GM Green and Blue Spaces Action Network
The aim of the ‘Green and Blue Spaces Action Network’ is to provide a network of organisations that are interested in green and blue spaces across Greater Manchester. The network hosts quarterly in-person events, providing members with time to collaborate on projects, exchange ideas and collective address challenges.
Good session and useful to see what network can achieve. Glad to be able to connect with other organisations!
Attendee of our fourth GBSAN event
Quarterly action network events for those involved in green and blue spaces in Greater Manchester
The GM Green and Blue Spaces Action Network is a newly established initiative developed in response to Mayor Andy Burnham’s call to action following the 2024 GM Food Security Action Network meeting. Led by Sow the City, the network forms part of the wider GM Networks Connect initiative, alongside existing action networks such as Homelessness, Food Security, and Digital Inclusion. These networks share a community-driven, cross-sector model that fosters collaboration between individuals, organisations, and institutions.
The Green and Blue Spaces Action Network focuses on enhancing, creating, and connecting people with green (parks, community gardens) and blue (rivers, canals) spaces across the city-region’s 10 boroughs. With thematic priorities spanning health, food, urban greening, and environmental resilience, the network aims to amplify grassroots action, share best practice, and catalyse collective efforts for a greener, more equitable Greater Manchester.
On 27 March 2025, we launched the network with a well-attended event at Castlefield Viaduct, bringing together 80 community organisers and professionals from across Greater Manchester. The event’s primary objective was to explore the shared vision, operational structure, and aspirations of the network. Discussions centred around key questions: the aims of the network, participants’ roles, and how it should function between events. This participatory approach generated five key thematic areas:
- Network Purpose & Structure: An inclusive, accessible platform for sharing knowledge and coordinating action. Priorities include avoiding duplication, fostering borough-to-borough collaboration, and ensuring the network remains relevant and responsive to both residents and established organisations.
- Values & Ethics: Ensuring a socially just and environmentally sound approach, with a commitment to tackling inequality, avoiding greenwashing, and supporting long-term job stability within the sector.
- Resource Sharing & Capacity Building: Attendees called for the development of a regional directory of key organisations and experts, toolkits for community action, training opportunities in green skills, and better access to land for community projects.
- Communication & Connectivity: A shared emphasis on digital and face-to-face connection led to ideas such as interactive maps, diverse communication channels, local meetups, online webinars, and site visits to promote peer learning and relationship building.
- Sustainability & Support: A recurring theme was the need for secure and ongoing support for grassroots groups—particularly in navigating council structures, accessing land, and maintaining funding stability.
Since the first event, we have hosted a quarterly meeting focusing on different topics, including landownership and the impact of nature on health. We were encouraged by the strong turnout and continued enthusiasm, which confirms both the ongoing need for this network and its potential for real impact.
Looking ahead, we’re using the insights and feedback gathered so far to shape our upcoming events and to move towards an action-oriented programme of support, collaboration, and resource-sharing. We are excited to grow this network into a vibrant, resilient force for environmental and social change in Greater Manchester.
To join the network you can email info@sowthecity.org, or join the LinkedIn page or fill out this google form
