An ethnically diverse group of women gather around a table. On the table there are plant pots filled with soil as the women are placing seeds and plant cuttings into them.

Nature on My Doorstep: A Call to Help Nature in your Community

Imagine stepping outside your door into a neighborhood transformed for nature and people, a place where everyone feels welcome, connected to each other and the natural world. 

Nature Recovery Sheffield (NRS) is a grassroots movement bringing people together to restore nature in Sheffield’s urban spaces. Local communities have been transforming areas like verges, sports fields, and community centers into wildlife-friendly spots. Thousands of people are taking action, sharing their stories, and inspiring others to make a real difference for nature in the city.

With support from the National Lottery Community Fund, the NRS team, led by Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, includes a Communities Officer, Nature Connection Officer, Community Nature Advisors, and additional staff from across the organisation focused on equality, diversity, young people, and nature advocacy. The team’s mission is to expand participation, amplify voices, and build an inclusive movement that benefits both people and nature.

National Lottery Community Fund logo

“This movement is not about perfection—it’s about connection. When 1 in 4 people take action for nature, it creates a powerful ripple effect. Small, collective actions and shared stories can drive local change, making our city greener, healthier, and more resilient for everyone.”

– Owen Hodgkinson, Community Organising Manager  

NRS offers training, resources, and hands-on support, including a nature advice service, to help community groups lead the transformation of neglected spaces into vibrant wildlife hubs.

The project especially targets communities with limited access to nature, helping them reclaim and restore their local green spaces. Sheffield’s natural areas are under pressure from habitat loss, pollution, and fragmentation, leaving some neighborhoods with less access to quality green spaces. NRS works to break down these barriers and ensure everyone has the opportunity to connect with and protect their environment for the benefit of their well-being.

“I was never a nature person growing up, I was moved around a lot and didn’t feel safe exploring the streets, but since meeting Lu and Jesse [from the Trust] and them sharing their knowledge in a safe environment, I feel more connected with nature and less scared of the outdoors like insects which used to scare me. I would like to share what I’m learning with others as I studied IT, enjoy tech and love sharing through social media. I feel like I come out of my shell when in nature and helping the community.”

– Local community member

Key Initiatives

  • Community Action for Nature Map – A platform for individuals, community groups, and organisations to track, showcase, and celebrate their efforts—from bird feeders, tree planting to pollinator-friendly windowsills/gardens—to help grow a city-wide movement for nature. 
  • Community Nature Toolkit – Practical guides, resources, and inspiration to support individuals, groups, and organisations to take action for nature in their local areas.
  • Community Stories –  Monthly Communities Newsletter– A monthly newsletter, a space to share and celebrate community nature projects, inspiring stories, upcoming events, and opportunities to get involved. Whether you’re part of a group, an organisation, or taking action on your own, we’d love to feature your work! Get in touch to be included in the next edition or to be featured on the Trust’s website and social media. 
  • Community Nature Advice Service – Nature advice and co-design opportunities for groups, and organisations looking to enhance local spaces for nature—whether it’s improving biodiversity, creating pollinator-friendly areas, or making green spaces more welcoming.
  • Community Organising for Nature – Local nature connection and listening walks, hands-on practical activities, and skill-sharing events designed to connect people, build confidence, and empower individuals, groups, and organisations to take action for nature in ways that are meaningful to them—shaped by their local area, challenges, and strengths
  • Social Action Hub – We are proud to be part of a wider Social Action Hub of the National Academy of Community Organisers (NACO), working alongside other grassroots movements to strengthen community leadership and action. Through this network, we offer training, mentoring, and peer support for individuals and groups looking to lead change in their local areas—helping to build confidence, skills, and connections to drive nature recovery as part of wider social action.

Get Involved!

NRS invites everyone to take part in this growing movement. Whether you:

  • Attend the Environmental Volunteering Celebration event on April 24th (6:30pm–9:30pm) see bit.ly/3XyKy1h
  • Use the Community Toolkit to start a project in your area see wildsheffield.com/nr-toolkit
  • Sign up for the NRS Newsletter for inspiring stories and upcoming events and tips wildsheffield.com/naturesheffield
  • Share your nature community story with us and wider community: NatureSheffield@wildsheffield.com
  • Add your action for nature or organisation/community group/business to the community action map so you can collectively see we are making a difference and find out what others are doing wildsheffield.com/community-action-map.

