Who We Are
Gateway Collective works to see thriving people and communities in Bootle. We increase well-being and create lasting social connections using the tool of community gardening.
Our home is North Park Community Garden. In every session we grow and eat together, cooking with what we grow, as this builds relationships and quickly builds personal connections. We share food, produce and recipes to promote healthy eating. Everyone who attends our sessions takes home a share of the produce at harvest.
Gateway Collective was founded by Ali Horton and Janet Hughes who are committed to Bootle and love being a part of the community here. Both Ali and Janet have strong Christian faith and the work of Gateway Collective is an expression of their motivation to follow the Christian principle ‘love your neighbour’.
The work of Gateway Collective is open to people of all faiths and people of none, however the value of love your neighbour remains a strong part of our ethos.
What We Do
We are an organisation with a reputation for quality and who seek to constantly improve. We work with people to help them be the change they want to see, imparting values of resilience, responsibility and reliability; practicing kindness and forgiveness and seeking genuine relationship and community.
We know that we are stronger when we work together and we build, grow and shape our own community following a simple set of values that define the work that we do:
With Janet, Ali is one of the Founders and Directors of Gateway Collective. Ali has been connected to Bootle since 1998 when her first youth work job was working with Northfield Community Church and the Orrell Trust supporting local young people in a homework club. Ali has always worked in the third sector and is an experienced operations manager, however her passion is community work and ensuring that the views and opinions of local people are heard. As well as being an expert chutney maker Ali leads on all our operational stuff, making sure we have enough money to do the things we love!
Janet is a local Bootle resident, living less than 500 metres away from North Park Community Garde. She loves being from Bootle and tells people that she is far more happy living here than in her previous home in what would be considered a more affluent area. Jan is an experienced grower and what she doesn’t know she quickly learns! Jan leads on our growing in North Park Community Garden and shares her knowledge so other people can learn how to grow too.
Paul was one of our original community gardeners when we first opened North Park Community Garden in 2015. He now works with us as our product developer helping us to make our gorgeous jams, pickles and chutneys and anything else! Paul is passionate about sustainability and some of his many qualities are coming up with new amazing vegan recipes and helping us to make sure what we do is as near to carbon zero as we can be.
Alongside Ali & Jan, we also have additional Directors for Gateway Collective. Meet them here!
Our board of directors is lead by Ally McGregor. Ally raised her family in Bootle and has worked in a range of community organisations and knows the world we operate in well. With her husband she now leads her family health and safety company so keeps us on the straight and narrow and makes sure North Park Community Garden is kept safe and tidy!
Becky is our newest addition to the board joining us in 2022. Becky is an experienced leader in the third sector and leads Bridge 2 in Toxteth. Becky’s passion is to see asylum seekers and refugees welcome and settled in our city and she brings a wealth of expertise in working alongside people from other nations
Make a Difference
You can make a difference in your community, volunteer as a community gardener and join us in North Park as we grow food, people and community. Apply today using our quick form!
Gateway Collective is a registered Community Interest Company (CIC). Registration Number: 9123296.
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