Revitalising a Community Space in Stockport
Groundwork Greater Manchester have been working alongside Stockport Council and the local community to revitalise Suffragette Square in Stockport town centre.
The Square was first opened by Stockport Council in 2018 to celebrate the lives of four Suffragettes who lived and worked in Stockport; Elizabeth Raffald, Gertrude Powicke, Elsie Plant, and Hannah Winbolt. Their names were etched onto plaques and placed on benches in the Square. Trees and shrubs were also planted, but over time became overgrown and the flower beds full of weeds, making the Square look messy and uninviting.
Engaging through nature and crafts
Local residents were given the opportunity to share their thoughts and be involved with the development of the Square by attending a series of activities and events. Activities included painting plant pots, planting herbs & flowers, and making bird feeders.
It would be fantastic to have a plaque or information board that has information about the suffragettes – who they are and what they did.
Community involvement in Suffragette Square
Residents, local schools and artists were called upon to create artwork inspired by the Suffragettes and nature for the new information boards, which now stand in the flower beds of the Square. A local girl won the school art competition, and her drawing of Elsie Plant was turned into a large cut-out which also stands in the newly planted flower beds.
Improving Biodiversity
The aim was to make Suffragette Square more resilient to the effects of climate change, by introducing a variety of native plant species which would create food and shelter for wildlife, and store excess rain water. And to create a vibrant space in the town centre which can be enjoyed by everybody.
You can find purple plants throughout the square as purple was a key colour of the Suffragette movement, standing for loyalty and dignity. These plants include; Lavender, Anemones, and Digitalis.
Corporate volunteering at Suffragette Square
Teams of volunteers helped to tidy the Square by litterpicking, and deweeding and removing old vegetation from the flower beds to make room for the new planting. Groundwork were joined by a number of individual volunteers, as well as teams from;
- Co-operative Group Limited
- Robertson North West
- Galliford Try – Construction North West
- Stockport Homes Group
- Sustainable Living in the Heatons
- Shoppertainment Management
The new installations were unveiled at Stockport’s Town of Culture weekend in March 2024, revealing a revitalised community space in the heart of Stockport town centre.
This project has been made possible thanks to:
