Looking Back at Two Years of Nature Neighbourhoods
Over the past two years, Mafwa Theatre has been part of Nature Neighbourhoods: a national pilot exploring how communities can lead meaningful, place-based action for people and nature. For a small community arts organisation rooted in Lincoln Green, this partnership has been an important opportunity to connect local experiences with a wider movement across the UK.
A national gathering in Manchester
The final Nature Neighbourhoods gathering took place in Manchester in October, bringing together community organisations, environmental practitioners, local authorities and funders for two days of discussion and reflection. We were thrilled to be commissioned to create an illustrated map showing all 18 Nature Neighbourhoods organisations - a really lovely way to celebrate the people and places involved.
The event began with an evening of celebration before moving into the Creating Nature Neighbourhoods, Towns & Cities conference at Co-op HQ. Conversations across both days felt grounded in the realities of community work: access to land, climate resilience, partnership-building, and the challenges faced by neighbourhoods with limited green space…challenges all too familiar to us in Lincoln Green!
Sharing the story of Lincoln Green
Project Manager Bei, joined by Danmore (Green Engagement Lead) and Tamsin (Co-Artistic Director), shared insights from Lincoln Green, where our gardening and nature-based work sits within one of Leeds’ most densely populated and least green neighbourhoods. Bei also took part in a panel on closing the gap between community organisations and the environmental sector.
How the project has shaped our work in Leeds
Nature Neighbourhoods has influenced our organisation in several meaningful ways.
Strengthening place-based practice - It has deepened our commitment to place-based arts and nature programmes, reaffirming that creative work becomes most powerful when it is rooted in a specific neighbourhood and shaped by the people who live there.
Building long-term partnerships - The project supported the development of our partnership with Leeds City Council and has strengthened our role in local green space planning.
Growing our nature offer - Insights from the programme fed directly into expanding our micro allotments scheme, biodiversity-focused gardening sessions, nature-based play activities and long-term planning for climate resilience in and around Roxby Community Garden.
Connecting with a national network - Being part of the cohort has connected us with a group of brilliant organisations working at the intersection of climate, social justice and community development.
Why community-led green space matters in Lincoln Green
Lincoln Green has some of the lowest access to green space in Leeds. Many of our participants live in high-rise flats with little or no outdoor space. Through Nature Neighbourhoods, we’ve been able to advocate for the importance of local food growing, shared green areas, nature-based wellbeing and creative programming outdoors , all of which help build connection, belonging and resilience in communities facing isolation, language barriers and financial hardship.
Our work in the garden, whether through gardening, theatre, workshops or community events, continues to show that creativity and nature together create powerful opportunities for healing, joy and community cohesion.
Looking ahead
As we move forward, the learning from Nature Neighbourhoods will continue to shape our plans for Lincoln Green and future nature-based arts projects in Leeds.
What remains strongest is the reminder that the work we do in this little corner of Leeds is part of a much bigger picture. Communities across the UK are finding their own ways to nurture nature, build belonging and imagine new futures together.
We’re so grateful to everyone involved in Nature Neighbourhoods, and especially to our own community in Lincoln Green, who continue to shape what comes next!
