Greater Manchester Environment Trust

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We fund projects that are making Greater Manchester greener 🐝 Home of the Green Spaces Fund and Renew Community Fund 💚

30/10/2026

Pumpkins at the ready... 🎃

Despite originating in warmer climates, many varieties of pumpkin grow well in the UK, whether they are for carving or more culinary purposes.

To date, the heaviest pumpkin to be grown in the UK weighed 1,296kg!!!

Lots of our Green Spaces Fund groups across GM grow pumpkins and squashes at this time of year, although probably not *quite* that large 👀

We love this photo from Blackleach Allotments in Salford. The Blackleach Allotment Association were awarded £40,000 in the second round of our Green Spaces Fund to create a community garden and some new starter plots on their allotment, creating opportunities for local residents to garden collectively and grow their own food.

Have a super Halloween weekend 🎃

28/10/2026

"This place gets stuff done." 🐝 Yesterday, we visited the People's History Museum for the first Future of Greater Manchester Summit.

We heard from Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Craig about her plans for our city region, along with a number of great panels about Manchester's potential, its political influence, and its cultural footprint.

Thanks to The Mill for putting together such an interesting and insightful event.

26/10/2026

A fairy-tale transformation in Salford 🪄 Irlam Library now has a colourful "secret garden" thanks to a grant from the Green Spaces Fund.

The library’s rear garden had not been used for years and was no longer safely accessible.

Now, the Friends of Irlam library - FOIL have created a beautiful space where people can sit with a book, chat with friends and attend regular horticultural workshops and classes.

“We now know how to bring people together and support local organisations in making things better for both the green spaces and the community” - Kerry, Friends of Irlam Library

Salford CVS and Volunteer Centre Salford Salford Community Libraries

23/10/2026

Earlier this week, our Programme Manager Grace attended the opening of the Oldham Wellbeing Garden at The Royal Oldham Hospital 🦋

Developed by the RHS and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, this new sustainable and accessible green space is set to support biodiversity and the wellbeing of patients, staff, visitors and the wider community.

Grace really enjoyed attending the official opening of this wonderful garden. She said:

"It is a very special site that will undoubtedly have a positive impact on patients, staff and visitors. I've loved seeing how beautiful the RHS have made it."

21/10/2026

Hip hip hooray: it's Apple Day! 🍏

Today is national Apple Day; a chance to appreciate this humble orchard fruit that grows so beautifully across the UK.

A number of our Green Spaces Fund project plant apple trees at their projects, providing fruit for us and vital nectar for pollinators.

For example, this photo comes from the Brotherhood Peace Garden in Moss Side, which grows a huge amount of fresh produce in a former car park, including these lovely apples.

What's your favourite apple variety?

20/10/2026

We want to say congratulations to the whole team at Northern Roots for the long-awaited public opening of their incredible green space in Oldham 🎉

Their site started as 4 acres of neglected land but is now the UK's largest urban farm, growing affordable food for the community and their farm-to-fork café.

We're proud to have played a small part in the development of this site through the Green Spaces Fund, helping the team create gardens, a wildlife pond, a community gathering space and a wildflower area at the entrance to the site.

Have you paid them a visit yet?

📸 Photos from

16/10/2026

We're ending our Friday with this fab photo from the team at Levenshulme Inspire, who are well on their way to revamping the concrete space in front of their community hub.

They've been planting bulbs that will add some beautiful colour come the spring, and training volunteers to care for the space with expertise from a local garden centre.

Brilliant work all! 🌱🪏

Levenshulme Inspire Bud Garden Centre

15/10/2026

Autotrader are one of the GMET's brilliant corporate supporters 🛻

To date, they've contributed over £100,000 to projects across GM as part of their commitment to putting the brakes on carbon.

The groups they've funded have planted 250 new trees, established 80sqm of new green space and improved an additional 10,074sqm within Greater Manchester.

Thank you for helping us to spread the power and impact of the fund! 💚

📸 Photo from Autotrader's recent corporate volunteering day at a Green Spaces Fund project in Tameside.

13/10/2026

A concrete island between roads in Hulme is soon to become a mini hub of biodiversity and community gardening thanks to the Green Spaces Fund 🦋

Last week, we visited the "Blanchard Gardens" project, run by Sustainable Communities Hulme, to see how they are getting on with their Round 6 grant.

It was great to be joined by Afzal Khan, MP for Manchester Rusholme, along with Hulme councillors Lee Glover and Bernard Ekbery, who were all keen to hear what's in store for this soon-to-be green space.

The new oak raised beds (which were planted up by the community a few days later) will prevent illegal car access and one day bloom with bulbs, wildflowers, herbs, and fruits.

The group will also be installing a circular bench around one of the existing tree trunks, a mini library and a bug hotel.

It was a great visit, and brilliant to see local politicians discussing the importance of green spaces for our communities.

08/10/2026

Funding opportunity! 📣 The Oglesby Charitable Trust have launched a new £100,000 fund called 'Spotlight on Local Climate Action'.

They're offering grants of between £500 and £5,000 to support nature-based climate action across all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester.

📍 Who can apply: Small charities, CICs, and constituted community groups based in Greater Manchester with an annual income under £250,000 (without previous OCT funding).

🧾Funding type: All categories considered (running costs, new projects, continuation and small capital grants).

📅 Application window: Open now and closes 3rd November 2026.

We think this could be a fantastic boost to some of our Green Spaces Fund groups!

Search for 'Oglesby Charitable Trust Spotlight Fund' online for more info, or get in touch at [email protected] with any questions.

Address

Bolton

Website

https://gmet.org.uk/

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