Oldham Mayor opens new local community garden 'triumph' at Eden Street

A new local community garden was officially opened by First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) chief executive Mark Gifford after the housing association allowed its land to be used for the project.

The area at Eden Street - next to Barker Street Community Centre - has been re-developed by local community group OL1 with FCHO's permission and support from its Neighbourhood Care team.

Volunteers have spent several months creating the biodiverse space for local residents and centre users after being awarded £15,000 of funding from Manchester Green Spaces and a further £750 from FCHO.

An orchard, wildflowers and hundreds of bulbs and seeds have transformed the once overgrown area into a thriving community garden providing a place for people to socialise, get in touch with nature, and enjoy time outdoors.

Fellow Green Spaces Fund group Northern Lily also led a tree-planting session on site.

“The Eden Street project started some 12 months ago when we found an unused piece of land and we really thought we'd try to resurrect it for users of the centre,” said chair of OL1, Angie Brain.

“The support we have had to do this from First Choice Homes Oldham has been absolutely amazing.

“The land was really a sleeping beauty.

"What we did not anticipate was the level of ground work we would need to do.

"We thought we could simply clear the land.

"It was a heavy hard job but we are pleased with the results.”

She explained the space was fully accessible for disabled people and the planting of trees would help alleviate carbon emissions from the busy St Mary’s Way and Rochdale Road.

“The garden is a triumph. It is a space for everyone," she added.

Mr Gifford said he was honoured to open the garden during the event that saw entertainment supplied by the Sister of Yam Choir and the steel band Band One.

“I am often saying we are more than just a landlord and the Eden Street Project is a great example of that as we work in partnership to build those stronger communities with brilliant groups like OL1 who have worked so hard,” he explained.

“We play a really important role in pulling people together as a community anchor organisation and one of the things that is really exciting at Eden Street is that we have given the land but we have encouraged OL1, we have encouraged other support groups as well as the amazing people in our Neighbourhood Care team giving their expertise too.

“This is an exciting template for the future as FCHO continues to help with this work across Oldham.

"It has enabled this project to happen and be a huge part of this community in the years to come.”

Oldham’s mayor, councillor Zahid Chauhan, was at the opening, planted a tree and thanked everyone for helping with the project.

“This is an amazing project where we basically show how to build thriving communities,” he said.

“This is a good example of when we bring people and communities together, they thrive and take ownership and transform not only the land and space, but also transform the culture and whole area.”

Greater Manchester Environment Fund co-founder Daveen Wallis added: “Green Spaces Fund projects run for 12 months from when groups receive their grant, and it's been amazing to see how much progress OL1 has made with its Eden Street community garden in that time.

"What a wonderful place created for the community."

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