What’s new?
17 December 2006
Opportunities for everyone to go wild in the new year!
A new project will create a host of new activities to get involved in
Thousands of people in Peterborough are set to benefit from an exciting new partnership between the Wildlife Trust, Perkins and the Caterpillar Foundation. The Go Wild Project, a new innovative scheme, will ensure Peterborough’s communities have the opportunity to enjoy the wildlife on their doorsteps.
The project, which has benefited from a £19,000 grant from the Caterpillar Foundation, will help bring wildlife and communities together in Peterborough, by helping to fund the Wildlife Trust’s reserves management and community work in the city.
More than 200 people attended the launch of the Go Wild Project at Eye Green Nature Reserve in October. The celebration event gave people the chance to see autumn wildlife up close as well as enjoy a variety of free activities from cultural storytelling to pond-dipping to arts and crafts. The Eye Green event was the first of many community activities and initiatives to be held in Peterborough throughout the coming year.
In 2007, the Go Wild Project will bring wildlife to communities in Peterborough and will link into many of the major events in the city such as the Peterborough Green Festival, local nature reserve celebrations and the Big Draw.
For those hoping to get involved in voluntary work as part of their New Year’s resolutions, The Wildlife Trust will also be running weekly volunteer teams every Wednesday throughout the year, where everyone is welcome to lend a hand to help wildlife on Peterborough’s nature reserves. Please contact Dan Richardson or Rachel Price on 01733 890419 for details.
"One of the wonderful things about the Trust’s nature reserves is that they belong to everyone, and are open every day of the year,” said Nick Hammond, Director of The Wildlife Trust. He continued: "The Go Wild Project is incredibly exciting - it will enable us to bring wildlife into the heart of Peterborough and will provide inspiring places and opportunities to bring local people, wildlife and communities together. The project will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy these wild places, creating a focus for community events and activities. We are immensely grateful to Perkins and the Caterpillar Foundation, whose support has enabled the Go Wild Project to happen.”
The new £19,000 project is enabling The Wildlife Trust to carry out extensive management work on some of the charity’s key local nature reserves in the city providing homes for a diversity of wildlife, including threatened species like water voles and long-eared owls.
Allan Arnott, Operations Director at Perkins said “We are delighted to be supporting such a worthwhile project which will benefit the whole community. We hope everyone in the city will come together and enjoy the nature reserves and find out more about the activities on offer in the area. Perkins has a long history in Peterborough and next year we will celebrate our 75th anniversary. Projects like this allow us to put something back into a community we have been part of for so long". Mr Arnott added: “I would also like to thank the Caterpillar Foundation for its generous contribution to a project which will really bring the community closer together".
For more details contact Rachel Price, community wildlife officer on 01733 890419 or email peterborough (at) wildlifebcnp.org.