Our Stories: Meet Mary

Meet Mary from Cross Green Growing Together

“I’ve been volunteering with Cross Green Growing Together since the very beginning. We started with a little space on the railway bridge and moved to where we are now after a couple of years. We had to clear the whole space. Thanks to everybody that’s funded us we’ve been able to grow to what we are now. 

It wasn’t always easy in the beginning. We had a lot of vandalism and anti-social behaviour at times. But we overcame that, and I think most people now appreciate the garden and what it brings to everyone. 

Because we’ve got the hub, it’s a space that can be used daily and that’s our aim. I think being consistent in people’s lives means a lot to them. We have quite a transient community. It’s lovely to invite people in, because we learn so much about different cultures. It’s about everybody coming, getting on with each other, valuing each other and being kind to each other. 

Leeds Community Foundation has funded numerous projects for us –the raised beds and seating area, Healthy Holidays and now the Digital Skills project. Actually, they’ve been the backbone of how we’ve got all this. 

We’ve got a great, safe space and facilities now to do more for community cohesion. Everyone’s welcome. Whatever we can do for you, we will do for you. We stay happy and positive – with plenty of hope and plenty of fun!” 

Cross Green Growing Together host a range of activities at their community garden and hub. From gardening groups and cooking sessions, to after school clubs and coffee mornings they take a holistic approach to meeting the needs of their residents. They’ve had a number of grants from Leeds Community Foundation, including a Leeds Digital Inclusion Fund grant to support their digital skills sessions.