Nextdoor Nature in action

The Phoenix Centre

Together with help from people who live and work in the community using locally sourced free materials, we created a prototype pallet planter, enabling them to grow their own fruit and vegetables – there for the whole community to enjoy.

The plants (strawberries, tomatoes, herbs, lavender, sweet peas and other good pollinator plants) and the peat-free compost was paid for by the Nextdoor Nature project.

Kieran, a local handy person, has now constructed and planted up two other pallet planters at the Phoenix Centre, which is fast becoming a growing hub.

Other people in the Phoenix Centre community have also added bird boxes and feeders, water dishes for hedgehogs and bug homes. This small building and its hardstanding outside space is blooming and quickly becoming a haven for wildlife.

Sloughbottom Park

We have been supporting Friends of Sloughbottom Park to create a wildflower 'pollinator patch' with two volunteer sessions.

During the first session, we cleared the border and sowed wildflower seeds and in early May planted out a range of bee-friendly flowers.

One volunteer, who is very loyal to the civic life of Mile Cross and a life-long resident, planted one of the plants into the border and then said, pointing, 'I planted that!'

We discovered that people welcome learning how to plant flowers and other plants because they haven't always had the opportunity before. Often these skills are shared with other group members, so the knowledge is spread throughout the community.

The Marlpit Centre

We supported the committee volunteers at the Marlpit community centre who wanted to create a shared wildlife garden.

Other groups that use the community centre helped out too. Baseline helped clear the garden and install bird boxes, and with the help of committee members, we spent a morning clearing blackthorn and preparing the soil for wildflower seeds.

We also spent a session with 30 young carers (aged 7-10) who meet regularly at the centre with a Young Carers group. These lively and excited children really slowed down and took great care in sowing their wildflower seeds and they've promised to water the patch throughout the growing season.

There is lots more planned for this area and we are really excited to support them along the way!

Edmund Bacon Court

At Edmund Bacon Court, we supported a number of residents to create a more colourful and vibrant shared green space around their buildings.

We helped plant a mini wildflower meadow as well as several mini wildlife ponds!