When someone described Talia Randall’s council estate as ‘the road with the most burnt-out cars in London’, she was baffled. Why not describe the blossom trees in the front gardens, blushing pink every Spring? Why had they overlooked nature and beauty and focused only on the grime?

In the first episode of ‘Blossom Trees and Burnt Out-Cars’ Talia explores if access to nature is linked to social status. With 1 in 5 people unable to access green space she asks, who has the keys that unlock those gates? Talia meets beekeeper Carole Wright, who runs ‘Blak Outside’ and is helping to connect working class people to green spaces. In Leeds, she finds Mothin Ali, a YouTube gardener who started ‘Dig it Out’ to tackle racism in horticulture.

Produced, Written and Presented by Talia Randall
Researcher: Erica McKoy
Contributors: Mothin Ali, Carole Wright
Production Mentor: Anna Buckley
Tech Producer: Gayl Gordon
Executive Producers: Khaliq Meer & Leanne Alie
Commissioned for BBC Sounds Audio Lab by Khaliq Meer
Artwork by: Mike Massaro