The rejuvenation of a churchyard in town centre has continued with the planting of new trees thanks to new funding and the hard work of community volunteers.
A collaboration between local organisations, students, and volunteers has helped to transform St Giles Churchyard, and the new trees will bring major environmental benefits to the area.
On Friday, volunteers from St Giles Community Group, the Estates team from the University of Northampton, the Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Jane Birch, and Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) gathered to plant the tress following funding from Northampton Town Council and Voi.
The project aims to enhance biodiversity in St Giles churchyard by planting carefully selected trees to replace those reaching the end of their life.
Cllr Andrew Kilbride, Chair of the Environmental Services Committee at Northampton Town Council, said: “We are very pleased to contribute £2,000 from our Climate Change Grants Scheme to support the planting of new native trees in the churchyard, which is a peaceful public green space and a wonderful haven for wildlife right in the heart of our town centre.
“The scheme helps to fund projects that tackle climate change, by enhancing biodiversity and supporting local wildlife. This planting project will make a real difference by contributing to long-term carbon reduction in the town centre through increasing the tree canopy.
“It’s a great example of partnership working between the local community and town centre organisations, building upon the fantastic work already delivered by the St Giles’ Community group, who have done so much to improve the churchyard and its surroundings in recent years.”
The churchyard had previously been a problem area, often collecting litter and showing signs of anti-social behaviour. An ongoing project is aiming to turn the space into somewhere positive and welcoming.
Kardi Somerfield from St Giles Community Group said: “It’s been brilliant to see so many people get involved. The churchyard is now a beautiful and useful space that’s enjoyed by local residents and visitors and somewhere we can all be proud of.”
Two benches, five hanging basket posts and a bin, reclaimed from the recent Abington Street works and donated by West Northamptonshire Council, were refurbished last year by students from Northampton College, who also designed and built the surrounding planters.
Kier, the contractors responsible for delivering the Abington Street project, carried out the groundworks and installed the reused public realm furnishings, helping to make the area safe and accessible.
The new trees are the latest phase of the project and will contribute to climate change mitigation by increasing tree canopy cover in Northampton’s town centre. Each maturing tree is estimated to capture 10–20 kg of CO₂ per year, supporting long-term carbon reduction and improving air quality.
Alex Langlands, Senior Market Development Manager at VOI, who also made a generous donation to the project, said: “We’re proud to support the planting of new trees at St Giles Churchyard, a valued green space in the heart of Northampton.
“Trees help improve air quality, support local wildlife and make our towns and cities more resilient to climate change. By sponsoring this project, Voi is pleased to stand alongside the community in helping create a greener, healthier place for everyone.”
The additional tree canopy will also help reduce surface heat, improve rainwater absorption and support local climate resilience. The impact will be long-lasting, with the trees expected to deliver environmental benefits for several decades. The project will enhance biodiversity by creating healthier habitats for birds, insects and other pollinators, improving the ecological value of the second largest green space within Northampton’s inner ring road.
Mark Mullen, operations manager for Northampton Town Centre BID, said: “This project has been carried out with a real eye on environmental credentials and sustainability and we’re delighted to see it go from strength to strength. Having the opportunity to create an attractive, safe and welcoming green space in the heart of the town centre is something we were more than happy to support.”
For more details visit www.discovernorthampton.co.uk
