Community group goes wild with Big Lottery funding

A Telford community group is encouraging locals to help protect wildlife in some of the town’s green spaces as part of a summer project, after winning a Big Lottery grant of £9,500.

St. George’s Community Group launched the scheme with a drop-in event on Monday [23 July] at Wrekin Retirement Living’s Turnpike Court, where they shared plans for protecting creatures and their habitats through workshops and activities.

The launch was supported by West Midlands Butterfly Conservation, with expert Liz Rogers attending to talk about the annual Big Butterfly Count, which takes place between 20th July and 12th August, and will form part of the project.

Butterfly at Turnpike

Group secretary, Louise Bremner, said: “We’re thrilled to have won the lottery funding and are looking forward to getting people involved in what is a really important conservation project. “We will be running educational workshops about the variety of wildlife found in the local area, as well as activity sessions where people can get hands-on in helping protect them. It’s something that all ages can engage with, from young children and families to the retired community.”

The activity schedule includes group meets to take part in the Big Butterfly Count, craft events to make bee hotels and decorative sculptures out of natural materials as well as creative workshops for children and volunteer clean-up days to rid parks and woodland areas of litter.

“Being a community group made up of residents of the St. George’s area of Telford, we’re focusing on Albion New Street walkway, Redhill Ecology Park and Albion Bank at the top of Station Hill,” Louise added. “We’ll be out counting and recording butterflies, litter-picking and generally preserving these areas. Turnpike Court has offered their social rooms and facilities for indoor workshops, talks and events, for which we’re really grateful.”

For a schedule of activities and more information about getting involved, contact Louise Bremner on 07518 935844.

Butterfly Wildlife Project - Turnpike

Picture: (from back) Louise Bremner (L) and Sharon Bradburn (R), co-founders of St George’s Community Group, Jo Shipway (L) Retirement Living Co-ordinator at Turnpike Court and Liz Rogers (R) of West Midlands Butterfly Conservation, Gregory Vernon (front), Chairman of Oakengates History Group and visitors to the launch event Debra Lees with Edward Smith (7) and Hannah Smith (12).

25th July 2018