A community garden with deep roots in Kettering is branching out, thanks to National Lottery support – and the whole neighbourhood is invited.

Groundwork Northamptonshire’s much-loved Green Patch – a 2.5-acre community garden nestled in the heart of Kettering’s Grange and Avondale estates – is launching an exciting new programme: ‘Go Greener @ The Green Patch’. The project is the next chapter for a site that has been part of its local community for many years, with new activities, new opportunities and a clear invitation to anyone who has yet to walk through the gate.

Kate Williams, Chief Executive of Groundwork Northamptonshire, said: “The Green Patch has always been a place where people come together, grow together, and support one another. Thanks to three years of previous lottery funding, we have been able to grow our volunteer community, launch youth programmes, and strengthen The Green Patch as a real hub for the neighbourhood. This new investment means we can build on all of that and go even further.

“If you live locally and have never visited, we would love you to come and see what we have created together. The gate is open and everyone is welcome.”

The project comes at a time when access to outdoor space for young people remains a pressing concern. Research suggests that only 27 per cent of children regularly play outside near their homes – a statistic that makes places like The Green Patch all the more vital.

New activities launching under the programme include:

• Nature Rangers – a nature-based after-school club running each term in partnership with local schools, reaching up to 45 young people a year
• The Green Forum – a new monthly community forum launching soon, where residents can help shape the site’s environmental programme, covering topics from composting and soil health to species identification and renewable energy
• ‘You Tell Us’ days – open events where visitors can give feedback, try taster sessions, and help decide what happens next at Green Patch
• Repair Café events in partnership with Community in Sheds and local eco groups
• New Saturday morning and early evening volunteer sessions, opening the site up to those who cannot attend during the week

New funding will support site improvements to increase biodiversity, alongside events and activities that give local people practical ideas to take home.

A newly established partnership with Kettering Refugee Association will also open volunteering at Green Patch to refugees and asylum seekers in the local community.

Those who already know and love Green Patch describe the difference it makes in their own words:

• “The positive impact Green Patch has on my mental health is incredible – being outdoors and surrounded by lovely people is really good for the mind.” – Volunteer
• “I work from home and love spending my day off here – it’s magical.” – Volunteer
• “I feel at peace knowing that my son feels safe and free at Green Patch.” – Parent
• “At Green Patch, I feel like I have purpose, and I feel like I belong.” – Young person

The Go Greener programme is funded by a £280,000 grant from the National Lottery Community Fund’s Reaching Communities programme – a three-year investment that will allow Groundwork Northamptonshire to grow volunteer numbers and visitor levels by 20 per cent each year.

Looking ahead, the team is also preparing to install solar-powered energy generation at the site – furthering Green Patch’s role as a practical, living showcase for sustainable ideas that local people can take home and try for themselves.

To find out more about The Green Patch and how to get involved, visit: www.groundwork.org.uk/northamptonshire/the-green-patch/