Having lived in Leeds city centre since she was two years old, Fe has witnessed first-hand how access to green space can shape people’s lives and wellbeing.
As a child, she spent hours with friends in a large grassy area behind her estate.
We would play in this imaginary wilderness for hours, rolling down the mini hills, running through the long grass reeds, exploring wildflowers, making mud pies, sitting and making daisy chains, looking for four leaf clovers, sharing sweets and stories.
For Fe, green space provided adventure, friendship and a connection to nature right on her doorstep. But by the time she was 11 or 12, the grassland had been replaced by office buildings, and years of further development have left the city centre with very little green space for residents to enjoy.
Today, Fe is passionate about the role green spaces play in creating healthier communities. Her story is a powerful reminder that safe, welcoming green spaces are not just nice to have – they are an essential part of healthy, thriving communities.
I’m a happy person by nature, but even I now feel the negative impact of more people and no green spaces on my mental wellbeing and breathing.
