A new community garden project will be transforming a plot of vacant Stoke-on-Trent land into a green space for local residents and wildlife.

The Potters' Patch aims to transform a currently underused plot on Bucknall New Road, Hanley, into a community asset featuring raised beds, fruit trees as well as opportunities for volunteering and community events.

Local residents are now being invited to attend the official launch event for the project on Friday 26 June from 2pm to 5pm, which will feature free activities such as seed sowing and willow weaving.

The project has been developed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in partnership with Groundwork West Midlands

Melissa Underwood, Head of Nature Recovery at Groundwork West Midlands, said: "The Potters' Patch is about creating a space where people, nature and community can thrive together.

"By transforming an underused site into a welcoming green space, we hope to provide opportunities for local people to connect, learn new skills, support biodiversity and take pride in shaping the future of their neighbourhood."

The Potters' Patch will feature raised beds planted with long-flowering species including Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Nepeta and Verbena bonariensis.

These, alongside spring bulbs including daffodils, crocuses and alliums, will providing colour throughout the seasons while supporting bees and other pollinators.

Fruit trees such as apple, pear and plum, alongside soft fruits including raspberries and currants, will also be planted to create opportunities for community harvesting and food growing.

The project aims to offer a range of opportunities for local people, including volunteering sessions, skill development in horticulture and the use of gardening tools, food-growing activities, healthy living education, and environmental learning.

The site will also host community events and workshops delivered by Groundwork West Midlands and local partner organisations.

Groundwork West Midlands is a community charity that works to create sustainable community spaces across the whole of the West Midlands, including Stoke on Trent, Birmingham, the Black Country and Coventry.

A spokesperson for the organsiation said: "Groundwork West Midlands is passionate about creating a future with communities at its heart – one that is vibrant, green and where everyone has the opportunity to shape their own future and reach their potential.

"We take practical action to create a fairer and greener future in which people, places and nature thrive.

"Groundwork West Midlands supports local communities and businesses to build capacity and resilience, helping to tackle hardship, support a just transition to net zero and enable nature's recovery in ways that reduce inequality and contribute to healthier, happier lives."

The Potters' Patch launch event will take place at the site on Bucknall New Road, Hanley on Friday 26 June from 2pm to 5pm.

To find out more about Groundwork West Midlands, visit the website here.