Bristol’s Hartcliffe Millennium Green has been transformed into a new sensory garden for people with disabilities and their carers. The project, overseen by grassroots charity Your Park Bristol & Bath, was made possible by the support and funding from National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED).
The garden, which opened on Tuesday 20 May, 2025, offers visitors a calming and welcoming space to experience the wellbeing benefits of time in nature. It is designed to engage the senses through carefully chosen plants, providing a sensory experience with sight, sound, fragrance, and texture.
NGED not only provided funding for the project, but also a team of Bristol-based staff volunteers who carried out the planting. This marks the second year of a partnership between NGED and Your Park Bristol & Bath, with a shared commitment to transforming green spaces for nature so that everyone can access their many benefits.
In addition to volunteers, NGED is also providing funding to support Your Park Bristol & Bath’s ambitious Reimagining Parks campaign, which aims to create safer, more nature-rich, and inclusive parks across Bristol and Bath.
The sensory garden is part of Your Park’s wider transformation of Hartcliffe Millennium Green, which aims to turn the under-used park into a hub of accessible facilities, natural habitats, and community-led activities.
Emily Green, NGED’s volunteering and sponsorship coordinator, expressed her excitement for the project, stating, “Seeing our team create a sensory garden that will bring comfort and connection to so many people is incredibly rewarding. We are proud to be supporting Your Park for a second year and look forward to seeing how together we can boost wellbeing and inclusion by improving urban green spaces.”
Amber Fisher, Your Park’s partnerships manager, also shared her enthusiasm for the project, saying, “We’re so excited to be working with NGED again this year. Their team’s passion and willingness to get stuck into making parks better places for all is second to none. Your Park’s vision is for everyone to benefit from parks’ transformative health benefits. With continued backing from partners like NGED, that vision is becoming a reality.”
The creation of the sensory garden at Hartcliffe Millennium Green is a testament to the positive impact that partnerships between communities, charities, and corporations can have on creating inclusive and accessible spaces for all to enjoy.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.