One Big Garden Bensham

The Best of Bensham Collaborative consists of over 20 community-based organisations, who between them provide support for many of the needs and interests in the Bensham & Saltwell area. The Collaborative is stronger together and between the members we believe we can provide support to meet the needs and aspirations of people who live in Bensham. Central to this is the participation of local people.

Our newest project is termed “One big garden Bensham”. Working with local stakeholders, this project aims to improve biodiversity and greening in the local area. It is community led, which is why we are interested in what you have to say. This campaign is also important to generate a wide range of ideas to benefit the area and local people with which we can go and apply for charity funding that turns those ideas into reality.

Therefore, we invite anybody living locally, or with an interest in the area, whether old or young, to submit ideas for change.

Can you think of a space or place near you which you think could be improved with greening or greenspace?

What places in Bensham do you already enjoy to relax and recover? What can make those spaces better for you and others?

Are there any unused or unspace spaces which you think could change for the better?

Your idea may be small, like: planting a tree somewhere; or big: like change this whole site for a new use. Tell us what would make Bensham better.

To do so, we have now created an online mapping campaign for the wider neighbourhood to enable all local residents to leave suggestions for how to improve the local area through better use of green space, disused retail property and other areas available for renovation.

On this campaign, you can see others’ ideas and comment on ideas already submitted. And all local residents are also invited to add new ideas on the map of Bensham. Anybody can place a new idea on the map, along with a photo and a short description of the idea.

We have already located a few places and project ideas, which are included in the campaign as examples. You can see these places either on a map of the area in ‘Map view,’ or simply listed in ‘List view.’ You can leave comments, and read through other comments, on either functionality. There is no limit to how many comments you can leave.

[call to action: To see all ideas already submitted or to add your own, head over to: One big garden Bensham]

If you want to ask somebody to add an idea for you, you can email us at: bestofbensham@outlook.com