Walking With The Wounded - Canada Street Garden Overhaul – Part 1

Partner: Walking With The Wounded

Walking With The Wounded is a charity that supports those who have served with mental health, employment and wraparound care coordination programmes tailored to the unique needs of each individual. Whether mentally, socially or physically wounded, it provides bespoke services dedicated to getting those who have fallen the furthest back on track and to move forward with their lives.

Customer: NG Bailey

Event: Canada Street Garden Overhaul – Part 1

• Location: Canada Street, 42 Canada Street, Manchester M40 8AE
• Date: Monday 27 July 2026
• Volunteering Hours: 14

Social Value Created: £244.72

(NT29a – Support for charities & community projects focused on positive health outcomes)

Walking With The Wounded’s Northwest Hub at Canada Street was famously bought in 2015 as part of a derelict row of terraced houses for just £1 from Manchester City Council. At the time, the BBC DIY SOS team, accompanied by Princes’ Harry and William were joined by hundreds of tradespeople and businesses who together built a thriving community focused on supporting armed forces veterans.

Two of the terraced houses were converted into a home with four emergency accommodation bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, communal area and a garden at the back of the property, which provides a safe, secure space to help begin that process of support for those who needed it most.

Almost 11 years later, the team’s work has grown and their veterans now have access to a network of around 300 beds across Greater Manchester, through a variety of local authorities and social housing providers. Together with our customer NG Bailey we decided to give-back, by coming together to do some gardening and maintenance work to help revitalise the Canada Street gardens. The aim of this is to create a peaceful space which will enhance the wellbeing of both the Walking With The Wounded team, their neighbours and beneficiaries.

The day was a great success – we cleared dense weeds, cut back lots of shrubs and bushes, turned over the soil, as well as jet-washed and swept the pathways, patio and alleyway space at the back, removing all rubbish.

“What a fantastic day! The transformation of the Canada Street Hub has been incredible, and it simply wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing effort from everyone involved.” – Tom Wilson, Relationship Manager, WWTW

Now the brambles have gone and there is a clear, tidy space once again, everyone can look forward to using it and enjoying it once again! Thank you to everyone who took part; we are looking forward to part 2, where we will return to paint the walls and plant the flowerbeds, and potentially even a part 3 – watch this space!

“Canada Street has a very special place in Walking With The Wounded’s history, so it was heartwarming to see Hire Safe and NG Bailey investing their time and energy into bringing the gardens back to life. Beyond the transformation itself, days like this help us think again about the potential of the Hub and how we might make even greater use of this unique space in the future. Canada Street was originally created to provide temporary accommodation and support for veterans experiencing homelessness, and while there are no firm plans at this stage, we are exploring whether the site could support the Government’s plans in tackling homelessness by providing a safe place alongside the practical and social support needed to help veterans move forward. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone involved, not only for what they achieved on the day, but for helping us on what could be the next chapter for Canada Street.” – Joel Oxberry, Deputy CEO, Walking With The Wounded