Mission to transform UK's 'drab' alleyways

A woman hopes to transform the UK's alleyways into "miniature wildlife corridors" after realising the "drab" lanes were negatively impacting her mental health.

Flora Beverley founded the Pollinator Pathways Project (PPP) in Bristol two years ago after a chronic illness left her unable to spend as much time in nature.

Working with a group of volunteers, they first began by tidying an alley in Knowle, south Bristol, clearing waste including drug paraphernalia, broken bottles and burnt mattresses and replacing them with murals, solar-powered street lighting and planters for flowers.

She said: "It is about funding communities, [so] they can create the area they need."

Previously an ultra-marathon runner, Ms Beverley gave up the sport after being diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus, which causes aching muscles and flu-like symptoms.

This meant she no longer spent her weekends training in the countryside and she suddenly became aware of how much concrete her Bristol home was surrounded by.

"Children and parents going to school and work are seeing the same grey and concrete that I'm seeing.

"If it's affecting me, it's must also be affecting everyone else," she said.

The project aims to connect up existing green spaces in urban environments and create areas that are beautiful and beneficial to the community.

Ms Beverley hopes people from across the UK will join PPP and start reclaiming their local alleyways.

Part of the project has been paid for through grants and funding from Bristol City Council and an international charity, the US-based Pollination Project Foundation.

"There is a bit of social inequality in terms of access to green spaces.

"Lower income areas have less access to green spaces, and I don't think that's fair quite frankly.

"The government should be putting more investment into local communities and funding grass-roots projects, however that looks for that community," she added.

Volunteering in her community has "massively improved her mental health," she said.

"Neighbours are meeting each other for the first time when they come and do the volunteer days which is such a lovely experience, especially in a major city.

She shared footage on social media of one of her transformations.

"The reaction to this video has been crazy, it has gone a bit viral.

"So, if you're inspired by the project, speak to your neighbours," she added.

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