Greening Barton Street

‘It’s a ray of sunshine on the street’ ~ Local Shop Owner

A group of Fair Shares participants meet regularly to maintain the planters and flower beds which have been installed on Barton Street over the past few years in partnership with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

It’s a small informal group which meets weekly. There is no obligation to turn up every time because we understand that health, caring responsibilities, and sometimes just life gets in the way of a regular commitment. As long as one or two people turn up we go out to tidy, weed, water, and plant the 9 planters which are dotted up and down the street. Of course we also take the opportunity to have a good chat and put the world to rights.

We have some equipment which is stored at the Fair Shares allotment and a trolley for getting it around. Our Fair Shares allotment is used as a base for sowing seeds, collecting water, and having a cuppa when we’re finished.

Some of the shopkeepers on Barton Street help with watering the planters near their shops and we encourage local residents to get involved. We also get lots of donations of plants from B&Q in Gloucester who are really supportive of the project. Passersby often stop and thank us for brightening the place up and for persevering with it come rain or shine. One local resident said ‘My little boy goes to look at the flowers every day on his way to nursery. He loves them.’

We’ve put some art work up on the wall in Sinope Street car park and we’d like to put some more up in future.