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Imagination Blooms: Story Garden Project Awarded Funding from Ørsted’s Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund

  • £17,481 awarded from Ørsted’s Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund
  • Funding will support the creation of a magical story-themed garden co-designed by local children
  • Garden to debut at Southport Flower Show before permanent relocation to the L30 Centre, Netherton

 

Children's Story Garden
Children's Story Garden

A unique new garden project in Sefton, created to inspire imagination, storytelling and nature connection in children, has been awarded £17,481 by Ørsted’s Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund.

The “Children’s Story Garden” is a collaboration between local charity Ykids Ltd and the L30 Centre in Netherton, where the garden will be permanently housed following its debut at the 2025 Southport Flower Show.

Featuring trees, flowers, and plants from beloved children’s books, the garden will include story trails, a whimsical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang book hut, a storytelling chair, hobbit house, yellow brick road and growing beds to teach children about food and sustainability. It will also include a koi pond, funded in-kind by local supporters. The space is being co-designed with local children, professional gardeners, and artists, and aims to promote wellbeing, creativity, environmental awareness and literacy.

Claire Morgans, CEO of Ykids Ltd, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create something truly special. The Story Garden will be a magical, lasting legacy for children and families – a space to dream, to learn, and to grow. We’re delighted to have the support of Ørsted’s Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund, and we can’t wait to watch the garden come to life with help from our community.”

After being displayed to over 40,000 visitors at the Southport Flower Show in August 2025, the grant will help fund the relocation of the garden to its permanent home at the L30 Centre. There, it will be cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers from both the local community and local businesses. The project is supported by numerous partners including Peter Lloyd Gardens, who are leading the garden construction, and Mike Walker of Start Creative, who has built the garden’s distinctive handmade furniture.

The project will directly benefit over 600 children and is supported by several partner organisations, including Fun for Kidz, Grange Primary School, Kingsley and Co bookshop, and My Boys Koi, among others.

Imran Nawaz, Ørsted’s Senior Advisor & Community Benefit Fund Manager, said: “This project is a wonderful example of how creativity, nature and community spirit can come together to make a lasting difference. We’re proud to support Ykids as they create a truly inspiring space that brings joy, learning and inspiration to think green to local children.”

Ørsted’s Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund is part of the company’s commitment to sharing the benefits of offshore wind with the communities living closest to their projects.

The full list of organisations awarded grants under the latest round of the Burbo Bank Extension Community Benefit Fund are as follows:

  • Volunteer It Yourself CIC - £16,846 – for retrofitting Crosby Scout Hut for community use while training local young volunteers in construction and green skills.
  • Benefit Advice Shop - £12,000 – to recruit a Welfare Rights Adviser to support vulnerable clients, including those with mental health difficulties, through the benefits process and assessments.
  • Merseyside Youth Association Ltd - £19,182 – to deliver courses focussing on well-being, self-confidence, & transferable life skills to young people
  • Ykids Ltd - £17,481 – to create a Story Garden in South Sefton, combining nature, literature, and community to inspire children and promote wellbeing.
  • Hilbre Community Land Trust LTD - £16,000 – to install a rainwater harvesting system to provide sustainable clean water on Hilbre Island, supporting wildlife, community use, and heritage restoration.
  • Mersey Counselling and Therapy Centre - £8,568 – to establish a permanent hub at Oldershaw School to provide counselling and creative therapies for looked after children.
  • St Vincent De Paul Society - £13,600 – to develop St Vincent’s Community Garden in Wallasey into an accessible green space offering gardening activities, training, and seasonal events for all ages.
  • Clatterbridge Cancer Charity - £975 – to fund venue hire for the free HOPE Course in West Kirby, supporting cancer survivors with emotional, physical, and practical skills to rebuild their lives after treatment.
  • The Inclusive Hub CIC - £2,888 – for an 18-week programme for 15 participants covering budgeting, saving, and future-proofing finances, alongside practical workshops and holiday sessions on reducing food waste and its environmental and economic impact.
  • Lotus Brook - £4,960 – to help volunteers learn to grow climate-resilient plants and manage water at a Bootle community allotment, over 16 weeks, adapting to extreme weather like floods and droughts.

There are two funding rounds each year and the next closing date is 24 September 2025. For full details about the fund and how to apply, please visit the Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund page

Since launching in 2015, the Burbo Bank Extension Community Fund has awarded over £2.3 million to projects along the Northwest coast.

To find out more about the fund, including how to apply for future rounds, visit: https://grantscape.org.uk/fund/burbo-bank-extension-community-fund