Peterborough’s Green Backyard has held a community day amidst its ongoing battle for survival.
The large and popular community garden, based in Fletton, just off Oundle Road, is fighting for its future after having been earmarked as a site for the development of 48 new flats in the latest draft of the city’s Local Plan.
The registered charity, which is run by a board of volunteers, has vowed to fight for its future and on Saturday (May 10) threw its doors wide open to the community to showcase just what the space is all about. Over 600 visitors came through the gates to show their support.
A large number of community groups were there to showcase their use of the space as well as well-known local artists Nathan Murdoch and Tony Nero who both have a special connection with the Green Backyard and used the weekend to create new artworks to further enhance the site.
Green Backyard Chairman Jay Gearing said: “We wanted to invite the community down en masse to show the community what exactly we do here and it was a roaring success. We were talking to a lot of people about the local plan and there was a lot of strong feeling about stopping those plans. It was really encouraging.”
Among the crowds were a number of prominent members of the Peterborough arts scene as well as councillors and trustees of the Green Backyard. All have come together to offer their support to the site remaining as it is.
Trustee aa well as Fletton and Stanground ward councillor Christian Hogg said: “A lot of people I spoke to were quite horrified to hear that such a lovely space could be developed upon. It is very unique, even across the country. It is a very layered space that is used by so many community groups. We have got a compelling space. If Covid told us anything it’s that there is very much a need for open space for people to be, go out and breathe fresh air. The uniqueness of the Green Backyard is that it’s not just an open space, it is a space where things are happening.
Fletton and Woodston ward councillor Alan Dowson added: “The event was absolutely fantastic and made you feel proud to be part of the Peterborough community. There were so many people and children from a range of diverse backgrounds. It’s dreadful that the Green Backyard could be taken for flats and to exclude the children and community. It can not be replaced in the same way. It is an extraordinary scheme.”
Renowned local street artist Nathan Murdoch was on hand to showcase his street art skills and created a powerful piece of artwork showcasing a child attempting to block the path of a bulldozer, symbolising the potential plight of the Green Backyard. Fellow city-based artist Tony Nero also unveiled a creation of his own, the image of a skunk, simply captioned ‘You stink.’ Those and many more artworks were created as part of a collaboration known as Angry Pencil.
Nathan said: “I first painted there in 2009. The site gave the art and the graffiti community somewhere to paint at a time we didn’t have anywhere else in the city. It is part of Peterborough’s graffiti and street art culture. It was nice to see so many families and cultures. It is nice to have a green space so central to bring people together. It’s a very unique location that provides so much to so many different groups. It is a real green oasis hidden in the city centre.
Tony, who created his first ever piece of spray paint artwork at the Green Backyard, added: “My very first art jam was at the Green Backyard. My first ever piece of work with spray paint was there and it is still there today. My new piece this weekend is of a skunk with the words ‘you stink. That’s because anyone who wants to get rid of such a lovely green space is really a stinker! It’s the sort of space that brings the community together. You don’t even feel like you’re in the city, you feel like you’re in such a different space. It would be such a shame to lose that. It’s really important.”
