Since the collapse of the fishing trade, the Boulevard/Hessle Road community has suffered with long-term unemployment and this has contributed to creating many severe difficulties and barriers for local people. Government statistics suggest our community is amongst the most challenging places to live in the country (IMD 2019). In 2019, Hull Daily Mail reported that Hull was the hardest place to find work and the pandemic has only made things harder. Many of our community’s challenges stem from the impact that a lack of meaningful employment has on person; emotionally, socially and physically.

With Sycamore Gardening we aim to do something about this social injustice. We aim to create opportunity where there is little. It can be the catalyst its beneficiaries long for; enabling them to pull themselves and their families out of poverty with an earned income.

It serves those who have been long-term unemployed or struggled to hold down a role, but predominantly the young adults struggling to get their first paid position.

The opportunity to work alongside our experienced and passionate lead gardener  builds confidence, develops essential skills and importantly is the chance to gain experience which will be a springboard to move onto further training or long-term employment.

The Sycamore Gardening team is fully equipped with equipment that has been generously donated by our three corporate partners. Fiskars and Burgon & Ball have supplied us with their finest hand tools. Treadstone have kindly given us a wide selection of their award-winning Clip Gloves.

We are extremely grateful for all the support they are giving to our enterprise and to our aims of making a difference in the lives of young people in our community.