One of Manchester's most mistreated inner-city areas, once plagued with fly-tipping and ‘anti-social activity’, has undergone a startling transformation.
‘Origin Alley’ was once a hotspot for filth, rat infestations, and general waste dumping until the people who lived there decided to make a major change.
Now, after undergoing a complete transformation the alley - situated between St. Ives Road and Ealing Avenue - is an area residents feel proud to live in.
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With the support of Upping It, a greenfield organisation set to restoring “civic pride in the Edwardian streets and alleys of Moss Side”, neighbours have been rebuilding their communities, cleaning, greening, recycling and controlling waste.
Anne Tucker, 71, who runs Upping It, spoke to the Manchester Evening News, she said: “The organisation is made up of regular residents who help Moss Side communities restore greenery into anti-social and neglected alleyways. We found the best way to encourage clean alleys is through greening it, most residents recycle and manage waste better now they have pride and a sense of community in where they live.”
Upping It has advocated less concrete, bricks, and cobbles through a mixture of greenery and growing initiatives across over 50 ginnels in and around Moss Side. Through these plant-filled alleys, unintended positive outcomes have arisen, as residents admit the project has helped build connections between neighbours who had previously never spoken.
Anne said: “Starting is the first big step, and afterwards, a lot of residents say they wish they’d started sooner. But once you do, it helps keep the residential area clean and there’s much less likely fly-tippers and crime.
"There are so many positive results from gardening, and I’m hoping that through continuing this community process, we can also teach people to begin to acknowledge the importance of nature, and how vital it is to care for our local environment.”
Win our competition
This year, the RHS and MEN have teamed up to launch a competition, offering the chance for you to win invitations to a major show opening, help transforming your ginnel into a vibrant space, and even £1,000.
We are inviting residents, whether individuals, a few households together or community groups, to submit a photo or photographs of the space they want to transform, with up to 500 words and/or a two-minute film on what their plans are for their ginnel, why they believe they should win, and how they plan to maintain it.
The winners will receive an invitation to attend the opening day of RHS Flower Show Tatton Park on 19 July, a design consultation with Jason Williams, a former exhibitor at RHS Tatton Park and RHS Chelsea Flower Show, who will share his expert tips and ideas on how they can transform their ginnel, plus £1,000 in vouchers to spend on plants and materials needed to bring the vision to life.
“This ginnel garden competition is about bringing people together. There are completely different stories behind people’s gardening, which brings that sense of community - who may not have much of a garden and provide a safe space for people,” Jason said.
“I hope that I can give the winner the tools to create the garden and to keep it going throughout the year. We will be on hand to help with the technical side of things, I think it is really beneficial to anybody who applies.”
Entrants will be judged by Jason, the RHS's Tatton Show manager Lex Falleyn and Sarah Lester, the Editor of the MEN. They will also be visited regularly as the ginnel progresses.
Helena Pettit, Director of Gardens and Shows, said: “We are really thrilled to be partnering with Manchester Evening News on this exciting community gardening competition. Plants and gardens enrich lives and bring people together.
"We are delighted that individuals and community groups across the North West have come together and created fantastic ginnel gardens, transforming these often unwelcome, grey spaces into green pockets full of plants.
“There are still hundreds of ginnels that remain unloved and through this competition and the Ginnel Garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park hope to inspire more people to bring their ginnels to life through the power of plants and flowers.
“We really look forward to hearing from individuals, community groups or households from across the region on how they plan to transform their ginnel into a green sanctuary.”
To enter, simply email the below address with your full name, a photograph of the space you want to transform, and up to 500 words/and or a two-minute film on the plans for the ginnel, why you believe you should win, and how you plan to maintain it.
The competition closes midday on 23 June 2023, and winners will be notified after the closing date.
Contact us for a chance to win: mencomps@trinitymirror.com
