Last month, we joined Andy Burnham, Sow the City and 117 attendees at The Monastery Manchester for the third Green & Blue Spaces Action Network (GBSAN) event. 

GBSAN is a growing initiative to connect residents, organisations and community groups across Greater Manchester who are working to improve access to nature across the city region. 

We sat down with Kieron McGlasson, Director of Sow the City and one of our Green Spaces Fund advisors, to recap the best bits of the day... 

1. GBSAN#3 felt like the biggest and best yet. Tell us a bit about the day and how you feel it went. 
 
Of the 3 events we’ve hosted in 2025, it absolutely was the biggest GBSAN yet.  

Personally and professionally, it felt like the culmination of years of advocacy around just how valuable nature can be when addressing some of our most stark social, economic, and environmental challenges. 

GBSAN is GM Network Connect’s newest action network, one that feels packed with energy and enthusiasm. 

The fact that the mayor specifically asked to attend GBSAN#3 helped shape the event, and necessitated a bigger space and more people. 

We loved hosting it The Monastery, Manchester. It’s such a fantastic venue with a lovely Green Spaces Fund community garden on site.  

We can't promise to do every event at the monastery - however, as it’s a network to be driven by its attendees, if people want it there again, we can have those conversations! 

2. Andy Burnham originally asked you to set up GBSAN in 2024. What was it like having him in attendance for GBSAN#3? 

It was fantastic and again felt reaffirming to have that commitment. At Sow the City, we are heavily action based and so it's nice to be delivering for somebody who also has that drive. 

I think it really helps qualify the amazing work the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector does and provides that recognition, as well as a space to discuss concerns and make change. 

We would like to extend our thanks to the mayor once again for taking the time to join us, as well as instigating brilliant things like GBSAN, the Green Spaces Fund and now Live Well – amongst many others!

3. There's a lot of networks in GM, why is a Green & Blue Spaces Action Network needed? What are you hoping it will achieve? 

Until GBSAN was created, GM Networks Connect had no networks that focused on nature, our climate or green and blue spaces. GBSAN has brought this voice to the table. 

It provides the message that nature can do great things for people, and in return, perhaps we can do great things for nature. We are nature.

I think having GBSAN mean more joined-up working across the different action networks. GBSAN can of course benefit Live Well, but it also links to things like GM Moving and the Food Security Action Network, amongst others.

4. GMCA’s ‘Live Well’ network was spoken about on the panel – how does it fit with the aims and objectives of GBSAN? 

The purpose of the latest GBSAN was to raise awareness of the Live Well agenda to the network and to firmly plant the ‘green and blue’ flag within it.

As we discussed, the tireless work of our green (and blue?) fingered community groups and social businesses can really complement the wider Live Well vision, especially when it comes to Live Well Centres and Spaces. 

When we are talking about a new approach to community health and harnessing community power, where better to start than with the groups that create, animate and manage some amazing green and blue spaces? 

I have found in my career that community members who drive their green and blue projects obviously care a lot about nature and the planet, but they are also genuinely concerned about making people and our communities healthier and happier. It’s the perfect relationship!

5. What’s next for GBSAN? How can people get involved if they'd like to know more? 

GBSAN will return in the new year and we are delighted to report that due to the success and rapid growth of the network in such a short time, Sow the City have levered in even more funds to help make it grow, through sources such as Nature Towns and Cities and some additional philanthropic core funding. We also thank the Wates Family Enterprise Trust, the National Trust and The Monastery Manchester for their support to date. 

So, we’ll be running even more GBSAN events throughout 2026, and there is initial talk of the next GBSAN being part of a ‘Live Well festival’ in early March. Watch this space! 

We are working on a digital presence for those times between events, but in the meantime if you would like any further information or better still, to join, please contact my colleagues Hafsa on hafsa@sowthecity.org.