The sun shone on Stockport as the Greater Manchester Environment Fund and Enterprise Rent-A-Car teams arrived at one of the area’s oldest streets. Despite its industrial heritage, Canal Street was long neglected and filled with litter and overgrown brambles. Fly tipping was a daily occurrence, and crime statistics way above the towns average. But not for much longer thanks to GRIT Studios, who recently received funding from the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund to create a central, accessible community garden. Local people will be able to take ownership of the space and use it to grow and nurture plants, socialise, and learn and reconnect with nature and each other.
At the Greater Manchester Environment Fund, we're determined to create a greener Greater Manchester for all. Enterprise Rent-A-Car recently joined us for the first of their corporate volunteer days at a recently funded project working to revitalise a forgotten corner of Stockport.
“The community garden means so much to the community here. It’s only small but growing fast. The grant from the Green Spaces Fund has meant we can buy proper tools and the plants we want, instead of always ‘making do’. It says to the community that this is an area worth investing in.”GRIT Studios
The launch of the project has already sparked community spirit, with local people, volunteers and workers brainstorming creative and ambitious ways to improve the streetscape, from installing artwork to creating pocket gardens to encourage more wildlife. This energy has since spread beyond Canal Street, catching the attention of Enterprise Rent-A-Car who were looking for a way to boost nature across Greater Manchester and support their team’s wellbeing through spending time outdoors and connecting with others.
“At Enterprise each of our employees have paid volunteering days to use to support the local communities we operate within. Working with GMEF allowed us to work on a Green Spaces Fund project enabling us to get out in the fresh air and really give back to the local people in Stockport by supporting Sophie and GRIT Studios’ efforts. Not only does a project like this benefit our employee’s wellbeing, but it can also leave a long-lasting benefit to the residents.”Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise corporate volunteer day with the Green Spaces Fund, helping GRIT Studios with their project in Stockport.
Hosting their team volunteer day at Canal Street Community Garden, a stone’s throw from one of their offices, provided an opportunity for staff to spend time outdoors, learn new skills, network with colleagues, and meet new people. The team eagerly got involved in tasks such as building seating area, planters and space for children to spend time outdoors, painting, weeding, planting, and litter picking, knowing that their efforts meant more people could benefit from the improved space.
“The Enterprise Team were incredible and pushed the project along hugely. They got stuck in with everything from planting to painting and even built a bench! There’s no way we could have achieved as much as we did in a day without their help. We’re so grateful.”GRIT Studios
Canal Street Community Garden is one of many projects funded through the Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund. 52 projects have been funded to date, all of which are helping create and improve green space where it is needed most, alongside supporting Greater Manchester’s long-term environmental vision – to be carbon neutral by 2038. If your business is interested in opportunities to support GMEF, you can get in touch by e-mailing us at gmenvfund@lancswt.org.uk.