From September 2021 to April 2025, The Ideas Fund has been instrumental in supporting the growth and development of Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park.

Their backing has gone far beyond funding. Through tailored one-to-one support, hands-on workshops, and a strong community of practice, The Ideas Fund has empowered us to grow in confidence, capability, and ambition.

Our project has always centred around a clear goal: to give voice to our community and create meaningful collaborations with academics. We’ve worked to build mutual learning and truly equitable partnerships—ensuring that local knowledge, lived experience, and research come together with impact.

We began our journey working alongside Professor Andy Jonas, a leading urban geographer based at the University of Hull. Andy helped us explore how local communities fit into wider urban and sustainability challenges, setting the stage for deeper research. His involvement helped spark critical conversations and laid strong academic foundations.

From September 2022, we began working more closely with Sarah Spanton, a creative facilitator and researcher. 

Together, we developed ‘Have Your Say’—a year-long exploration into the voices of our community. 

This research focused on understanding the challenges faced in the park, celebrating differing perspectives, and surfacing the hopes and concerns of those who use the space every day.

In July 2023, Anna Turner, a published novelist and academic, joined the project. Anna brought a unique approach, using storytelling to gather insight from our community. 

Through informal conversations and deep listening, she captured a wide range of experiences, emotions and visions for the park. These stories have been shared through a series of blogs, helping to communicate our findings in an engaging and accessible way.

Thanks to The Ideas Fund, and the incredible contributions of our academic partners, we’ve been able to grow as a group, learn as a community, and explore what a better, more inclusive Alderman Kneeshaw Park could look like.

This journey has shown us that when local people and researchers work side-by-side, real change becomes possible.

Join us at Friends of Alderman Kneeshaw Park and be part of a vibrant, welcoming community. There’s always something happening, and everyone is welcome!