NEW FILM SERIES ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO EXPLORE #GREENSALFORD THIS AUTUMN HALF TERM

A series of eight short films celebrating Salford’s abundance of beautiful green spaces has been produced to inspire people to get out and about in the borough this autumn.

The #GreenSalford films are a celebration of the significant investment in green space, led by Salford City Council, in recent years helping to improve the natural environment and make it more accessible.

The council’s focus on protecting and improving green locations acknowledges the importance of access to open spaces in making cities more enjoyable places to live and more sustainable. Quality of life and access to green space are acknowledged as increasingly important factors in attracting inward investment from companies seeking to relocate staff or attract a skilled and engaged workforce.

Sixty per cent Salford is green space, from private gardens, public parks, farms to the moss lands. The city includes Chat Moss, which is important for wildlife and the rare lowland bog habitat.

In total, Salford boasts 74 parks, eight of them with Green Flag status; 32 sites of biological importance; five nature reserves; and two flood storage basins including Kersal Wetlands, part of a new £10 million flood protection scheme that has created a new wildlife haven.

Produced by Marketing Manchester in partnership with Salford City Council and the University of Salford, the #GreenSalford films provide a broad overview of the different types of green space in Salford, with interviewees ranging from local families to park rangers to gardeners, community groups, academics and the head of the new RHS Garden Bridgewater in Worsley.

Available to view at https://www.visitmanchester.com/ideas-and-inspiration/countryside/salfords-green-spaces and across social media using #GreenSalford, the films showcase:

Clifton Country Park, a 48-hectare Green Flag nature reserve in the Irwell Valley, which is perfect for family walks;

RHS Garden Bridgewater, a stunning new 156-acre RHS garden under construction in Worsley;

Lightoaks Park, where a community group has introduced improvements including a new Tea’osk;

Peel Park, which was recently redeveloped using Heritage Lottery Funding to restore it to its former glory;

Ordsall Hall gardens, tranquil grounds of a visitor attraction in the heart of Salford’s modern centre;

Kersal Wetlands, part of the flood protection works on the banks of the River Irwell;

Worsley Delph, an industrial heritage site at the source of the Bridgewater Canal in Worsley village;

And Duke’s Drive, a new park sitting at the side of the Bridgewater Canal in Monton.

Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said:

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“Sixty per cent of Salford is beautiful green, open space, and we have such a variety of places, from parks and woodlands to Chat Moss and Kersal Wetlands, our new flood basin and nature reserve.

“This project, working in partnership with Marketing Manchester and University of Salford is all about raising awareness of the city’s green space and now more than ever before, people are recognising the importance of these spaces and the benefits they bring and are proud that Salford is such a green city.”

 

Professor Helen Marshall, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Salford, said:

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“I am delighted to see how our partnership with Marketing Manchester and Salford City Council has captured the green and beautiful heart of Salford through these films. It is a real privilege for the University to have all the advantages of being so close to a major city centre, yet whilst being surrounded by stunning parks, rivers and meadows - a side to Salford that has not been well known, but is a wonderful discovery for those who get to know the city.

"It is a quite unique experience for students to study and indeed live in a such a spacious and green environment, whilst still having the bars, restaurants, culture and the arts of one of Europe's largest cities right on their doorstep - Salford is Manchester's true campus university."

 

Sheona Southern, managing director of Marketing Manchester, said:

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“The ability to access green space is an incredibly important factor for people considering where they want to live, work, visit and study. By helping to showcase Salford’s green credentials we hope to be able play a part in influencing decisions that lead to inward investment, jobs and economic growth.

“Salford has a fantastic story to tell and through this partnership with Marketing Manchester, Salford City Council and the University of Salford will be able to tell it more widely. We’re making these films available to anyone who would like to help us highlight the green spaces that make Salford such a brilliant place and would urge people to support us by sharing this content.”

 

To discover Salford’s Parks and Open Spaces for yourself go to: https://www.salford.gov.uk/parks-and-open-spaces