Telford Access to Nature
The first 6 months of our additional funding from Natural England and BIG Lottery is complete. Members of Telford's 17 Friends groups (Telford Green Spaces Parnership) have attended several practical workshops and OCN courses led by Matt Beech and colleagues from Small Woods Assocoiation with the aim to help increase their knowledge in managing their local green space sustainably.
An Online Handbook and 5 case studies have been written. These will be available for the Telford Green Spaces Partnership (TGSP) and also on websites of partner organisations including the funders Natural England and BIG Lottery for other 'Access to Nature' groups as required. This is intended to be launched in July 2013.
This additional funding followed the success of the 3 year £309K funded Telford Access to Nature Partnership. In November 2012 we received a further £103k of funding for a further 12 months from Natural England (see below). This funding is mainly being used for training opportunities for Friends of Telford's Green Spaces, collectively known as Telford Green Spaces Partnership which amalgamated in 2011. This partnership continues to grow as more Friends groups are looking after their local space. We now have 18 groups, 13 of which send member representatives to regular monthly meetings.
Further training during the next 6 months is a series of biodiversity days with SWT experts. Access walks and walking leaflets are being developed by Alec Connah and Andy Cutts (NHS). Management plans are being written by 4 groups with help from Becky Eade (T&WC). Forest skills and family bushcraft sessions for 8-17yrs olds are being delivered by Helen Howes and Matt Beech (SWA).
The TA2N partnership organisations are Severn Gorge Countryside Trust (SGCT), Telford and Wrekin Council (T&WC), Shropshire Wildlife Trust (SWT), Small Woods Association (SWA) and Shropshire Community Health Trust (NHS) and Telford Green Spaces Partnership (TGSP).
On a cold March day, Jenny Stretton (NHS) trained 19 new Walking for Health walk leaders, and Cadi Price ventured out into a snow covered Randlay Valley with 8 volunteers with 'Sharing Nature with Families' training. On a sunny day in April, 16 TGSP members trained in SGCT woodland and meadows in ecology quadrat surveys with Dr. Kate Thorne.
The first SGCT Outdoor Learning Programme proves popular with several courses and walks fully booked. The Little Acorns family nature group have tracked for animals in Benthall Woodlands, hunted for fossils on Wenlock Edge and tasted free fresh green food found in the hedgerows. Last month saw the start of Mighty Oaks, a parent activity programme, when we explored Lloyd's Coppice while this month (May) we are geo-caching in Sutton Woods.
If you would like more information on any of the above, please contact Telford Access to Nature Partnership Officer/Community Development Officer: 01952 433880 or cadiprice@severngorge.org.uk
Telford Access To Nature Partnership has been awarded a further £103,000 by Natural England as part of it’s Access to Nature Programme Sustainable Change and Impact funding, funded by £25 million from the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces Programme.
