Our ‘green’ grant scheme offers between £250 and £1,000 to new projects developed by local people in Linacre Electoral Ward, supporting projects which encourage volunteering and also create opportunities for new friendships.
Here’s an update on some of the great environmental improvements that groups of local residents and organisations have completed, making a positive difference to life in the town.
Safe Regeneration Ltd, Bootle Action Group, Hugh Baird College and local volunteers cleaned up the corner of Strand Road and Derby Road on the busy A565 gateway road into Liverpool. The overgrown land has been tidied up and landscaped, a wildflower patch has been created and wooden planters have been added to the site, along with striking artwork highlighting #destinationbootle, to make it an attractive welcome to our town.
Clients at the Independence Initiative, which helps people in addiction recovery to rebuild their lives, have been clearing overgrown plots and establishing new garden spaces, improving their health and wellbeing whilst learning new horticultural skills. The Independence Initiative’s own gardens have been given a makeover to make a green and pleasant area for clients to relax in.
In Bootle’s North Park, the Gateway Collective volunteers are planting fruit trees, vegetables and herbs to develop a community ‘pick your own’ site, as well as creating wildflower areas in the park. Planting round the bases of trees on Stanley Road/Marsh Lane brought some interesting reactions from passers-by: some people were sceptical saying ‘it’ll never work’ however most were immensely positive and full of praise for what we were doing, saying things like:
“It’s good to see people taking pride in Bootle.”
“Keep up the good work.”
“Well done and thankyou.”
Emmaus Merseyside has received a grant to support its work on a community space on the previously overgrown Seaforth Green, and are installing measures to protect the much-improved site which has been plagued in the past by joy riders in cars and on motorcycles.
More recently grants have been awarded to projects that will install planters. Working with local businesses, Kindfulness Coffee Club will be brightening up a stretch of Knowsley Road, and Bootle Action Group will be bringing flowers to Strand Road. A grant awarded to renovate Martin’s Garden has ignited energy and encouraged new volunteers to get involved.
Managed by Regenerus, the funding for the grants has come from Sefton Council, and as Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, Cllr Trish Hardy, said: “Improving the natural environment, by greening up our kerbsides and local spaces, not only creates an area we can all be proud of, but also contributes to Sefton’s clean air strategy as urban forestry plays a crucial role in tackling polluted air by reducing CO2.
“Each successful environmental improvement project is helping to improve air quality, which in turn has a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of local residents.”
