We are a small but very active group who love Backhouse Park. It's an inner city park in a northern, industrial city. We don't have formal flower beds but we do have hills, trees, high grass, a stream, happy children, waggy dogs and a rich heritage of caring for our neighbours, our communities.
We look at 2 things: the structure of the park and who uses it.
We hold events that get people involved - Christmas runarounds, Easter egg hunts, halloween lantern parades, fairy doors and dog shows. We put gates on the entrances to stop children and dogs running out onto the roads, we installed bird boxes and bat boxes, have regular litter picks. We've rescued owls, bats and carp. We take part in bird, bluebell, mini beast and bat surveys. We've cleaned the stream, pulled out Himalayan Balsam and planted 4000 bluebells with the help of local people.
This project is about health and optimism. Over the last year of lockdowns the park has been used and appreciated more than ever for mental and physical wellbeing, and being involved in growing a tree is investing in your future.
It's part of regaining England's orchards. It sustains wildlife and ecosystems.
It will look stunning with blossom in the spring and fruit in the autumn. We already have an apple press so that children can be involved.
It's just a lovely project.
