Blackpool tenants join homes repairs partners to turn community garden dream into reality

Published by Gary Bolton for Connaught Plc in Communities and also in Housing

Blackpool tenants have joined staff of Great Places Housing Group and repairs partner Connaught in blitzing waste ground that is destined to become a community garden.

Together the group cleaned and cleared land next to Colchester Drive and Portsmouth Close at Thornton Cleveleys where Great Places owns and manages family homes.

The next stage of the community garden project will see Great Places and Connaught work with local people to turn the area into a wild flower garden where residents can grow vegetables or sit and socialise, with exact plans still to be drawn up in so that there is something for everyone.

Tenants of Great Places’ Foyer and William Lyons House supported housing projects in the town helped with the work, one of three corporate social volunteering days arranged. The others are in Morecambe next month and Bolton in March.

Daniel Mountford, community initiatives manager at Great Places said: “We see this as a real team challenge and a great chance for us to work together and achieve something really worthwhile.

“This piece of land has suffered some tipping and littering and it will be great to see it put to a super new use.”

Kate Kenney, Connaught customer experience manager, said: “We were delighted to come together with our partners and customers to ensure a real team effort could help improve this area and with the plans for the community garden to replace it hopefully there will be something for everyone to enjoy.”