Grounded by Stephanie Wynne and GroundsWell @ Exterior Walls

‘Grounded’ is a collaboration between photographer Stephanie Wynne and GroundsWell, a group of researchers, community members and policymakers.

Stephanie Wynne, photographer, said: ‘Being in green and blue spaces keeps you ‘grounded’ – being connected to what is beneath your feet, whether plants, earth or water, stabilises your physical and mental health. This is an ongoing project in collaboration with all community groups and participants.’

GroundsWell is a group of researchers, community members, and policymakers who work together to improve parks, gardens, rivers, and other green and blue spaces in cities. They focus on how these spaces can boost people’s health and wellbeing. The team collects data, conducts research, and informs policies on how to better understand how urban green and blue spaces affect our environment, economy, society, and health. They believe in working closely with local communities about these spaces, from research to putting ideas into action.

GroundsWell’s research is mainly in three cities — Belfast, Edinburgh, and Liverpool. These cities are similar in some ways but also have unique features that make them good case studies. Although each city already has programs to improve green spaces, there’s still room for improvement, which is where GroundsWell steps in. They work closely with communities to understand how the cities work, identify any issues, and find ways to fix or improve them. We also focus on preventing problems by planning changes that will enhance how green spaces are used and managed, both in policies and in the daily lives of community members.

The Community Innovation Fund was launched to support local community projects focused on improving and maximising the health benefits of urban green and blue spaces. The theme is ‘Growing Together’. This could refer to personal growth, community cohesion and inclusion, community growing – supporting projects that include populations who are at the most risk from diseases or who might benefit most from better quality green and blue space. The following projects are the recipients of this fund.

Dock Branch Neighbourhood Community Panel is engaging with local residents in Birkenhead Wirral, regarding proposed concepts for the development of a new linear urban park. The park will be along a disused rail freight link that once fed the docks, opening up walking and cycling between the waterfront and town centre. Students from Wirral Met College are developing photography projects about the proposed ‘Dock Branch Park’.

EastSide Greenways is a place-based regeneration charity in Belfast delivering activities and education programmes.  They address regeneration through green and blue spaces, engaging with residents, community groups, statutory agencies to a political level and acting as a link between them all.  Their community volunteers engage with visitors and participate in events.

Fountainbridge Canalside Community Trust is a member-led organisation working to make the area around a section of the Union Canal in Edinburgh, a better place to live, work, do business and visit.

Mae Murray Foundation Inclusive Beach Activity provides access, parking and disabled facilities so that people of all ages and abilities can take part, have fun and be included. In addition to providing beach equipment to give beach access to all, they deliver beach fun days, surf and paddleboard days. 

Nature in Linacre South Sefton Development Trust is facilitating a range of community-led environmental actions including connecting community gardens/growing spaces across Bootle. They are currently starting their next community co-design and creation of new/improved green spaces.

SAFE Bootle Community Canal Project empowers local people to be a part of their community through co-design and delivery of creative projects and events. SAFE is a community business centre with 6 acres of land adjacent to the Leeds Liverpool Canal in Bootle.

Waterside Academy: Let’s Paddle for Positive Change with the Canal River Trust. Waterside Academy Netherton has direct gate access from the school grounds to the Leeds Liverpool Canal. The school staff are being trained as kayak and paddleboard instructors so they can use the canal for water-based activities with the pupils.

Whale Arts in Wester Hailes Edinburgh is a community-led arts charity and social enterprise. Regular events such as weekly community meals, children and family activities ensure that Whale Arts achieves its mission to be ‘the creative heart of a vibrant, thriving community’. They are designing and expanding their kitchen garden and outside space with the help a children’s art group.

This work was supported by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (MR/V049704/1), which is funded by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Economic and Social Research Council, Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (Welsh Government), Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Natural Environment Research Council, Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland), The Health Foundation and Wellcome.

Image by Stephanie Wynne