While out and about on a community pop-up on Wilbraham Street in St Matthew’s, our Engagement and Communities Officers noticed a rise in littering and anti-social behaviour in the area.
During conversations with tenants on the day and follow-up visits, littering was raised as a key concern. Tenants also shared their thoughts on how the area could be improved, with many saying they would love to see more colour by planting trees and flowering shrubs.
What happened with this information?
After the pop-up, a joint visit was arranged with our Greencare team to take a closer look at the area and explore possible improvements. During the visit, it was noticed that many properties have wooden fences that, whilst in good condition, have started to fade over time. A solution that was discussed was to give the fences a fresh coat of paint, which will not only increase their lifespan but also add colour to the area.
Greencare also highlighted areas where shrubs could be planted, to try and reduce littering, and spots where blossom trees could be planted to add a splash of colour and vibrancy to the neighbourhood. A suggestion for the shrubs was Gorse as this has yellow flowers all year round and is fast growing. For the trees, Flamingo, Maple, and Acer have all been suggested.
The outcome of the project
In June, the area saw a real transformation during our community improvement day, with a sea of purple as CGA colleagues rolled up their sleeves to help brighten the area. Colleagues collected three bags of litter and gave six fences a new lease of life with a fresh coat of paint.
In November, we returned to the area to complete another community clean up in preparation of the Winter planting. To serve as a detergent, we planted bushes in areas that had been subject to fly tip, whilst also bringing colour to the space in the Spring.
We want our tenants to be actively involved in making their communities better places to live and following this work, we spoke to a tenant who raised the initial littering concerns. The tenant said,
"I think it's brilliant what you are doing, the space looks beautiful. It's made me want to look after the area. I've bought and planted some of my own bulbs as well".
Due to the weather in the Winter, it was not possible to finish the fence painting, however this will recommence in the Spring.
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