Rooted for the Future: Hillfields Community Garden Awarded 35-Year Lease
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Bristol City Council has awarded Hillfields Community Garden a 35-year lease for Hillfields Park Community Centre, securing the long-term future of the much-loved community centre at the heart of Hillfields.
The agreement marks a major milestone for the resident-led charity, which was established in 2020 by local people as a community garden project in Hillfields Park. In just six years, the organisation has grown into a thriving community anchor organisation employing more than eleven local people which is supported by a huge network of volunteers, members and residents. Hillfields Park Community Centre, which closed for over a year between 2024 and 2025, has been transformed since Hillfields Community Garden took on a Licence to Occupy in February 2025. Through significant investment, fundraising and community effort, the building has been brought back to life as a welcoming and inclusive space serving residents of all ages and backgrounds. |
Today, the centre hosts and delivers a wide range of activities and services from its own charitable activities and with key community partners. These include community events, youth provision, health and wellbeing sessions, support groups, and a volunteer-led community café operating a “pay it forward” model to provide affordable, nourishing and culturally appropriate food, mostly sourced from locally grown and redistributed produce.
Located in the centre of the Hillfields ward, the community centre is the only facility of its kind in the area and is easily accessible by public transport, local schools and walking and cycling routes, including the Bristol to Bath Shared Path.
The 35-year lease provides long-term stability and security for both the organisation and the wider community. It will allow Hillfields Community Garden to continue developing the centre sustainably, attract further investment into the area, create additional local employment opportunities and strengthen community-led decision making for decades to come.
The organisation’s work is focused on building a connected, welcoming and resilient community where local residents are at the heart of shaping the future of Hillfields. Since launching in 2020, the Charity has created opportunities for people to come together, develop skills, improve wellbeing and take collective action through resident-led activities and partnerships. As a grass-roots charity led by local residents, Hillfields Community Garden says the lease represents more than simply securing a building. It is about creating lasting local power, strengthening partnerships and giving residents confidence that their community assets are in safe hands for the future.
Sarah Rogers, CEO and Co-Founder of the charity and Chair, Sian Kidd, on behalf of the Board of Trustees jointly said “We’re incredibly proud of what has been built together here in Hillfields over the past few years. This has only been possible because of the commitment of our staff team, volunteers, trustees, partners and local residents, all working together to bring the community centre back into the heart of the community. We’re also hugely grateful to Bristol City Council for recognising the strength of community-led organisations and placing trust in local people to shape the future of this important community asset. This lease gives us the long-term security to keep building a caring, connected and thriving Hillfields for generations to come.”
With the security of a 35-year lease, the charity looks forward to expanding its work even further, growing programmes alongside residents, partners and local organisations to develop a wider neighbourhood plan for Hillfields, with a long-term vision for Hillfields Park Community Centre to remain a catalyst for positive social change, building stronger connections, resilience and pride across the community for generations to come.
Located in the centre of the Hillfields ward, the community centre is the only facility of its kind in the area and is easily accessible by public transport, local schools and walking and cycling routes, including the Bristol to Bath Shared Path.
The 35-year lease provides long-term stability and security for both the organisation and the wider community. It will allow Hillfields Community Garden to continue developing the centre sustainably, attract further investment into the area, create additional local employment opportunities and strengthen community-led decision making for decades to come.
The organisation’s work is focused on building a connected, welcoming and resilient community where local residents are at the heart of shaping the future of Hillfields. Since launching in 2020, the Charity has created opportunities for people to come together, develop skills, improve wellbeing and take collective action through resident-led activities and partnerships. As a grass-roots charity led by local residents, Hillfields Community Garden says the lease represents more than simply securing a building. It is about creating lasting local power, strengthening partnerships and giving residents confidence that their community assets are in safe hands for the future.
Sarah Rogers, CEO and Co-Founder of the charity and Chair, Sian Kidd, on behalf of the Board of Trustees jointly said “We’re incredibly proud of what has been built together here in Hillfields over the past few years. This has only been possible because of the commitment of our staff team, volunteers, trustees, partners and local residents, all working together to bring the community centre back into the heart of the community. We’re also hugely grateful to Bristol City Council for recognising the strength of community-led organisations and placing trust in local people to shape the future of this important community asset. This lease gives us the long-term security to keep building a caring, connected and thriving Hillfields for generations to come.”
With the security of a 35-year lease, the charity looks forward to expanding its work even further, growing programmes alongside residents, partners and local organisations to develop a wider neighbourhood plan for Hillfields, with a long-term vision for Hillfields Park Community Centre to remain a catalyst for positive social change, building stronger connections, resilience and pride across the community for generations to come.
