Harehills ❤️ Love

Welcome to Day 13 of the 2025 Harehills Good News Advent Calendar!

Today we are celebrating a group that has quite literally changed the landscape of our neighbourhood. For over a decade, Back to Front has been working on a simple but radical idea: that our streets shouldn’t just be for parking cars, but for growing food, friendship, and flowers.

Starting life as a bold pilot project back in 2009/10, Back to Front has evolved into a registered charity with a mission to create “front gardens that look good and taste better.” Walking around Harehills today, if you see a terraced street bursting with runner beans, spinach, or sunflowers where there used to be concrete, you are likely looking at their legacy.

These days, Back to Front is run by the fabulous Karen and Katie who have worked tirelessly across multiple projects to drive green improvements to Harehills.

2025 has been another year of getting their hands dirty. Just this past weekend, the group hosted a Winter Pruning Workshop at the Harehills Park Community Orchard. Guided by experts from the Fruit Works Co-operative, local residents learned the skills needed to care for our fruit trees, ensuring that the harvest—and the knowledge—is passed down to the next generation.

Earlier in the year, in October, they brought us together for their famous Apple Day, where neighbours gathered to press fresh juice from local fruit. It is these moments that define them: taking something simple, like an apple or a pair of secateurs, and using it to build a community that is healthier, greener, and more connected.

From their 10th-anniversary celebrations to their recent AGM, Back to Front continues to prove that you don’t need a massive garden to make a massive difference. You just need a pot, a packet of seeds, and good neighbours.

Read more & Get Growing:

Fruit Works Co-operative: https://www.fruitworks.org.uk/

Back to Front Website: http://www.backtofront.org.uk/