Colin’s story is just one of many that show the real-world impact that Queen’s has made, and continues to make - not just through education, but through research, partnerships, and outreach.

"What we have is a gold standard community garden which is designed to be as accessible as it can be." - Colin

A period of neglect saw a field in the Lower Botanic Gardens overgrown and unmanaged. During the Covid-19 pandemic the site became a haven for dog walkers and those looking for a quiet, green outside space. It was during this time Colin Shaw and others using the site started Friends of the Field, a group formed with the intention of repurposing the land as a dedicated community garden, where volunteers would be able to grow produce sustainably whilst having a positive impact on the local community and environment.  

“Being able to sit down with academics from the School of Natural and Built Environment allowed us to think big. To design something that was really bespoke.” - Colin

Friends of the Field have worked in collaboration with The School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast City Council’s Climate team, under the EU Horizon 2020-funded UPSURGE project to co-design a community and research garden that provides nature-based solutions to combat pollution and enhance citizen health. The garden uses harvested rainwater and solar panels to create sustainable energy for initiatives including a community kitchen, and will provide food and sustainable-food training to local groups. The garden’s design includes walking trails, native hedgerows, and plants to promote pollinators, biodiversity, and climate resilience.

"Urban environments that have more cement can lead to 'heat islands'. Having this sort of green area within a city helps to cool down residential land around it.” -  Professor Jennifer McKinley, School of Natural and Built Environment

Supported by the Queen’s Green Fund, the Lower Botanic Garden Open Day held in spring 2024, allowed visitors from the local community to participate in workshops and get a true feel of the space.

“Queen’s Green Fund empowers our community to drive positive change within our campus, and surrounding communities. The Lower Botanic Open Day is proof of how supporting local, on-the-ground climate action can lead to real change for our staff, students and local communities." - Sara Lynch, Head of Sustainability at Queen’s University

A Bright, Green Future

Once the Lower Botanic Garden is fully established the plan is to share produce with the local community through social supermarkets, with the potential for additional produce to be donated to the Queen’s cost of living initiative ‘The Pantry’. The Friends of the Field team not only want to expand the work being done at Lower Botanic Gardens but intend that the project serves as a model of inspiration for community gardens across Belfast.

Discover more impact stories at qub.ac.uk/180.