Let’s make Chester greener, not just a little bit greener, 10x Greener.
Friends of the Earth have developed what they are calling a Postcode Gardener model – it combines community organising with urban greening in a way that strengthens local relationships and transforms streets into greener, healthier places to live.
Since they started in 2018, they have helped two groundbreaking communities – one in London, one in North Devon – raise the funds needed to hire their own Postcode Gardener and begin transforming their streets.
We’ve recently had the pleasure to bring our Postcode Gardener Charlotte on board, we can’t wait to see what she can do for the area and for the future of the project.
The aim of the postcode gardener model is to overcome one of the main barriers of easily making urban spaces greener. Most people simply don’t have the time or resources to be responsible for the planting and maintenance of green spaces.
Volunteer Coordinator for Chester, Helen Tandy said “When I first heard about the trial project and its inclusion in a BBC2 documentary I tuned in. I knew straight away that I wanted to bring the project to Chester. I had a vision of central Chester, where we have more terraced houses, flats and little green space. The Chester community put us on the map by nominating our region and two weeks later I got the call from (Friends of the Earth) head office.
Everything came together when Alex from a Newtown Residents group came to our meeting to confirm that it was exactly what they were looking for.”
Our nature-shy lives are bad for us.
Daily contact with nature is linked to less stress, better mood and reduced obesity. By making our towns and cities 10xGreener, you can look forward to more wildlife, cleaner air, and maybe even a happier you.
More green will also help us beat climate change – sucking up carbon emissions, fending off flood waters and cooling us down during heatwaves. – friendsoftheearth.uk
Alex Baylis, Chair of Newtown Community Group said, “Since moving to Newtown a few years ago I began to realise how underrated it is as an inner-city area.
The area has terraced streets, a theatre, a beautiful church but very few green areas and as a consequence a lack of wildlife. As a community group we decided to look up a Friends of the Earth meeting as we had heard they liked to achieve rather than lecture.
The 10x greener project was brought up and it seemed to fit well with Newtown. I could see that the project had great potential to create and sustain community spirit and in turn help reduce the drug-taking and fly-tipping that is so very prevalent at the moment.”
Lisa Miller works very hard organising the community group, she felt passionately about the preservation of the local area, “It tied in with plans we had for our community group. We wanted to motivate the area and improve planting, to make the area look more cared for- and to discourage fly tipping and other antisocial behaviour.
In particular we wanted to regenerate our alleyways and improve planters and dead spaces. When I saw 10xGreener online I thought that’s us!
We have had several litter picking sessions which have been well attended and we hope the neighbours will also support this new project – its dead exciting….”
If you want to get involved and help our CH1 Postcode Gardener get in touch. We need your help to shape the community vision, share ideas and build connections with your neighbours around the areas to prioritise.
We will be hosting various greening activities throughout the year and will be looking for volunteers. You’ll learn new skills, make new friends, and play a vital role in transforming your streets.