YORK’S North Street Gardens overlooking the River Ouse are to get a £6,000 makeover.

Local charity York Cares has been awarded a grant by the Nature Hubs fund to ‘breathe new life’ into the gardens.

The charity will organise volunteers to work with City of York Council to transform the gardens into a ‘vibrant, wildlife-friendly hub’ where visitors can enjoy a ‘slice of nature in the centre of a bustling historic city’.

York Cares organises volunteering projects in the city that the employees of York companies can get involved with.

Throughout the next year, it will be working with the city council’s environment and communities team to organise at least five sessions where volunteers tidy up the gardens, plant drought- and flood-resilient plants and install hanging baskets to improve biodiversity and encourage pollinators and other wildlife.

The charity will also partner with York BID to install murals in the garden telling the story of York’s heritage.

York Press: 'Underused and often missed': York's North Street Gardens'Underused and often missed': York's North Street Gardens (Image: Supplied)

York Cares says the gardens also provide a vital link in the York ‘Green Corridor Network’, which allows wildlife to move from one green area to another.

So part of the project will also involve York Cares volunteers working with environmental charity St Nicks to ensure the gardens can connect up with other green habitats.

York Cares says the gardens – which overlook both the River Ouse and the historic Guildhall on the opposite bank - are an ‘under-used and often-missed open space’ in the heart of the city.

York Cares manager Holly Hennell said: "We're delighted to have received funding from The Nature Hubs Fund to support improvements in North Street Gardens.

“We did some work in the gardens as part of our Big Community Challenge in 2023 and have since had several volunteer groups undertake work in the gardens.

“We are very excited that we now have some resources to support this work and make the gardens a vibrant and multi-use space for all to enjoy."

Laura Williams, the assistant director for communities and inclusion at City of York Council, added: “I’m grateful to our partners York Cares for securing this funding and supporting the council to revitalise a valued green space in the city centre.

“Bringing together large city employers and the voluntary sector to add to council resources shows the power and potential of partner working, and is a great way to improving the gardens and other community resources.” The £6,000 Nature Hubs grant for work at North Street Gardens was provided by environmental charity Hubbub.