Nursery Workers are Growing Green with Gas Grant

Workers at Brunswick Organic Nursery in Bishopthorpe are going wild this year after winning a green grant from Northern Gas Networks.

The organisation has been awarded £2,100 to create a wildlife garden in their grounds. They are one of 23 regional winners in the Northern Green Networks scheme. This year more than £60,000 has been awarded to support environmental projects across the north of England.

John Atkinson from the nursery explained: “As well as planting up the wildlife area, we’ll be putting up bird boxes that we’ve made here on site and also improving access to the pond area so it can be enjoyed by all our visitors.

“In the past, this area had been a little bit neglected, so this Northern Green Networks grant has made a huge difference for us, not only will it provide an area for visitors to sit and enjoy the surroundings, it will also provide a good habitat for birds and other wildlife.”

Most of the day-to-day work at the nursery is carried out by adults with learning difficulties. The employees are well known in the community and have been awarded a number of contracts to maintain gardens at local businesses and private houses, including a walled garden in Bishopthorpe Palace.

The nursery is also a popular choice for visitors with a range of fruit, vegetables, crafts and pot plants available to buy.

Presenting the award, Deborah Yewdall from Northern Gas Networks said: “Northern Green Networks is designed to give support to those groups that are really going the extra mile to make a difference to their community – and this is especially true of this organisation. We’re delighted to help them create a new wildlife garden and look forward to seeing it in full bloom this summer.”