Good session with Smithfield Garden Club, clearing lots of litter from an area near The Wheatsheaf in Northern Quarter 🚮

Welcome to Tyla for the first time, joining a bumper group for a rare Wednesday night task.

Louise and Phil were in charge with Robert, landlord at the Wheatsheaf, also lending an able hand. We got bag rings, gloves, bin bags, a makeshift sharps bin, and brooms with dustpan to do a loop of the area.

Some notable collections:

• battery 🔋
• mattress 🛏
• hoover
• various clothing 👖
• lots of broken bottles, glass, cans

We also trimmed one of the communal beds and had an introduction to the amazing work the local group had done to develop the area, including some of the planted areas that were looking good 🌳🌱🍃

Juno and I ran 5.2 km upto Northern Quarter to help out with Smithfield Garden Club.

Ever a pair to get stuck in and muddy, we weeded and cleared under a few small trees and bushes, before aggressively pruning a hydrangea.

Really good and welcoming group hidden in NQ and there maybe another small session next Sunday too.

The wonders of Instagram enabled me to find a little know gardening club in the backstreets of Northern Quarter in Manchester City centre. With so NIF and GM Environmental funding, they have transformed so of the local spaces from fly tipping hotspots into green and pleasant lands.

Today was their semi-regular volunteering session to plant some more shrubs, clear away weeds, and pick up litter that often forms a blight in the Northern Quarter.

Along with other newbies Mel and Sam, Juno and I met the regular crew to their surprise (I think they rarely get many volunteers for these things...) so we got lots done in a short amount of time.

After swapping details and saying goodgyes, we ran back the way we came (5-6 km each way) to get a cup of tea and to wash away the mud and dirt.

Keep an eye out for future sessions with Smithfield Garden Club (NQ).