Greening school playgrounds in Sheffield to improve children’s health and wellbeing - Business in the Community

Greening school playgrounds in Sheffield to improve children’s health and wellbeing

Sheffield Business Together and its partners are greening school spaces to combat urban air pollution. From green barriers to wild gardens and vegetable plots, these collaborative projects reduce exposure to harmful pollutants while creating vibrant, educational outdoor environments. Already benefitting hundreds of children in schools like Hunter’s Bar, Lowfield, and Hillsborough, the initiative is a scalable model for health, sustainability, and community engagement.

Greening school playgrounds in Sheffield to improve children’s health and wellbeing

Pride of Place Sheffield, Sheffield Business Together and other partners are greening school spaces to combat urban air pollution. From green barriers to wild gardens and vegetable plots, these collaborative projects reduce exposure to harmful pollutants while creating vibrant, educational outdoor environments. Already benefitting hundreds of children in schools like Hunter’s Bar, Lowfield, and Hillsborough, the initiative is a scalable model for health, sustainability, and community engagement.

Air quality is a major national concern, with urban air pollution acting as a silent killer. Even in a ‘green city’ like Sheffield, pollution from road traffic and industry remains a serious issue. In partnership with the University of Sheffield’s Department of Landscape Architecture and local businesses, Sheffield Business Together (SBT) has been working with schools to mitigate the effects of air pollution through green infrastructure.

Plants, when strategically placed, can filter air pollutants and reduce exposure by 30–50%. These efforts also support education, biodiversity, and mental well-being.

Hunters Bar Infant School

Like many schools in Sheffield, Hunters Bar Infant School sits near a busy road. The school had already raised awareness, secured some funding, and partnered with the University of Sheffield’s Landscape Department before reaching out to SBT for further support.

Sheffield Business Together mobilised its business network to make the project a reality:

  • Arup collaborated with Urban Wilderness on the landscape design.
  • Henry Boot Construction volunteered as principal contractor, supported by RB Allfree and Sub Scan.
  • The total in-kind contribution of tools, time, materials, and expertise reached £54,000.

Andrew McDowell, Associate Director at Arup and Vice-Chair of Sheffield Business together said:

This is an ideal project for SBT. Our vision is to bring businesses together to collaborate on projects that address the broader city challenges, that no one business could deliver on its own. The ‘environment’ is a key theme for SBT and air quality is a particular issue for Sheffield. We are excited to be part of this ground-breaking project and research that could eventually benefit so many children across the city.”

Beyond reducing pollution, the project delivered:

  • A sensory garden and outdoor learning area enjoyed by all, especially SEN pupils
  • Increased sustainability awareness among students
  • A new outdoor teaching space

Monitoring and Research

The effectiveness of the green barrier was monitored by PhD student, Maria. The data has been included in The Breathe Project, an international research study into playground air quality within inner-city schools. The University of Sheffield have also produced a toolkit to help others replicate their success.

Other green infrastructure projects

The Sheffield Pride of Place board have committed to other green infrastructure projects as we recognise the multi beneficial nature of Green space for our health and wellbeing.

Lowfield Primary School

  • Mott MacDonald volunteers helped with planting.
  • The Pride of Place board donated air-purifying plants.
  • Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Nature Recovery Sheffield, and Spear & Jackson donated tools, including kids’ gardening kits.
  • Total in-kind value: £2,340

The project created a healthier, more sustainable outdoor space for learning and play.

Hillsborough Primary School

Facing high nitrogen dioxide levels and limited green space, Hillsborough Primary partnered with SBT to introduce sustainability education and green infrastructure.

  • A vegetable garden was created to support healthy eating and outdoor lessons.
  • Wates, along with LK Property Services and Wickes, provided labour and materials including planters and a polytunnel.
  • Total in-kind value: £7,500

The project was coordinated by Kids Plant Trees, who led hands-on planting sessions with every child. The next planned phase is a green barrier to reduce roadside pollution.