Boost for biodiversity and community groups
We are helping to improve the environment by supporting ten projects which are working to help biodiversity in our supply area. The ten charities and community groups will receive funding totalling over £39,700 for projects that encourage and enhance biodiversity in almost six hectares (equivalent to almost six rugby pitches) as well as having a positive community impact.
The projects include pond improvements, wildflower planting, bird nesting, bat boxes and enhancements to chalk streams as natural habitats.
- The Green Charity, Barrington: Refurbishing a pond by dredging reinstating and reshaping the banks, regrading and seeding the periphery.
- Cambourne Village College, Cambourne: Creating a sensory garden with plants that will help biodiversity.
- Abbey People CIO, Cambridge: Helping with the restoration of the Coldhams Brook, a chalk stream in the centre of Cambridge.
- Wild About Romsey: Enhancing Romsey Recreation Ground (Vinery Park) by installing bird boxes, bat boxes and creating a stag beetle log pyramid.
- On The Verge, Cambridge: Creating a wildflower area on the East Rd Estate, Cambridge and at five schools in Cambridge.
- Wildlife Trust Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire: Restoration of the Cherry Hinton Brook, by reshaping the banks, shallowing the gradient and allowing more light into the brook.
- Chesterton Community College, Chesterton: Creating wildflower verges on the site.
- Cambridge Sport Lakes Trust, Milton: Installation of two tern rafts on the lake at Milton Country Park.
- Clay Farm Garden Group, Trumpington: Development of a community garden, with biodiversity benefits, on a new housing estate.
- South Cambs Conservation Consultants and Mill River Group: Building on the existing river restoration undertaken on the Mill River Reserve by developing a wetland/reed bed project, to improve water quality for biodiversity and provide additional habitats in the reserve.
"We’re not just here to provide our customers with high quality water, we want to improve the environment for current communities and for future generations.
We do that by supporting and funding the community groups and charities, which are working hard to increase the variety of natural living things and the diversity of the habitats where they live. This is work which not only benefits wildlife, but also enhances local communities and our open spaces.
We were pleased to receive so many applications for our PEBBLE fund this year, the successful projects were chosen by a combination of our staff volunteers across the business and customers on our online community. I’m looking forward to seeing how these projects progress."
Dan Clark, Water Resources and Environment Manager.
PEBBLE fund
Find out more about our PEBBLE fund
Posted: 16 December 2021