Pockets Of
Paradise
Pockets of Paradise aims to bring small pockets of beauty into the heart of Stoke town – all while increasing biodiversity and celebrating Stoke’s unique heritage.
We are transforming two sites—Vale Street and the corner where Liverpool Road meets Hartshill Road. Join us for volunteer Wednesdays from 10.30-12.30 - every Wednesday in April - meet at B. ARTS at 10am to walk down to the Vale St site.
Alongside the physical works we are also running a series of talks and workshops to create a network of peer support for individual and community growers in the city.
Vale Street and Liverpool/Hartshill Road Developments
Each site will include an artist designed garden—created by Eco-Artist and Horticulturalist Su Hurrell, alongside mural based installations.
In June 2025, B.ARTS worked with international mural artist Eloise Gillow to create a new artwork for Liverpool Road. The design is inspired by the nearby Hartshill Park and includes a local young person playing in the trees.
“We wanted to make a piece that both celebrates the natural beauty on our doorstep and the joy of being outside and playing in nature. To help us with this some local children and young people took part in a photoshoot with Eloise to test out ideas and inspire the final piece”
Biodiverse and heritage inspired planting
The planting schemes for each site have been designed to be insect and wildlife friendly, be visually attractive and also have sensory benefits (fragrant and tactile). The colour palette for the sites celebrate the wider heritage of the town, with Vale Street drawing on a colour palette inspired by Minton Hollins and Hartshill Corner colour pallette takes inspiration from Spode.
VOLUNTEERS
We are looking for volunteers to help us create and maintain the two spaces, if you’re interested in taking part please contact Rebecca.frankenberg@b-arts.org.uk // 07557 797695.
Pockets of Paradise is funded by the Stoke Accelerator Green Fund, supported by UK Government and Stoke-On-Trent City Council. The wider project of activity in the town is supported by Stoke Creates.