Friends of Chapel Street Park

A group of residents passionate about their local park, Chapel Street Park in Levenshulme

Aim

In September 2020 a group of local residents who live in the vicinity of Chapel Street Park set about establishing the group Friends of Chapel Street Park. The group aims to bring together the local community and find out what people in the area would like to see happen in the park. Alongside buzz Manchester Health & Wellbeing Service, the group was supported by the landlord of The Bluebell Inn and The Bee Sanctuary Movement, a local organisation that focus on cultivating local green spaces to support native flora and fauna.

Location

Levenshulme

Benefit of Community based projects

Volunteering in community projects and performing acts of kindness can have a positive impact on mental wellbeing. There is a small amount of evidence to suggest that getting involved in environmental activities and projects may also have a positive impact on physical health. Community engagement can foster a greater sense of ownership and identification with the local area, which may lead to long-term sustainability. It can also combat social exclusion and empower individuals.

Evaluation

The group reached out to the community using a questionnaire which was created with support from buzz Neighbourhood Health Worker Noah. This was distributed to local residents in the area through Facebook and during a consultation, the group got 90 responses using these outlets.

With support from buzz Manchester they also printed 500 questionnaires which were distributed through local residents’ letterboxes, asking for their input and inviting them to the group’s first AGM meeting. buzz helped the group identify the four most common languages spoken by local residents by contacting the local primary school, and had the leaflet translated to enable the group to engage with the community as a whole.

The responses from these questionnaires are helping to shape the initial plans for community projects that will happen in the park, such as setting up a community allotment in a disused bowling green. buzz have paid for the groups’ public liability insurance to help get the community projects in the park started. buzz have also provided the group with funding to purchase gardening tools and equipment. The collaboration between buzz and the group also includes supporting the group to identify, apply for and access additional funding to bring the ideas of the community to life.

Project Team

buzz Manchester Health & Wellbeing Service

Friends of Chapel Street Park Committee

The Bee Sanctuary Movement

The Bluebell Inn

Chapel Street Park Primary School

Parks Service Manchester City Council

Strategic links to local/national policies

Benefit	Policy
Increased mental wellbeing	Manchester Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Social inclusion More engaged in community	Manchester Population Health Plan NHS Five Year Forward View (Department of Health, 2014) Manchester Population Health Plan
Community ownership and long-term sustainability	Healthy Lives, Healthy People (HM Government, 2010)
Empowerment of individuals	Healthy Lives, Healthy People (HM Government, 2010) NHS Five Year Forward View (Department of Health, 2014)
Increased physical activity and physical health	Manchester Health and Wellbeing Strategy