Wild Spaces / Shared Places:
Bringing Biodiversity to
WestRaven Community Garden

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We’re delighted to share some exciting news – WestRaven Community Café and Garden has been awarded funding from CrossCountry’s Biodiversity Improvement Fund. This support will enable us to deliver an ambitious year-long programme of workshops, training, and hands-on ecological activities right here in our urban community garden in Westwood and Ravensthorpe, Peterborough.

 

About WestRaven Community Café and Garden

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WestRaven Community Café and Garden is a charity rooted in the heart of Westwood and Ravensthorpe. We work with local residents, many of whom face social and economic challenges, to provide health and wellbeing support, youth activities, volunteering opportunities, and community connection.
 

Our café offers affordable, healthy food in a welcoming setting, while our nearby community garden is a green oasis where wildlife and people thrive side by side. Despite its urban location – just 326 metres from the railway line north of Peterborough station – the garden is home to frogs, birds, insects and small mammals. Everything we do is guided by sustainability, from using peat-free compost and organic feed to recycling pots and materials.

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Wild Spaces / Shared Places –

Our New Biodiversity Project

Thanks to the Biodiversity Improvement Fund, we are launching Wild Spaces / Wild Places, a 12-month project to make our garden even more wildlife-friendly and climate resilient.

At the heart of this initiative is the transformation of our site into a regenerative permaculture garden, with new habitats for wildlife and planting schemes designed to support pollinators all year round. Plans include:

• Creating new wildflower meadows, hedgerows, and perennial beds.

• Planting at least 12 new native trees and over 300 pollinator-friendly plants.

• Enhancing our community orchard and nursery to propagate climate-adapted plants.

• Installing rainwater harvesting and composting systems to reduce waste and conserve resources.

These improvements will not only boost biodiversity but also demonstrate practical, low-impact ways that urban spaces can contribute to nature recovery and climate adaptation.

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Learning Together: Community Workshops

Education and community involvement are central to the project. Over the year, we’ll host at least 20 workshops and volunteer sessions, open to all residents. These hands-on activities will cover topics such as:

• Building habitat boxes for birds, bats and house martins.

• Seed saving, soil health, and composting.

• Water conservation techniques.

• Foraging and learning about wild edibles.

• Herbs for health and wellbeing.

• Eco-crafts and willow weaving with natural materials.

Each session is designed to connect people to nature, build practical skills, and inspire positive lifestyle changes.

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Who Will Benefit?

The main beneficiaries are residents of Westwood and Ravensthorpe – communities with limited access to quality green space. We expect at least 150 people to take part directly, including families, young people, and adults experiencing isolation or unemployment. Many more – over 500 residents – will benefit from visiting and enjoying the improved garden throughout the year.

By involving schools, youth groups, and local families, the project will also help inspire younger generations to value biodiversity and understand their role in protecting the natural world. Volunteers will gain training and confidence in ecological practices, while everyone will enjoy the mental and physical wellbeing that comes from spending time outdoors in a thriving green space.

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Measuring Success

We’ll be tracking our impact carefully, with clear targets such as:

• Creating three new wildlife habitats.

• Planting at least 12 trees and 300 pollinator-friendly plants.

• Installing rainwater harvesting and composting systems.

• Delivering 20 workshops and volunteer sessions.

• Training 15 regular volunteers in biodiversity improvement techniques.

Monitoring will include wildlife surveys, participant feedback, and photographic records, with results shared in a final impact report for funders, stakeholders, and the community.

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Building a Sustainable Future

Ultimately, Wild Spaces / Wild Places is about much more than planting trees or hosting workshops. It’s about strengthening community resilience, giving people the tools to live more sustainably, and embedding biodiversity into everyday life.

By working together, we can show that even in the middle of a city, nature can flourish – and that small actions, taken collectively, can have a big impact on our environment.

We’re excited to begin this journey and can’t wait to welcome the community into the garden to learn, grow, and celebrate nature with us.