Group of young adults working in an outdoor nusery building flower beds

Building Healthier Green Futures

Update spring 2026

We’re now into the 2nd year of our funded 2-year project improving lives of young people in Peterborough, thanks to £160,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund.

The Building Healthier Green Futures (BHGF) project is supporting young people aged 11-25 in Peterborough, helping them develop new skills and create connections with nature and local greenspaces. This ambitious new project is led by Nene Park Trust in partnership with Peterborough Presents, Froglife and Westraven Community Café and Garden (supported by Cross Keys Homes).

So far…

  • There have been 84 sessions delivered to 189 young people
  • 86-100% of participants have learnt at least 1 new skill
  • 70-100% of participants have reported positive changes to their local environment, greenspace and communities

At WestRaven, the young people have created a new wooden sculpture which is now on permanent display in WestRaven community Garden.

Through Froglife, a Hampton school’s pond has been refreshed with new habitats added and wildflower bank planted up.

At ‘Eye Gets Green’, with Peterborough Presents, youth club attendees have made a short film which they will screen in the village.

With Nene Park Trust, a new herb bed has been created from scratch with school students from Queen Katharine Academy. 

Together as project partners, we have:

  • offered experience and skills in Wildlife Garden Design, Food-growing, Gardening tool use, Herbology, Photography, Story-telling, Film-making, Journalling, Healthy Cookery, Horticulture & Organic Gardening, Building outdoor furniture & structures, Mural-making, Binocular-use
  • worked with SEND and mainstream Schools, Youth clubs, Scouts, Community Champions, in community gardens, libraries, school gardens, classrooms, and taken part in Careers events

One of the teachers at Queen Katharine Academy said, “They learnt how to plant micro greens which none of them had done before and it opened up ideas of what they are able to do, even from home. They talked about the session for ages after and recently one of them asked me when we’re going back, so it’s clearly had a lasting impact.”

We’re looking forward to seeing what we achieve in the 2nd year of the project.

Upcoming dates with our partners:

Creative Nature sessions at WestRaven Community Garden

Wednesdays 3, 10, 17, 24 June  and 8, 15 July 12-4pm

Find out more

Drawing and Photography with Eye Gets Green – Peterborough Presents

Mondays and Wednesdays in June and July 6-8pm

Find out more

To find out more about the different activities and programmes at Nene Park Trust, or any of our project partners, please get in touch with Pia at pia.larsson@neneparktrust.org.uk

Our funder

Our Project Partners

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