10 Villages Conservation Group

NGS Grant ID 2291

Garden Address Churchfield Community Allotments Trinity Drive Denby Dale Huddersfield HD8 8UZ HD8 8UZ

Short Summary To create a wildlife-friendly, well-being garden for all the local community to access and enjoy.

Contact Mrs Susan Sheridan s.sheridan2312@gmail.com 01484875007

Purpose The 10 Villages group is a practical conservation group of local volunteers that undertake environmental tasks once a month in Denby Dale and surrounding villages. Examples of activities include, monitoring the Great Crested Newt population, hedge laying, caring for the local community orchards and allotments and woodland maintenance.

Summary The project aims to reclaim a small 12 metre x 12 metre plot of land situated on Churchfield, a well-used green space, within the Community Allotments in Denby Dale. This plot is at the bottom of a slope and has very poor drainage. It has been unproductive for the last 2-3 years. The short term aim is to improve drainage by using a pond and appropriate planting i.e. willow and water loving plants, to absorb the excess surface water and reduce and slow its flow over the plot and through neighbouring gardens. This will enable the soil to dry out and become productive. The long term aim is to create a well-being garden on this plot that can be used by the whole community. With attractive organic, peat-free planting, including flowers, vegetables, fruit bushes, willow and apple trees, the aim is to encourage pollinators and enhance biodiversity. The pond will encourage amphibians and water-loving beneficial insects and will have a partial decking surround to enable pond dipping. There will be gravel and flagged walkways for accessibility and reclaimed and sustainable seating. The aim is to create a calm, beautiful, sensory-rich green space for people to enjoy, enhancing the well-being and positive mental health of everyone who visits.

Justification The grant will provide impetus for the volunteers working on the project and will also support other local community groups who will be working with us, for example the local Men's Shed and other local crafts people will be approached to build the decking and seating. Produce from the garden will be shared with people in the local community and the local food bank, and community groups such as, green gym and local craft groups will be encouraged to meet in and enjoy the garden.

Start Date 01/04/2024  Completion Date 01/01/2025

Work Required Initial clearing and levelling of the site has already been carried out by a group of local volunteers who are part of Support to Recovery (S2R). We are also getting free advice from a landscape gardener regarding the layout of the plot. Drainage work will be undertaken, the pond liner will need to be placed, the paths marked and gravelled, plants acquired and planting undertaken and the decking and seating commissioned and put in position. Vegetable seeds sown and grown. All the work will be carried out by volunteers and the local countryside project.

Plants & Materials Plants, shrubs and sustainable materials for the decking, seats and paths will all be sourced locally. Vegetables will be grown from seed organically on the adjacent community allotment and cuttings and donated plants will be kept there. Fruit trees and bushes will be sourced locally from Wortley Walled Garden Growers who grow organically and specialise in Yorkshire heritage varieties.

Security Measures We do not plan to buy any equipment with grant funds, but all materials, plants etc will be kept secure in existing locked sheds until installed.

Sustainability Mainly by volunteers. Further grants will be applied for in future years from a range of sources to develop the garden, aid maintenance and to replenish plants as well as soil conditioning.

Security of Tenure The land is on a 25 year renewable lease from Kirklees Council.

Number Positively Impacted 18000

Other Plan of Action * See figure above. This is the population of the 10 Villages area and everyone in the community could potentially benefit over time.

Costs

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