Friends of Althorpe and Keadby Primary School Secure Funding for a Community Nature Area
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The Friends of Althorpe and Keadby Primary School are delighted to announce that they have been successful in securing £79,270 to create the Althorpe and Keadby Community Nature Area.
This landmark project is to develop the area of woodland behind the school field, backing onto the riverbank of the River Trent, and will provide a natural woodland environment for the whole community to explore and experience. The area will be developed with local community involvement for use by the local residents, schools and community groups. It will incorporate a woodland wildlife garden and nature area, sculptural trail and sensory walk along with enhancement of the natural habitats to further cultivate and enhance a variety of birds, mammals and insects. This will benefit the whole community in the following ways:
- An improved woodland and nature area for the local Isle community to use. There is also the potential for the area to be designated a Local Nature Reserve.
- A community which has a better understanding of caring for the environment and sustainable practices.
- Helping to improve biodiversity by creating a variety of habitats for wildlife to flourish.
- Improved health and well being of visitors and residents.
- Improved community involvement and cohesion in Keadby and the surrounding villages.
Sarah Tate, Head teacher of Althorpe and Keadby Primary School, said: “The Nature Area will make a huge difference to the Keadby community and the school very much looks forward to being a part of the project. We place huge importance on learning outdoors and working in the community and this project will make that learning incredibly real for our pupils. The nature area will be an excellent resource which the pupils will be able to use and enjoy as part of the curriculum as well as in out of hours learning.
Well done to our Friends of the School for enabling this project to happen and to all the community who have supported the project to date, I know that it will be a wonderful space which will be well used and respected by all in the community.”
Cllr Arthur Wills, Vice Chairman Keadby with Althorpe Parish Council, said: “When the idea was first suggested to develop a nature area on the piece of land adjacent to the school the Parish Council were in full support of the project, no doubt the Friends of Althorpe and Keadby Primary School are working endlessly to complete the project and we will continue to give our full support to such local community projects. The completed project will be a wonderful asset to the community and for the pupils of the school who will have a marvellous opportunity to experience an outdoor educational area that we hope they will all experience and enjoy for many years.”
Kathryn Russell, Chairperson of the Friends of Althorpe and Keadby Primary School, said: “This project has come to fruition after a year of hard work and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved. The vision and enthusiasm from Michele Davy in the development of this project and the level of support from the Parish Council, North Lincolnshire Council, local community groups and businesses, members of the local community and regular supporters of Friends of the School has been outstanding.
The advice and support from Gary Allen at Voluntary Action North Lincolnshire (VANL) has been invaluable and as a result the funding has been made possible by the following organisations to whom we would like to express our sincere thanks:
- The Northern Lincolnshire RDPE LEADER programme (Rural Development Programme for England), which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, and is managed by Yorkshire Forward in the Yorkshire and Humber region, who provided a grant of £44,770;
- The Landfill Communities Fund of Waste Recycling Group (WRG) which is administered by the Environmental Body WREN, who provided a grant of £34,000;
- SSE Keadby Power Station, who contributed £3,740; and
- Keadby with Althorpe Parish Council, who contributed £500.”
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