The Green Estate Creates New Outdoor Space for Sheffield Foyer Residents

On 13 June, Sheffield Foyer celebrated the opening of its new outdoor space created by staff from The Green Estate CIC and funded in part by Brett’s Memorial Fund. Sheffield Foyer, which is run by The Guinness Partnership, provides accommodation, training and support for young people who have been affected by homelessness.

The new outdoor space features raised plant beds plus a new decking area suitable for barbecues. To celebrate its official opening, Sheffield Foyer residents and staff from The Green Estate worked together to plant a variety of vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers in the new raised beds. Some of the plants were kindly provided by Food Works.

Alice Jones, Head of Green & Resilient Communities at The Green Estate, said: ‘This was a lovely collaboration between The Green Estate and Sheffield Foyer. I am really proud of the various members of our team who supported this project, from initial conversations with the lovely team at Foyer, to building the decking and raised beds, to speaking with the residents about what plants they would most like to grow, to planting them with them. We hope the residents enjoy the new garden area and plants throughout the summer and beyond. We look forward to future collaborations with Foyer!’

Anton Smith, Senior Foyer Support Officer, said: ‘The Green Estate have transformed the outdoor space at Sheffield Foyer into a vibrant, welcoming environment that our residents truly value. Their work – building new planters, creating a decking area and installing a dedicated BBQ space – has completely revitalised the garden and turned it into one of the most used areas during the summer months.

The volunteers were incredibly welcoming and worked alongside our residents throughout the project, helping them to shape and build the space together. This collaborative effort not only enhanced the environment but also gave residents a sense of ownership, pride and connection.

Today, the garden is a hub of activity: cooking on the BBQ, wellbeing sessions, gardening and planting, playing music, and simply enjoying time in nature. The space has become an essential part of our community life, supporting relaxation, creativity and social connection.

We’re deeply grateful to The Green Estate and their volunteers for their hard work, generosity and vision in creating a space that continues to make a meaningful difference to the wellbeing of our residents.’