Live Theatre’s Community Garden in Newcastle awarded ‘Nature Hubs’ grant
Live Theatre in Newcastle has today been announced as one of 100 winners nationwide of The Nature Hubs Fund, a new initiative that aims to widen community access to green spaces. Hubbub and Starbucks received over 600 submissions for funding when they announced the Nature Hubs grant applications were open for applicants in November 2023.
The grants, awarded by environmental charity Hubbub and funded by Starbucks, have been allocated to community groups and projects that will increase local access to green space, upskill communities, bring people together in nature and / or build climate resilience. In total, over £560,000 in grants is being awarded to 100 Nature Hubs projects across Great Britain with the aim of bringing nature closer to people and people closer to nature.
Live Theatre's funding is being used to create a community garden in the courtyard behind the theatre. The courtyard is surrounded by listed buildings and wasn't being used. Work is already underway to grow fruit, flowers and vegetables in raised beds, and make the space much more attractive as a garden in which staff, tenants, volunteers and members of our community can come and relax.
Live Theatre's Community Garden will create new volunteering opportunities, such as managing the planting, weeding and maintenance. This will provide both an opportunity to spend more time being active outdoors, meeting new people and socialising as well as work experience and support for people looking to get back into work.
The fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in the garden will be used to for community lunches as an opportunity to thank participants and volunteers. Produce will also be donated to foodbanks. There will also be opportunities for school children to learn about nature and wildlife, increase their knowledge around healthy eating and the importance of having an active lifestyle, and to develop their own gardening skills.
Alison Nicholson, Fundraising and Development Manager and Garden Project Manager said: “The feedback from the volunteering sessions has been great so far. Participants have commented that they felt much brighter mentally, their mood had elevated and that they also felt better physically by being outdoors. Volunteering sessions create an opportunity to meet new people and communicate in a completely new environment, blossoming conversations you might have otherwise not had. People feel valued and have a shared experience, a sense of pride and a shared ambition about what they are going to achieve with this garden.
"We’re delighted to receive this Nature Hubs grant from Hubbub and Starbucks and are looking forward to seeing the impact that the development of this project will have on our local community.”
Gavin Ellis, Co-founder at Hubbub said: “Access to safe and inclusive green spaces, particularly in urban areas, is so critical to our mental, physical and social wellbeing. Improving the green spaces in our towns and cities also helps to improve biodiversity, cool our streets and provide fantastic opportunities to grow fresh produce. The Nature Hubs initiative is designed to make these natural spaces - and the many wonderful ways to engage in environmental activities within them - much more accessible for everyone.
“We received so many incredible applications from community groups across Great Britain and are really excited to work with all of our new Nature Hubs partners to see the impact that these varied and ambitious plans will have on local communities.”
The Nature Hubs scheme is funded by Starbucks and is part of Hubbub and Starbucks' wider ambition to build stronger, greener communities across the UK. The fund aims to improve access and connection to nature in the communities Starbucks serves, by creating green spaces within a 5km radius of Starbucks stores.
Find out more about Live Theatre's Community Garden supported by a grant from The Nature Hubs Fund managed by Hubbub at https://www.live.org.uk/communitygarden
