Whitefield neighbours launch Bury’s second Right to Grow community growing project

Tuesday, 3 March 2026 23:20

By David Murphy

Residents in Whitefield have launched Bury’s second community food growing project under the Right to Grow initiative, transforming unused public land into a shared space for growing food.

Bury Council has marked the launch of the new community project at Abingdon Close in Whitefield, where a group of neighbours have come together to grow food on available green space.

The group currently includes 10 residents who wanted to create a space where people in the neighbourhood could grow produce and connect with others in the community.

The project follows the success of the borough’s first Right to Grow group, Lancaster Roots in Ramsbottom.

The Right to Grow in Bury campaign encourages residents to use suitable public land for community food growing. The initiative aims to strengthen local communities while supporting health and wellbeing through shared outdoor activity.

A resident from Abingdon Close said: “We were so excited about building a place in the community that is accessible to all. It’s a great way to bring everyone together in our neighbourhood and create a real sense of community.”

The Whitefield group has received guidance from community organisation Incredible Edible and support from Bury Council staff including Lee Buggie, Kathy Taylor and Mark Townsend.

Lee Buggie, public health specialist at Bury Council who leads the programme locally, said: “It is wonderful to see how the initiative is developing in different areas of Bury. I have enjoyed working with the neighbours at Abingdon Close and supporting them in this process, we look forward to seeing more groups come together across the borough in the future.”

Residents interested in starting their own community growing project can contact Incredible Edible for guidance on identifying suitable sites and developing a local group.