An edition of the Tyne Tees Television programme investigating topics of life in the Northeast. In this edition Northern Eye follows television gardener Simon Cross as he visits Thornaby-on-Tees and Middlesbrough where a gardening and allotment scheme have helped rejuvenate both inner-city street and a local traveller encampment. However, is this good value for money and what positive impact does it have on both residents and the community as a whole? A montage featuring re-generated back...

An edition of the Tyne Tees Television programme investigating topics of life in the Northeast. In this edition Northern Eye follows television gardener Simon Cross as he visits Thornaby-on-Tees and Middlesbrough where a gardening and allotment scheme have helped rejuvenate both inner-city street and a local traveller encampment. However, is this good value for money and what positive impact does it have on both residents and the community as a whole? A montage featuring re-generated back alleys and some of those involved with the programme talking about the work they’ve done and the effect it has had with local communities. Title: Northern Eye. Flower Power TV Gardiner Simon Cross walks along a terraced street past houses with large hanging baskets beside the front doors. At Northdale Horticulture near Northallerton adults with learning-disabilities work with Simon to care and water plants, in his office Simon talks about a new scheme called ‘Street Gardening’ which will rejuvenating communities through flower power. A gate leading to the back alley of a row of terraced houses with overflowing bins and debris, places Simon describes as ‘uninspiring environments. He believes horticulture can make these places look better, and at the same time develop a sense of community. Mansfield Avenue in Thornaby-on-Tees, a street in the Tees Valley where Simon is working with the local authority and housing associations to bring flower power to the community. Over views of the street with hanging baskets outside many of the homes, Simon talks about the project and the current condition of some of the back alleys. Children playing in the street changes to a vox pop with some of the residence who, at this stage, are not convinced of its benefit. Along the Stockton-on-Tees riverside near the replica of Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour, Simon speaks with Angela Lockwood, Chief Executive of Endeavour Housing asking her if she believe the project in Mansfield Avenue is of value. She explains the value is in the people coming together and wanting to improve the area. In London Nick Brown MP, Minister for the North East concurs with the comments of Angela with regards the benefits of such schemes on local communities. Along Kildare Street in the Gresham ward of Middlesbrough pots of colourful plants and hanging baskets outside many of the homes. More flowers and baskets hanging from walls in several properties’ backyards. In his backyard Kevin Cramer speaks with Simon about residents’ initial trepidation about the scheme, but with the number of plants now outside people homes he can now see sees the benefits. Kevin talks about the positive contribution the scheme has to the local communities with neighbours now out talking with each other over their gardening. In Kildare Street Simon is seen speaking with Les Broomhead the Going for Green officer for Middlesbrough Council. Simon talks about Les as being a ‘community champion’ and of the intelligence of Middlesbrough Council in supporting this kind of scheme. As Simon talks, inside a local community centre members of the Green Fingers Gardening Club in Gresham, including Les Broomhead, take part in a workshop producing hanging baskets. Outside Les provide details on the club and how it has helped develop similar clubs around Middlesbrough. Back inside the community centre residents, many of South Asian descendant, continue to work producing their own baskets. As three children hold up their baskets, Simon comments that working at grass-roots can generate some great results. Nick Brown MP applauds the work being done in Middlesbrough and across the region. Back at Mansfield Avenue in Thornaby, Simon helps to deliver several large planter boxes to residents Jason and Patricia Haydon. As the couple express their surprise at the boxes size, members of Northdale Horticulture help to fill the boxes with soil and plant some flowers. With a smiles Simon talks with Jason and Patricia about what they can do to transform their backyard. At a local garden centre five residence look for plants for their home which will be paid for from £200 they have won in a prize draw. Simon says with a small budget let’s get people motivated and gardening, resident Sharon Rees talks about always wanting to do her backyard up. Caravans at the Metz Bridge Gypsy and Traveller site in Middlesbrough and a woman putting out her washing on a line. Residence from the camp have worked with