A Royal occasion for Salford Professor

Salford professor Mike Hardman met HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO last week as part of his role with charity Social Farms & Gardens.

The UK-wide Social Farms & Gardens, which encourage communities to farm, garden and grow together, appointed the Duchess as their newest Royal Patron, succeeding His Majesty The King. Prof Mike Hardman is a trustee of the charity as part of his work with urban greening.

Also Chair of its Academic Working group, Mike helps brings together researchers working with the charity to advance teaching, research, enterprise and wider impact activities, working with them on large international projects, such as GreenME to advance work around nature and mental health. This group now includes over 3,500 member sites with staff teams in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

HRH was appointed last week at Surrey Docks Farm opposite Canary Wharf in London.

Mike Hardman, Professor or Urban Sustainability and Director of the Environmental Research & Innovation Centre (ERIC), said: “It was great to speak with Her Royal Highness about her passion for getting young people involved in this sector and how universities can play a role in this. With more interest in city farming, community gardening and urban greening than ever before, it shows the importance for organisations like Social Farms & Gardens.

“I currently Chair the charity’s group which brings together academics in this sector, with exploring how we as researchers can support this vital work”.

With nearly 3,500 members, the charity believes in the power of nature-based activities and community, encouraging people to bring nature into their lives every day, through projects and partnerships, which work with communities for people and the planet.

The University of Salford is currently working with Social Farms & Gardens on the €5.8 million EU Horizon GreenME project (https://greenme-project.eu/)