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THANKS to a grant from Cheshire
Community Action and their grass roots grants programme, local
Nantwich group Riverside Concern has managed to garner funding to
maintain some of the improvements made by the now defunct Nantwich Riverside Project
that was run by two borough councils in turn.
An essential grant of £3,000 was
awarded last year and has enabled Riverside Concern to work in
partnership with local community interest company Greenspaces South
Cheshire CIC and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)
to maintain specific areas on some of the town’s key green space on
the Nantwich Riverside.
Work has built on strong
partnerships forged during the times of the Crewe and Nantwich
Borough Council (which was succeeded by Cheshire East Borough Council)
Nantwich Riverside Project and has seen the delivery of a programme of
activities and events including regular conservation volunteer
sessions, training courses provided for Reaseheath College and |
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River Study Days in conjunction with
local primary schools.
Tony Tengwall, Chairman of
Riverside Concern said: "The funding from Cheshire Community Action
has filled a huge gap and enabled us to work together with local
individuals, groups and charities to rescue the habitats and assets
created by volunteers and the borough council in previous years.
Areas were starting to noticeably deteriorate and it was a real
worry to the group and other local users of the area.
However, the
funding will run out very shortly and we are currently seeking
support for 2011. We have had the promise of a grant of
£1,000 from Nantwich Town Council which is very welcome and hope to
be working closely with them in the future when control of our open
spaces potentially becomes more localised."
The group hopes that this new wave of
community empowerment and partnership can continue to grow and is
now looking to seek views on priorities for the maintenance and
improvement of the Nantwich
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Riverside and review progress before the
new
financial year.
The programme of work has been a real
success and demonstrates the power of local community action and
what can be achieved.
This programme of work has revitalised the
area and brought groups and individuals back together for a common
cause whilst also unlocking a further £1,500 of investment into the
Riverside area through local donations and from other smaller
funding streams.
We feel that this is a great example of community
empowerment and shows that we can continue investing in and
maintaining our local green spaces despite local and national
funding cuts. We just need to think differently and take some local
responsibility.
lTo
volunteer for Riverside Concern or get involved with Greenspaces
South Cheshire please contact Tony Tengwall at
riverside.concern@btinternet.com
or James Thompson at
Greenspaces@hotmail.co.uk. |