Simon to improve a recently installed perimeter fence with local children and their parents working together planting flowers into boxes and hanging up baskets. Simon says that on speaking with a woman at the camp he understood the needs of the residents, they wanted to make the place look better not for anyone else other than themselves. A few weeks later Simon returns to Metz Bridge and speaks with residents Emily Clark and Denise Brownless about how well the plants and flowers are thriving and how the opinions of people outside the camp have changed. They go onto talk about how the project has improved their community. The first part of the programme ends with a montage of what to expect in part two. Title: Northern Eye. Flower Power At Middlesbrough’s Town Farm three young men work an allotment plot planting seedling or turning the soil with forks, a scarecrow nearby hanging from a pole. Simon speaks with Mark Fishpool from Middlesbrough Environment City about developing smaller allotment plots that would encourage more people to take up gardening. He talks about the relevance and importance of such project in helping communities become more self-sufficient as food prices and transportation costs rise. As he speaks tomatoes growing on the vine. Following a series of views around the site, Simon explains that what he’s seen with communities is that horticulture is being used as a catalyst to provoke change as well as encourage and provoke responsibility. Back at Mansfield Avenue in Thornaby Simon delivers the plants and tools purchased by the five residents at the local garden centre followed by a montage of residents going about their work transforming their backyards. Simon comments that as well as trying to make the place look a bit brighter, it about building up the potential of the community for a relatively small amount of money. Angela Lockwood explains to Simon that some urban regeneration schemes require lots of investment, but areas such as Mansfield have benefited from inexpensive investment. She continues to say that there is a role for communities in both the major regeneration schemes as well as the smaller projects such as in Mansfield Avenue. Getting local communities invested in smaller projects will lead them to becoming more involved in the large ones. Nick Brown MP believes the government has the balance right between the larger re-generation projects and the local schemes that lifts local areas. A small community developed garden-square in Middlesbrough changes to the nearby back lane behind Longford and Leith Street’s in the Gresham Ward. These back allies have been transformed from bags of rubbish and broken glass to baskets of flowers and potted plants, shrubs, trellises, and trees lining the alleyway and residents sitting together happily. Simon speaks with resident Mavis Arnold who says that once the alley was secure with a gate the ideas began to transform it into what it is today. When new people arrive, the alleyway is where you meet to and get to know your community. Simon speaks with several other residents including a young mother of African descent who is very pleased to have a safe space for her children to play. Simon speaks with Melanie Rollinson from West Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Trust who helped Mavis with the development of the Longford and Leith Street’s back-alley transformation. She also talks about how the community didn’t give up when it was initially vandalised. Back in his office at Northdale Horticulture, Simon Glass about the importance of having a community champion. As he speaks views of another rundown back alleyway with plastic sheeting and bins. Simon begins to talk about Lynn Buxton-Smithingale from Northallerton who create a back-alley project by putting up some plants and laying down some turf. As Simon talks views of the transformed alleyway and Lynn herself talking about how and why she did it. Back at Mansfield Avenue in Thornaby, where the work has just begun, the backyard of Jason and Patricia Haydon with outdoor table and chairs set up next to a planter full of flowers and other potted plants, nearby a cat resting on the ground. Other backyards are seen also transformed with horticulture. Several residents talk about wanting to do more, possibly even starting their own gardening club. The programme ends on Simon Glass commenting on the future for places like Mansfield Avenue, what’s next? Title: With thanks to The Street Gardeners of Gresham and Thornaby, Metz Bridge Gypsy and Travellers’ site, Middlesbrough Environmental City, Northdale Horticulture Credit: Narrator Simon O’Rourke Camera Phil Putnam Spencer Sound Mike Riley, Nic Grant Sound Post-production The Edge Graphics Dave Richardson Editor Kerry Plummer Production Co-ordinator Christine Stewart-Tilling Executive Producer Graeme Thompson Series Producer Mary Wimpress Producer/Director Dave Jarvis © ITV Tyne Tees 2008 End credit: Production for ITV