Peterborough’s very own Green Backyard

… [prev] done much gardening other than mowing his lawn, but he just loved it here. He quit the job that made him ill and now works as a selfemployed gardener. He’s really busy and turning work away. He’s discovered what makes him happy.’ A recent survey of members found that 94% believed coming to the GBY strongly benefited their mental wellbeing. And that statistic says it all. The Green Backyard is so much more than a beautiful oasis at the heart of the city. It’s so much more than a place where wholesome fruit and veg are grown, or where nature has a corner to thrive. And it’s so much more than simply raising awareness of issues surrounding climate change and sustainability, important though that is. It’s about bringing people together and celebrating the best side of human nature. The battle’s on to save this very special place for many more people to enjoy.

Save the Green Back Yard!
In order to access funding through grants from bodies such as the Heritage Lottery Fund the GBY needs to be sure of a long-term, secure future. This was part of the reason for the project becoming a registered charity in January 2014. But this is only part of the answer to unlocking grants. The GBY also needs security of tenure, something that hangs in the balance as government funding cuts to local councils force Peterborough City Council, who own the site, to look hard at their assets as a way of plugging the gap left by the cuts. Rich explains: ‘The council has identified the land as a prime development site, so they want to sell it. But while we’re sympathetic about the position they are in, what we need more than ever is a strong and supportive community. We think that the GBY is part of the solution to the current economic difficulties.’

Woodcraft enthusiast Gary Archer has been involved with Green Backyard from the start

The council has its hands tied but has agreed to sell the land to the charity at a discounted rate in recognition of the social benefits it brings to the city. The fight is now on to save the GBY! The charity’s trustees have set up a campaign, #OneSquareFootAtATime to buy the site bit by bit. Tim Smit, director of Cornwall’s Eden Project, was first to donate. £10 buys a square foot and it is hoped that the combined power of thousands of Peterborians will secure the site for good.

Community spirited
But it’s more than fruit and veg, as chair of trustees Rich Hill tells me: ‘Food growing is at the core of what we do but so is growing the community – we bring people together here. In some ways the GBY is akin to a village green. We host big events, with up to 1,000 people attending at a time. Over the past year we have held a May Day celebration, an autumn fayre and a Christmas Market. So it’s a place where people can meet one another, and that’s something that is evident on a day-to-day basis among the volunteers too.’

The GBY operates an open door policy, inviting people to attend its drop-in volunteer days held on Wednesdays and Sundays. Focused work parties get busy on Thursdays and on Saturdays the site is thrown open to the general public to visit and enjoy. Regular workshops and practical demonstrations on an environmental theme are run on the site, particularly heritage crafts such as wood turning, willow weaving and green woodworking. It was attending a workshop on solar power that Rich first became involved with the project. There’s space for creativity too, with graffiti boards for street artists to practice – while adding welcome colour to the GBY.

Get involved!
To learn more about the Green Backyard, volunteer, or to make a donation to the #OneSquareFootAtATime campaign visit www.thegreenbackyard.com