Residents work together to transform neglected alleyway into green oasis

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Residents have transformed an alley in Fallowfield that was previously plagued by fly-tipping and unsightly debris. The ginnel - Langley Alley in Fallowfield - was regarded as an eyesore in the area and was littered with mouldy sofas, fridges, trolleys, dead rats and birds which people described as ‘traumatising’.

Now, the disused alley has undergone a transformation into a communal garden where people on the street host social gatherings and sit out in the flowery passage. READ MORE: RHS Tatton Park Flower Show returns with exciting new competition: chance to transform your ginnel and win £1,000! Nikita John has been one of the residents who has helped create the new garden with her neighbours.

The 29-year-old NHS doctor has lived in the area since she graduated from the University of Manchester in 2019. “People always question why I continue living here, but I love Manchester,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “Still, I wanted a place I could call home, and I knew there was a lot of work to put in.” The passageway, just off Wilmslow Road, was plagued with bin bags and fly-tipping rubbish before residents transformed the narrow alley.

Nikita said: “It was impossible for me to get to my residency without going into the ginnel, and I was having to obstacle course around mouldy sofas, broken glass, trolleys, and fridges.