Groups of schoolchildren from the Bradford district got hands on with nature at the official opening of the Wibsey Park Community Garden.

Young people and members of the public attended an open day event yesterday at the site, in Wibsey Park, to get a first-hand look at the resources on offer.

The event and development project has been organised by the Bradford Community Environment Project (BCEP), to provide an insight into the large-scale changes made to the site.

The afternoon was a hive of activity as young people took part in mini-beast hunts and toured the grounds.

The deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Joanne Dodds, officially opened the park.

She said: “It was absolutely fantastic. I think the work the Bradford Community Environment Project does for Bradford is excellent.

“The work they have done here is incredible. It is a massive site with a lot of potential. I think it will really benefit the community as a whole. The initiatives they are promoting, including growing and cooking your home-grown produce, is well timed as it is popular at the moment.

“Also what is lovely is that you can buy some of the fresh produce while you are there. Event organisers from BCEP said that within eight months of starting work the site changed significantly and now has a forest schools area, a pond, raised beds, and the polytunnels are filled with various salads and vegetables.”

In April 2011 the BCEP took over an old plant nursery from Bradford Council, which had three polyethylene tunnels, a small office and half a hectare of land, which organisers at the charity thought had a lot of potential.

In October 2012 funding was secured by not-for-profit business Waste Recycling Environmental Limited, which meant the site could be developed into a community garden with a focus on healthy and sustainable lives.

Organisers involved in the project said that since work began the park has changed dramatically. It now has a Forest Schools area, a pond, raised beds, accessible toilets and all the polythene tunnels are filled with various salads and vegetables.

It also has a new straw bale greenhouse which will increase growing potential, and an outdoor cooking area to its home-grown produce.

The park can now be used for a variety of activities, including youth sessions for young people where they will have the opportunity to cook their tea over the fire.

School groups are also using the improved facilities and are learning about biodiversity and food growing, regular volunteers are coming in to help grow salads and there are adult food growing sessions being run twice a week. Visit bcep.org.uk for more information about the park.