Transforming the Brotherhood peace garden 

Casey Supports the Brotherhood Peace Garden

As part of our ongoing social value commitments to Manchester City Council, Casey was proud to support the transformation of the Brotherhood Peace Garden—a peaceful green space located within the grounds of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star Church in Moss Side.

Led by Michelle Gondo, the garden project aims to promote community connection, sustainability, and wellbeing. Michelle’s vision is to create an inclusive, eco-conscious environment that can host community events and offer space for reflection and shared meals using fresh garden produce.

To help bring this vision to life, Casey provided practical support including:

• Donating reclaimed wooden pallets from our Lea Green project for use as planters

• Supporting accessibility improvements to aid future wheelchair-friendly features

• Contributing to a sustainable, community-led approach to gardening and environmental education

During a site visit in July 2024, Liz Berry and Helen Irvine from Casey met with Michelle to hear more about her long-term plans for the space. Their collaboration culminated in the official reopening of the Peace Garden on 12th October 2024, where Chris Casey had the honour of cutting the ribbon at a ceremony attended by local residents and members of the Brotherhood community.

Michelle shared her gratitude:
“I can’t believe how a dream is becoming a reality. It is thanks to local help, funding, and donations that we are seeing things develop. I’m so grateful to Liz and The Casey Group, and I hope we can continue this great partnership.”

John Walmsley, Social Impact Executive, added:
“This garden is a vital space for reflection, learning, and community engagement. Special thanks to Liz Berry for her coordination and to our Land Rec team—Ian McCole, Paul Prescott, and Wes Farrington—for their hands-on contribution in making this project a success.”

The Brotherhood Peace Garden now stands as a welcoming space for all in Moss Side—a lasting example of what community collaboration can achieve.