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The Power of Community Gardens in Beaumont Leys 2022-2023

In the heart of Beaumont Leys, Leicester, a remarkable transformation is taking place. The once-neglected plot of land, now known as The Urban Garden, is emerging as a symbol of hope and community resilience. This transformation is the result of collaborative efforts from various organisations, including the Cooke E-Learning Foundation (E2), Enstruct, The Conservation Volunteers, and the local business Samworth Brothers. In this article, we explore the key themes and insights from Adriana Massidda's paper, (see link at the end of this article), along with co-authors Can Ozerdem and Nwakaego Onyenokporo, shedding light on the inspiring story of The Urban Garden.

Fig. 1. The site after the first rearrangements of hardcore and rubble. Credits: Nwakaego Onyenokporo and Robert Dargue, June 2022

Community-Led Transformation: The Urban Garden project is a shining example of a community-led transformation. Residents of Beaumont Leys, with support from E2 and other NGOs, envisioned repurposing a derelict site. Initially considering a sports field, the local council suggested a garden instead. This shift in focus from sports to greenery highlights the adaptability and responsiveness of community initiatives.

Reusing Waste and Sustainable Practices: The project's sustainable ethos is striking. Rather than disposing of waste materials, volunteers reused them on-site. This eco-conscious approach not only reduced costs but also minimised the environmental impact of the project. Rainwater collection systems, vegetable patches, and a sensory area showcase the garden's commitment to sustainable practices.

Empowering the Community: The Urban Garden extends beyond greenery. It serves as a space for education and skill development. Information boards with QR codes provide valuable insights, and the process of designing and maintaining the garden empowers volunteers to expand their skills, enhancing their employability. This commitment to knowledge sharing strengthens community bonds.

Addressing Environmental Challenges: The project also faced environmental challenges, particularly soil contamination. Collaborating with researchers from the Health and Life Sciences faculty of De Montfort University, the team conducted soil analysis. While they discovered higher levels of metals than ideal, the bioavailability of these metals was crucial in assessing potential harm.

Fig. 2. Urban Garden layout. Credits: Enstruct, May 2022.

Micro-Scale Actions for Macro Impact: Adriana Massidda's paper (see link below) emphasises the potential of micro-scale actions to drive change in disadvantaged communities like Beaumont Leys. While broader issues of stigmatisation, pollution, and poverty persist, The Urban Garden's creation fosters community ties and offers a sense of hope for the area's prosperity.

Fig. 3. Urban Garden September 2023. Credits: Martin Buchanan.

Conclusion: The story of The Urban Garden is a testament to the power of collaboration, sustainability, and community engagement. It exemplifies how a neglected piece of land can become a vibrant, educational, and environmentally conscious space that empowers residents and revitalises a community. Adriana Massidda's paper, along with co-authors Can Ozerdem and Nwakaego Onyenokporo, sheds light on the transformative journey of The Urban Garden in Beaumont Leys, reminding us that small actions can have a big impact on urban spaces and the people who inhabit them.

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 E2 Youth Sessions Timetable

    

 		           
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E2 Sports Activities

 

E2 provides a range of sports activities as part of its core offer for young people in the Beaumont Leys and Abbey Wards of Leicester. We know that keeping fit and active is essential for young people to reduce the impact of health issues that are all too common in our communities for example our areas have a significantly higher prevalence in regards to: ‘Health Challenges - These areas contain the population with the greatest levels of illness and consequently, those with the greatest health challenges and risky behaviours now and in the past’ Leicester HNN Profile_DRAFT version 3, 30/07/2021

Sports activities currently happening

Young people taking part in physical activities

                                       

 Sports activities we previously delivered

 
 
In 2021-22 we were funded by Sports England to deliver a 1-year project for Young People to help them develop their roller skating skills. We are happy to report that we met all of our project outcomes and were able to support more young people than we originally planned. Young people and their parents were very sad to see this project come to an end. However, we reassured them that we will do our very best to secure additional funding to deliver more sport-related projects in the future.
 
 
   
 Football sessions at DMU’s Beaumont Park  Young people ready to start Ninja Warrior  Ninja Warrior in Leicester
   

 Sports Activities we will deliver - Coming soon

Football - We plan to develop more football sessions and utilise De Montfort University’s Beaumont Park football pitches as we did over the summer and Easter holidays in 2021 and all throughout the year prior to the Covid pandemic in 2019. Our football sessions are always popular and due to the high costs of other football provisions, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, we fully intend to bring these back on a regular basis as soon as we can. All of our football sessions will be free for participants.

Roller Skating - We have seen our Beaumont Leys Partner: Mini Rollers offer a really successful roller skating provision on Saturdays and young people have asked if we can develop our own roller skating project that they can attend for free during the week and throughout the holidays. All of our roller skating sessions will be free for participants. Watch this space!

Community Sports Facility - After a large consultation in 2018 with young people, parents and residents we found that the biggest thing that is missing in our area is a community sports facility. We worked with DMU students to create some designs, drawings, and architectural plans based on what people said they wanted and the area we identified as a potential location. Unfortunately, those plans were shelved because of the high cost of the project and the fact that the Covid pandemic broke out.  It is still our ambition to develop, run and maintain a community sports facility in Beaumont Leys to ensure that young people can keep fit and active while engaging in physical activities they are passionate about. We are currently in discussion with Leicester City Council about the potential of a MUGA in Beaumont Leys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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