Partnership Working
The quality, scope and number of partnerships put in place by Urban Green Newcastle was one of its key successes. The charity recognised delivering quality public open space for residents while reducing costs could not be done in isolation. From the outset, the team adopted an open and collaborative approach, and throughout its existence worked […]
Promoting wellbeing, play + sport
Urban Green Newcastle was committed to improving the scope and opportunity for people to get out and enjoy the parks and allotments, and in 2020 the charity agreed a Memorandum of Understanding with Newcastle City Council to deliver a programme of sports and physical activity. Urban Green Newcastle appointed a dedicated Sports and Activities Officer, […]
Delivering for nature + the environment
Urban Green Newcastle was committed to enhancing the natural environment within Newcastle’s parks and allotments by increasing biodiversity, encouraging wildlife, and combating climate change. This influenced all aspects of the charity’s work – from reducing pesticide use, working with event organisers to minimise environmental impacts, and procuring more energy efficient machinery. Urban Green Newcastle worked […]
Working with people, communities + volunteers
Working in partnership with local communities was core to Urban Green Newcastle’s approach. The charity knew how passionately people cared for their local green spaces, and introduced the roles of Community Gardener, Volunteer and Engagement Co-ordinator, and Sports and Activities Officer to increase opportunities for engagement. Many people and organisations gave their time freely to […]
Generating new income
Urban Green Newcastle was set up to help diversify income streams for urban green space, without the need for local authority funding. The challenge of finding new ways of funding public parks is not unique to Newcastle upon Tyne, and Urban Green Newcastle worked closely with other organisations across the country – including the National […]
Maintaining + improving Pets’ Corner
Founded in the 1960s, Pets’ Corner is a hugely popular visitor attraction in Jesmond Dene. Free to enter and enjoy, it is home to an assortment of animals, including goats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds. Although the site benefitted from investment around 15 years ago, the decline in budgets across Newcastle’s wider parks and allotments […]
Maintaining + improving allotments
Allotments allow people to grow healthy produce, enjoy the fresh air, boost their health and wellbeing, and be part of their local community. The majority of the sites in Newcastle are sub-let and managed on a daily basis by Allotment Associations, who carry out a huge amount of work on behalf of their local site […]
Maintaining + improving parks
In 2019, Urban Green Newcastle inherited parks and allotments that were in need of significant investment, due to a prolonged period of austerity and subsequent funding cuts by the Council. There had been limited tree maintenance over the previous decade, play area equipment was nearing end of life, and many of the buildings Urban Green […]
Set-up, governance + funding
In 2014, Newcastle City Council took a bold and visionary step. It began working with the National Trust and National Heritage Lottery Fund to explore whether transferring the city’s parks and allotments to an independent body would reduce costs and improve management and upkeep. Further background information on the process – including Cabinet reports, consultation […]