In October 2024, Brilliant Bamboo was awarded funding to develop two projects as part of the Stoke High Street Accelerator Greenspace Project through Stoke-on-Trent City Council and funds from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Brilliant Bamboo Brownfield Parklet, has a range of things it offers:
- We’re developing a range of masterclasses from artists, engineers and makers for artists who live near to our area. We want to have a range of artists to work with as we develop our parklet and our future projects. This is one way to develop our work and opportunities on our doorstep.
- Commissioning of new artworks to sit alongside our bamboo plants and planting.
- A development of a parklet (small park) for Stoke Town growing bamboo and other plants observing how it develops and supports native biodiversity.
- Working in partnership with community and businesses.
- Creating a space for people to volunteer, learn new skills and create events.
The funding will support the project’s development, and we’ll be looking for further funding to develop our activity for the parklet and beyond for the time we have the site. Everything in the parklet is designed to be picked up and moved to a new location as required by our land partner.
We hope the project will benefit town centre by:
- creating a new park in the site on a brownfield site for town businesses and communities to support to develop, build and use.
- remove carbon and possibly contribute to the reduction of air pollution in the area by absorbing carbon through the plants and materials used (some of this could be measured through a partnership with our local universities)
- support greater wellbeing for communities and nature by creating additional pockets to enjoy.
- builds upon the community engagement of the work that led to Brilliant Bamboo CIC to constitute and national network of partnerships as part of Imagine Bamboo.
Outcomes:
- an improved community experience connected to the area
- improved environmental and wellbeing for the area and the people who use it
- removal of carbon and other air pollution through the use of materials and plants improving physical health
- The Accelerator project works with a wider range of partners and organisations for the benefit of local people and visitors, Stoke and planet and connects to the existing network of people interested in bamboo in the UK and globally.
We’ll share the process with you: keep an eye out on our blog, Instagram and LinkedIn.
If you’d like to donate to our work, be a funder or corporate partner or have an idea for how to work together, please be in touch find out how on the Support Us page.
Project connected posts:
