Published: 20 October 2025
Following on from Operation Affect we have been carrying out community development activities with residents, including sessions on how to grow a ‘Windowsill salad’, using recycled food cartons.
One theme that continually came out was residents wanted a local garden and to grow plants and vegetables.
Construction firm Casey, as part of their social value commitment have made and donated some raised planters and these have been placed at the front and rear of the Annexe.
The first two have been filled and planted up full of herbs that residents can help themselves to and use in cooking.
A group ‘Lets Grow Freehold’ has been set up and they meet on a Wednesday and look after the raised beds and the area next to the Annexe.
Their efforts have led to a nomination at this year’s North West in Bloom competition in the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ category. The judges visited earlier this year and one of the residents will be representing the group at an awards ceremony in Bolton on 5 November.
The next include steps include completing the additional planters at the rear of the annexe and filling them with cabbages, sprouts, onions and garlic which the group have already started to grow from seed.
This project is part of our work – alongside colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and Rochdale Council – to help make Freehold a place people are proud to call home.
