Lewisham Council secures £840,000 grant to boost access to green spaces
A new project is launching to help boost health and wellbeing, and increase wildlife and biodiversity. It follows a successful bid for £840,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Nature Towns and Cities grant.
Nature Neighbourhoods will see the Council working together with schools, housing associations and community organisations, to identify and enhance previously underused green spaces across Lewisham.
The project, expected to launch in the autumn, will develop practical toolkits for community stewardship and create plans to increase biodiversity and use of green space around social housing estates.
The plans include a commitment to equality and inclusion, with a special focus on historically underserved ethnically diverse communities; people with disabilities and other people who are less likely to access local parks and green spaces.
An advisory group will reimagine how shared spaces can benefit both people and wildlife. A new Community Grant fund will empower residents and grass roots community groups to take ownership of local green initiatives, and accessible walking routes will invite everyone to discover the nature on their doorstep.
It will eventually lead to the publication of a comprehensive Parks and Open Spaces Strategy, to transform Lewisham's natural heritage into a connected, thriving ecosystem that supports both wildlife and community wellbeing.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Louise Krupski, said: “We’re so excited that our bid has been successful. This project will help us to make our green spaces across Lewisham more biodiverse, and to support the health and wellbeing of our diverse communities. We’re looking forward to working with partners and organisations across the borough to deliver something truly transformative and we can’t wait to get started.”
The first of its kind, the Nature, Towns and Cities programme announced by Natural England, National Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, aims to help places across the UK to become greener, healthier, happier places for people to live and work.
Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “I am delighted to announce an investment of £15.5 million which will help 40 towns and cities across the UK better plan their urban nature recovery, connecting people and communities to their natural environment in the places they live.
“We have invested over £1bn in regenerating over 900 urban parks and green spaces over the last 30 years, helping nature thrive in towns everywhere – and this exciting initiative, working with partners right across the UK, will continue to build on this investment and give millions of people better access to nature close to home.”