Rooted in Community: Greening Newtown

By Maisaa Sweid (Newtown Community Builder)

What started as a simple idea, one neighbour’s suggestion to care for a neglected patch of green has grown into something so much more: a community-led movement that’s not only transforming the spaces around us but also weaving stronger bonds between us.

As a community Builder, I’ve been working alongside local residents in Newtown, people like Debbie, whose early enthusiasm sparked the whole journey to breathe new life into our shared spaces. My action began with listening. By mapping our area, knocking on doors, and talking to neighbours, I discovered what many had been quietly hoping for: a chance to connect with each other and with nature. A shared love of gardening, sustainability, and creating places that feel welcoming, both for people and wildlife became clear. With residents together, we did so many pop ups and planning.

We brought together a small, passionate group to form what is now affectionately known as the Newtown Gardening Group. That’s how we started (Newtown Community get together gardening and café’). We meet on the first Saturday of each month at Clifton Street top car park not just to garden, but to share tea, cake, laughter and stories. We added a Social Café to the mix so that even those who don’t (or can’t) garden feel just as much a part of things.

As Jay said: “I’ve lived here for 25 years and I don’t know many of my neighbours, nor go out much. This gives me a purpose to talk to people, to go out, move, and socialise!”

To make our efforts even more inclusive, we launched Community Coffee & Chat which is a relaxed drop-in held on the last Friday of every month at Exe Coffee Roasters on Heavitree Road. Here, anyone can walk in, say hello and talk about what matters to their community. It’s a small act of hospitality that’s had a big impact, breaking down isolation and sparking new collaborations. In just a few months, we’ve seen so much bloom both in our green spaces and in our community spirit.

I highlighted the group to Devon Wildlife trust, the green space department at the council and Good Gym who helped massively! We’ve connected with the local school, shared seeds and cuttings, held a joyful plant sale, and yes, eaten a remarkable amount of cake. But the most rewarding part has been watching neighbours become collaborators, and seeing forgotten corners of Newtown transformed into colourful, thriving pockets of biodiversity.

Debbie puts it beautifully: “We’re a small group of Newtown residents (currently without an official name!) working to make our local green spaces more inviting for both people and wildlife. By planting a wider range of flowers, shrubs, and trees that provide food and shelter across the seasons, we hope to bring colour, life and biodiversity to our streets. We’ve planted bulbs, wildflowers, hedging and pollinator-friendly plants. And even built a bug hotel—with a wildflower roof on the way!"

She continues: "So far, we’ve transformed spaces like Hawthorn Haven and Silver Birch, and with more volunteers, we hope to bring more areas to life. Ultimately, we’d love to see a network of green corridors through Newtown, creating homes for hedgehogs, pollinators, birds and insects, and offering everyone in our neighbourhood a chance to connect with nature.”

This is what community power looks like. It’s in the hands that plant, the voices that share stories over tea, and the vision we’re shaping together. We may be a small group, but our roots are deep, and we’re just getting started.