WORK to give a new lease of life to a forgotten green space in Northampton town centre has been recognised at a national awards ceremony, with judges praising the project’s impact.
St Katherine’s Gardens had become a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour but has been transformed via a lottery-funded volunteer project as part of The Big Help Out to mark the King’s Coronation weekend.
The project, led by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District and supported by Northampton Town Council, is the winner of the Social and Community Contribution at the Association of Town and City Management Industry Awards.
“This was a fantastic project to be a part of and showed Northampton in a really positive light, with the town coming together to create something very special for the whole community to be proud of,” said BID operations manager Mark Mullen. “The difference it has made already is incredible. It is unrecognisable from just a few weeks ago. It is bright, cheerful and you can see the smiles on peoples’ faces as they walk through. It is a lovely place to be.”
The BID secured £10,000 of Lottery funding towards the work, with partners including groundworks firm Danaher and Walsh, landscapers idverde, builders merchants Travis Perkins, Zone Developments and Stepnells , the developers behind the ongoing Market Square works, donating their time and resources to help with the project.
Volunteers from Northampton Town Council, the Royal British Legion, University of Northampton, Northampton College and local businesses joined forces to spruce up the area and clear litter as part of The Big Help Out – a national day of volunteering to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.
The project saw benches and bins repurposed and upcycled following their removal from the Market Square. Railings and gates have been freshly painted while there are sections dedicated to Northampton Town Council’s Bloom campaign and the Climate Change Forum.