You can also follow @NatureSheffield on social media to stay updated and share your own nature recovery efforts. – Instagram, Facebook & X

For more information, visit wildsheffield.com/naturesheffield or contact NatureSheffield@wildsheffield.com 

Success Stories:

Watch Page Hall Grow: In Page Hall, there has been a ripple effect of individuals and communities collectively taking action for nature supported by Lu Watkins from the NRS team, Jesse who volunteers at SWRT and local nature connectors to spark local action for nature. 

In Fir Vale, the Jamia Masjid Ghausia Mosque, has turned an underused space into a vibrant community garden with wildflowers, trees, and raised beds for growing food and sensory plants. A pond, seating and climbing pollinator planting is also planned.

The mosque has shared rose cuttings with nearby NHS Page Hall Medical Centre who has created a “Secret Garden.” Staff, volunteers, community members and pupils from Whiteways Primary School, have transformed the medical centre’s outdoor space into a peaceful wellbeing retreat for local residents, with hanging flower baskets, bug hotel and raised bed for growing food. 

Next door, The Fir Vale School ‘Page Hall Improvers’ group of students have helped to plant 300 hedgelets, 900 wildflower bulbs and pollinator seeds along the verge on two different occasions. In addition, 20 locally sourced stone boulders were installed to reduce car parking and fly-tipping, on this verge, which has a high footfall en route to school entrances.

Once an unused space, the Oasis Community Space garden has now been transformed by staff and volunteers into a vibrant community garden with sensory plants, herbs, fruit bushes and vegetables with weekly ‘dancing garden’ sessions open to all. A mini orchard and peaceful seating space has also been created.

Working with the local council representatives, Eden-All Nations Church members and local residents are helping to install mini pop-up gardens which are being trialled where residents are openly objecting to the local litter problems.

Collaboration with Sheffield University is bringing a creative and fresh perspective on green space architecture in the area; talking with community members and learning about the on-going challenges.

In total over 200 people have been engaged in this ‘Watch Page Hall Grow’ community project. Follow on instagram @watchpagehallgrow

Tinsley wildlife friendly community: In Tinsley, the Tinsley Chai group has joined NRS to transform their community into a Wildlife-Friendly Zone. Supported by Zahira Naz (ED&I officer at the Trust) and NRS team members, up to 18 women meet regularly at Tinsley Community Centre to support each other and have recently started to take environmental action.

Last winter, they mapped local hedgehog sightings and built 16 hedgehog boxes using recycled wood with Brightbox. Their journey began with a Halloween family walk with the Trust at Centenary Riverside Nature Reserve, where 29 mums, grandmas, and children explored, made wildflower clay balls, and shared nature stories—all visiting for the first time.Rooted in Tinsley’s industrial past, the group reflected on their South Asian heritage at the ‘Steel Henge’ sculpture, sharing memories of their dads and grandads who moved to Sheffield work proudly in Sheffield’s steel foundries. 

However, the families also shared concerns about how Tinsley has changed with pollution, green space loss, and children’s disconnection from nature, which drives their action for nature:

“We’re losing green spaces, and pollution is high. I grew up in Pakistan picking fruit straight from trees. We care about the future of our children”

Community member, Tinsley Group

The group has taken action by planting wildflowers, making bird feeders, and working with Sheffield Museums, Sheffield Hallam University, and Sheffield City Council to promote local nature.

Facing high pollution near the M1 and industrial areas, Tinsley lacks accessible nature spaces—while Meadowhall Shopping Centre is well-known, nearby Blackburn Meadows Nature Reserve is overlooked, however leaders form the group have volunteered with the Trust to act as community walk leaders, connecting local people to the local nature reserves.  

During Sheffield Street Tree Partnership’s Tree Planting Week, eight women planted five trees in Tinsley Recreation Park with Sheffield Community Forestry. Now, they’ve teamed up with Tinsley Forum to create a wildlife-friendly garden for families and wildlife.

So far, 104 residents have engaged with their efforts. The Tinlsey Chai gorup also plan to work with the council to co-design a new park on the site of a relocated school—ensuring it becomes a welcoming green space for the community.

“We want people to see our positive work in the community. We care about our local area and want to make it better for wildlife and the community.”

This summer, they will host a celebration event to inspire others to join their nature recovery journey.