The Green Charity was awarded a £1,990 PEBBLE grant towards their Challis Green Pond Refurbishment project during the 2020-21 funding period.

Challis Green Pond is centrally located in Barrington Village, Cambridge and has ended up in poor condition, with the last restoration efforts carried out in 2004. The pond has the potential to provide important ecosystem services to the local community due to its location, where many residents walk past every day, moving between local amenities. The pond also acts as an important draining system, slowly releasing water into the River Rhee, preventing flooding in the lower part of the village near Challis Green.

The Green Charity is responsible for the maintenance of the Village Green and work towards improving the area for the benefit of the local community. The Green Charity worked together with volunteers on the Challis Green Pond Refurbishment project. The restoration works included dredging, reinstating and reshaping the banks, regrading and seeding of the periphery, reducing the size and height of the island and improving the filter system to reduce sediment entering the pond in the future.

Since the restoration works, the pond has become a key part of the village and residents are frequently seen using the nearby bench in the summer months. The water is much clearer, with a much better flow. In time, aquatic life such as freshwater invertebrates, amphibians and water voles should return to the pond as a result of the restoration works due to the overall improvement in water quality and the creation of more suitable habitats within the pond.


Posted: April 2023