.

After attending the Green Spaces Fund celebration event with Andy Burnham and other successful applicants in March, we started to feel like it was possible and there was a lot of support and inspiration out there. 

We would definitely recommend applying for this funding. The advice and support we got was amazing, everyone was generous with their knowledge.  

8. What advice would you give to a group in Greater Manchester who wanted to launch their own Green Spaces Fund project? 
 

Go for it - but get advice first. Connect with the Green Spaces Fund Advisor who covers your borough and speak to other groups who have been successful with their application.

It can feel a bit daunting but what you put in the application will shape your project and you will need to refer to it as you go along.

The networking events may not be for everyone in the group but if someone can attend, they are really valuable so be prepared to get involved if you apply for the funding. 
 

9. How can people get involved if they’d like to know more about your project?
 

The core members meet regularly on Fridays at 5pm but we welcome anyone who wants to know more.

We do share events on our Facebook page and Instagram at @friendsofirlam. People can also email us friendsofirlamlibrary@gmail.com