Hulme Community Garden Centre (HCGC), a much-loved green oasis in central Manchester, will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special event this Saturday 5th July – which promises to be a joyful day of music, community, and reflection on 25 years of growth, learning and connection.

The HCGC Summer Party will be a free, family-friendly drop-in event running from 11am to 7pm. Throughout the day, visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities including nature crafts and planting sessions for children, alongside delicious food and drink stalls, a bar, and live music from local artists. DJ sets from TRW, Luna Lazer, and Dub Smugglers will keep the atmosphere buzzing and there’ll be a variety of stalls and raffle prizes up for grabs. (The full line-up will be announced on HCGC’s social media channels).

This special event will celebrate the achievements of HCGC and its amazing volunteers, whose tireless dedication has created a safe, inclusive, and inspiring space. Attendees can look forward to a day packed with fun activities for all ages, including tours of the centre’s stunning green oasis. There will also be workshops reflecting on Hulme Community Garden Centre’s rich history and its exciting vision for the future. Guests will also have the chance to meet and celebrate with the incredible volunteers who have been the heart and soul of HCGC over the years. All of this will take place in a vibrant community atmosphere, buzzing with music, delicious food, and plenty of laughter.

Gianetta Grainger, HCGC’s Project Manager, said: “Reaching 25 years is a huge milestone for us. Hulme Community Garden Centre has always been more than just a green space ~ it’s a place where people grow as much as the plants!  We’re a garden centre with a difference that make a difference to peoples lives. This anniversary, and the build up towards it, is a celebration of everything we’ve achieved together as a community and a reflection of our mission to connect people with nature. We can’t wait to welcome everyone on 5th July to celebrate what makes this place so special.”

“The recent developments on site, with support from the Greater Manchester Environment Fund and Green Spaces has allowed us to enhance our fabulous space, offering more opportunities for learning through play. This has helped us to continue and complete on major improvements and additions to our 2020 successful community share fund-raise; with generous support from a wide range of community groups, local businesses and many individuals wanting to be part of, and to invest in this fabulous project.
“Our new-build brings so many benefits to so many and will help the garden centre survive through these difficult times. Many independent garden centres are sadly closing. Through the hard-work and dedication of our team, our army of volunteers and continued support from the community, the garden centre continues to flourish and our wildlife will have a safe haven in the heart of the city. We are proud to be guardians of our green spaces, and this, ‘hidden green oasis’ is for us all to share.”
At the Summer Party, HCGC will also be showing off its superb new woodwork workshop building which will create space to accommodate more volunteers and run more sessions where people can pick up new skills, work on their own projects and build items for the site and the wider community. The new building was made possible due to Awards for All (The National Lottery), Manchester Airport Community Trust Fund, The Skelton Charity, Neighbourhood Investment Fund/Manchester City Council, the Dowager Countess Eleanor Peel Trust, and the Shears Foundation.

Anyone is invited to the HCGC Summer Party on Saturday 5th July. In the meantime, the garden centre is open seven days a week for anyone wishing to explore the space, browse plants and gifts, or simply enjoy a coffee surrounded by greenery in The Garden Cafe.

Regular opening hours are 10am–5pm Monday to Saturday, and 10.30am–4.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

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