Illustrative photo: Steve Adams / Unsplash.
Some encouraging news from Yorkshire this month: local people are helping shape green spaces where their communities can spend time together, learn skills and get involved.
In its September update on the Northern Network programme, Groundwork described support for ten Green Community Hubs across the North of England during the programme’s second year. More than 600 people contributed to planning the spaces, with over 3,300 participants taking part in activities.
Local people shaping local places
In Leeds, the Aysgarth Greenspace Community has brought gardening, craft and woodwork projects to a local park and community centre. Groundwork reports that residents have taken on leadership roles, with developments including youth clubs and paid employment opportunities.
In Sheffield, Wensley Green Community Hub has been widening access to outdoor activities, including climbing, cycling and canoeing. Its work has included helping more young women and people from minority backgrounds get involved.
There was further recognition on 22 September, when Groundwork announced an award for its West Yorkshire Communities Team. The team received the Social Enterprise Award at the 2026 Morgan Sindall Construction Supply Chain Awards, following work that included projects in Leeds and Pontefract.
A place to contribute, at your own pace
What I particularly like about these stories is the attention to what people want from their own neighbourhoods. Having a say in a shared space, and seeing an idea become something useful, is worth celebrating.
There is something appealing about activities with a shared focus. Planting, making or repairing something gives people a reason to be alongside one another, without every interaction needing to start with a conversation about how they are feeling.
For someone who finds joining a group daunting, I would want the invitation to feel manageable. Being able to ask what happens, visit first or start with a small task can make a group feel more approachable. Equally, choosing to enjoy a space quietly is a perfectly valid way to use it.
Good news worth noticing
It is easy for the steady work of volunteers and community groups to receive less attention than the problems around us. These projects deserve a little space in the news too.
I hope their example encourages more opportunities for people to feel welcome, have a say and contribute in ways that suit them. Congratulations to the communities and teams involved.
Dr Richard Jenkinson, Clinical Psychologist, Verdure Psychology