Published on: 15/05/2026
Groundwork Yorkshire has been recognised for its work in creating green spaces at St John’s Goole with a regional award.
Their efforts on the church’s Life and Hope Garden were successful at the Landscape Institute Regional Awards last week, winning in the Place, Culture and Heritage category. The garden was shortlisted for helping to provide a community food-growing space, gathering space and reflective labyrinth garden.
This Saturday (16 May), St John’s will be hosting their free annual seedling giveaway event from 10am – 12pm. People are invited to come along and bring any extra seedlings they may have and take anything they’d like to plant.
Sonia Crowe, Project Worker at The Life and Hope Garden, said:
‘The seedling event scheduled for 16 May is an excellent chance to collect seedlings for your summer garden, whether you’re starting late or – if you’re like me – have planted a few extra and want to swap them for different varieties. You’ll also have a wonderful opportunity to visit St John’s, check out the plans for the Life and Hope Garden, and enjoy some refreshments at our Saturday café in the Spire Centre – tea, coffee, or juice for the kids. The welcoming community at St John’s looks forward to meeting new people, so feel free to join us and take part in this fantastic event.’
Revd Hannah Patton, Vicar at St John’s Goole, said:
‘We are thrilled to announce that Groundwork Yorkshire has won an award for their designs of the Life and Hope Gardens. These designs are a result of a dream from the St John’s worshipping community, coupled with wider community consultation, and have been made possible through funding from Goole Fields Wind Farm. We will soon be applying for council and church planning permission and once approved we will be applying for grants to bring the gardens to life. We hope and pray that the Life and Hope Gardens will become a place of welcome, creativity, fun and peace.’
Mark Knight, Landscape Team Leader for Groundwork Yorkshire, said:
‘We are delighted to have picked up an award at this year’s Landscape Institute Regional Awards for the Life and Hope Garden at St. John’s Goole in the Place, Culture and Heritage category. Credit goes to Helen Ball, Landscape Architect at Groundwork Yorkshire who has produced an amazing design that incorporates a kitchen garden, gathering space, a garden of prayer and reflection and a place of recreation and play.
‘It is currently being submitted for planning permission, and the church is busy fundraising to see it come to fruition’.
