It’s become a sensory haven
Charity teams up with National Grid to create inclusive green space aimed at improving wellbeing in south Bristol
A once overlooked patch of land in south Bristol has been transformed into a calming sensory garden designed specifically for disabled people and their carers.
Located at Hartcliffe Millennium Green, the new garden offers a peaceful, inclusive space where visitors can benefit from the sights, sounds and textures of nature. The initiative is part of a wider effort to revitalise the green space and make it more accessible to the local community.
The garden was developed by the charity Your Park Bristol & Bath and supported by National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), which provided both funding and a team of Bristol-based staff volunteers to help plant and design the area.
The project marks the beginning of the second year of a collaboration between NGED and Your Park, focused on enhancing public parks to ensure everyone can experience their physical and mental health benefits.
Charity teams up with National Grid to create inclusive green space aimed at improving wellbeing in south Bristol
NGED’s volunteering and sponsorship co-ordinator, Emily Green, said: “Seeing our team create a sensory garden that will bring comfort and connection to so many people is incredibly rewarding. We are proud to be supporting Your Park for a second year and look forward to seeing how together we can boost wellbeing and inclusion by improving urban green spaces.”
The sensory garden is just one part of a broader initiative by Your Park to rejuvenate Hartcliffe Millennium Green. The charity is working to develop the area into a hub filled with accessible facilities, natural habitats and community-led activities.
Amber Fisher, Your Park’s partnerships manager, said: “We’re so excited to be working with NGED again this year. Their team’s passion and willingness to get stuck into making parks better places for all is second to none. Your Park’s vision is for everyone to benefit from parks’ transformative health benefits. With continued backing from partners like NGED, that vision is becoming reality.”
The Reimagining Parks campaign, also supported by NGED, aims to create safer, more nature-rich and inclusive parks throughout Bristol and Bath, where many residents lack access to quality green space.
Charity teams up with National Grid to create inclusive green space aimed at improving wellbeing in south Bristol
According to Your Park, around 30 per cent of locals live in high-rise social housing, limiting their access to outdoor areas, while 57 per cent of residents experience social isolation. The charity works to bring the benefits of parks directly to these communities by enhancing public spaces and offering inclusive services tailored to a wide range of people, including the elderly, carers, children, young people and ethnic minority groups.