The bridge will be restored and made accessible to all if Train Wood gets enough votes.
We are celebrating our first major grant success!
After asking the public and our members on what to bid for through open days and meetings, we focussed on restoring the rare urban wood to be more natural and wild, to increase biodiversity and help people enjoy it. Wildflower meadows will be planted, paths improved, and fishing platforms put back through our £8,000 grant success.
• Areas of the wood will be opened up to use by clearing and making safe overgrown trails.
• Underplanting will be replenished to encourage greater biodiversity, including new wild flower areas.
• Seven derelict fishing platforms and eight benches will be repaired and replaced, and trails will be waymarked with signs.
Waymarking signage will be improved
The funding comes from Tesco and the Groundwork Trust’s Bags of Help initiative. Train Wood has secured either £8,000, £10,000 or £12,000 – depending on the public vote. Voting takes place with tokens in Tesco stores.
The further award (£10k total) would enable the group to do a lot more work on the marsh and pond – replacing the footbridge and making it accessible to wheelchair users, and conduct an ecological survey of the pond and establish what management is required.
The maximum award (£12k) would enable them to manage the pond area and create additional picnic areas near wild flower glades and interpretation boards to inform visitors of flora, fauna and railway heritage to be seen on the site.
Friends of Train Wood and Marriott’s Way chairman Alan Cubbage said: “Train Wood has had minimal direct investment in the woodland in the last at least six years – if not longer. This is despite it being the start of the region’s most popular off road cycling and walking route – around 13,000 walkers, and 21,000 cyclists were recorded in a month last year .”
More wildflower glades will be planted and managed with the funding Pictures by Stuart McPherson
“Sited close to Norwich city centre, it is the location of valuable railway history (Norwich City Station). Trees are growing close to these heritage structures and are damaging them. A rare wet woodland, this county wildlife site has not been managed to increase and protect its natural riches, and there is an issue with anti social behaviour at points.”“We have consulted with our members and many users of the trail and are therefore delighted to have bid for this, with the support of Norfolk County Council officers, and won. We hope everyone will get involved. Please do join us at this exciting time – all are welcome to become members. And in the short term, if you are in Tescos, do vote!”
Tesco has teamed up with Groundwork to launch its Bags of Help initiative across England and Wales. The scheme will see three community groups and projects in each of these regions awarded grants of £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 – all raised from the 5p bag charge. Bags of Help offers community groups and projects a share of revenue generated from the five pence charge levied on single-use carrier bags.
The public will now vote in store from 27 February until 6 March on who should receive the £12,000, £10,000 and £8,000 awards. The Tesco stores where the voting for the project will take place in-store voting dates (27 February to 6 March) are:
· MAGDALN RD NRWCH EXP
· EARLHAM RD NORWCH EXP
· PLUMSTEAD RD NRWC EXP
· NORWICH WESTLEGTE EXP
· NORWICH AYLSHM RD EXP
· NORWICH WALES RD EXP
· NORWICH DEREHM EXP
· NORWICH METRO
· GROVE RD NORWICH EXP
· HETHERSETT EXPRESS
· UNTHANK RD NORWCH EXP
· NORWICH HARFORD BRIDG
· NORWICH ACRES WAY EXP
· TAVERHAM NORWICH EXP
· WROXHM RD NORWICH EXP
· NORWICH CROMER RD EXP
· NORWICH EXTRA
· NORWICH DRAYTON
