Three stages of support, a team of local volunteers and a Level 4 ‘Thriving’ result in the North West in Bloom awards. A community-led garden project developed into an ongoing partnership.

A well-maintained green space can make a visible difference to a neighbourhood. In Pemberton, a volunteer-led community group has been working to improve a garden on Enfield Street, creating a greener and more welcoming place for local residents and the people who pass through the area each day.

The project, From Coal to Colour, is led by Pemberton Green Spaces, part of Pemberton Community Association. 

Pemberton Community Association was established in 2003, following a Homewatch scheme started by local residents in 2001. Since then, the association has supported residents with local issues, organised community events and helped improve shared spaces.

Its work includes creating a memorial garden on Chapel Street, organising family activities and running the Pemberton Christmas Market. The group’s own Christmas sleigh, built in 2014, also continues to bring Santa to local streets and community events.

With preparations underway for Wigan in Bloom judging, the group planned its flowerbeds, bought materials and started the gardening work. It needed additional help with maintenance and specialist joinery to bring its plans together.

Practical skills and extra hands

JJH Building Contractors responded to the request, offering practical skills and employee volunteering.

JJH’s Social Value Coordinator, Olivia Smith arranged several site visits to meet the Pemberton Team lead Ange Colquitt, understand the plans and agree where the business could help.

With the judging approaching, JJH employees Ste and Luke joined Pemberton residents and volunteers for a day of gardening and maintenance. The team tackled weeding, mowing, strimming and planting, helping prepare the space while building on the work already carried out by the community group.

MKM Building Supplies also lent a mower for the day, helping the volunteers complete the work.

Reflecting on the experience, Olivia said,

“What a fantastic community group! It has been a pleasure to work with Ange over the Wigan in Bloom Project and the construction of new Flowerbeds for the site. Our operatives were provided with exact details of what works were required with measurements etc., and allowed time for materials to be delivered and for us to split the project up over the summer.”

The group’s hard work was recognised with a Level 4, ‘Thriving’, result in the North West in Bloom awards, with only one level above it.

JJH returned to complete further work

The initial volunteering day was only the beginning of the partnership. Through Match My Project, JJH went on to complete two further tasks, both focused on improvements to the garden.

JJH joiner Danny removed the existing flowerbed borders and installed new timber edging. This gave the beds a more defined and durable finish, helping the group maintain the space.

Danny also built a wooden enclosure to support the group’s irrigation trial. The structure included a hinged, mesh-covered lid secured with a hasp and staple, providing a protective space for the trial equipment.

Both tasks required joinery skills that Pemberton Green Spaces did not have within its own team. Having access to that expertise meant the group could continue developing the garden without having to source and arrange the work independently.

Across the original match, JJH contributed 42 hours of verified time and £110 in verified resources.

Building on a partnership

The support helped Pemberton Green Spaces move forward a project that local volunteers had already invested considerable time and effort in developing.

“A pleasure to work with – thank you for the support!” the Pemberton team expressed its appreciation for the support. 

The experience also gave JJH an opportunity to work closely with the people leading the project and understand what would make a practical difference.

The two additional tasks show how support can continue beyond an initial contribution. From preparing the garden for judging to installing timber edging and building an enclosure for the irrigation trial, each stage helped Pemberton Green Spaces keep its plans moving.

About Match My Project

Match My Project connects community organisations with local businesses to deliver Social Value. Every project is verified by the contracting authority before it goes live. On average, it takes community organisations eight minutes to add a project to the platform. Get in touch at hello@matchmyproject.org to find out how your organisation can get started.