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News Release from: The Heritage Lottery Fund | Subject: Changing Spaces programme
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 20 August 2007
Big Lottery Fund multi-million enviro
fix
Over GBP27.6 million from the Fund's Changing Spaces programme is being shared by two national organisations to seed nation-wide environmental initiatives.
Green spaces will be sprouting up across England through a multi-million regeneration initiative being rolled out by the Big Lottery Fund The Lottery good cause funding will enable people to improve and use their natural surroundings
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 13 Jun 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "This is great news for our local environments".
"Changing Spaces will open up a world of opportunity through organisations with a real understanding of the environment and social issues confronting us today".
""The funding will promote community ownership and civic pride where people live, enabling communities to lead healthier and more environmentally sustainable lifestyles.
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It will also encourage people to learn more about their natural surroundings and engage with the great outdoors and their communities." Social housing communities are in line for a green overhaul with a GBP15.8 million plan by The Places for People Group".
"The Green Spaces for People scheme will rollout 75 projects delivering a range of quality accessible green spaces".
"Community gardens, multi-use games areas and children's play facilities in housing areas, which lack investment of this kind, are all set to benefit".
"Sporting and educational programmes such as weekly games sessions will also be delivered in order to develop patterns of use and foster greater ownership of sites".
"The Walker Riverside regeneration scheme in Newcastle-upon-Tyne will receive over GBP1 million to create green open spaces aimed at curbing antisocial behaviour and creating a stronger community spirit".
"The Meadows in Hounslow, London, home to 300 properties, will see GBP480,000 committed to creating a series of four green oases including community gardens and vegetable garden patches".
"Meanwhile, in St Paul's Park in Bristol nearly GBP370,000 will go towards creating green spaces, sports facilities, play areas, and places for public art".
"David Cowans, Chief Executive at Places for People, welcomed the funding: "Urgent action is desperately needed to reverse the decline in the number of green spaces across Britain.
Good quality green spaces are essential to the well-being and future of our towns and cities and a well designed environment can transform local communities, providing places for people to play and relax.
They can also have a positive impact on health, increase biodiversity, and help reduce the impact of climate change".
""This project will have a massive impact on local communities across the UK, and help create vibrant and attractive environments with access to green public space and recreational activities".
The chance to study our natural habitats through a system of OPAL's is the other gem of a project being funded today.
GBP11.7 million was awarded to Imperial College London, to implement the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) network - an England-wide initiative designed to inspire and support communities to explore, study, enjoy and protect their local environment through engagement with some of the country's leading scientists.
Over the next five years sixteen OPAL partners - including nine regional universities - will run projects based on local needs and priorities identified in conjunction with local community groups.
OPAL will work with an estimated 500,000 people of all ages and abilities across the country, and aims to inspire over one million people to appreciate the quality of open spaces around them through community engagement programmes and interactive website.
Every site where training, monitoring and recording activities occur is a 'laboratory' - a site of discovery.
These 'laboratories' could be anything from a window box to a sports field or the grounds of a business.
Activities could involve growing one plant in a pot to assessing the condition of local woodland, taking soil samples, measuring leaf sizes or learning about air, soil and water quality.
Through the tools and opportunities provided by OPAL, all those taking part will be able to name their space or 'laboratory' and start adding the information they record to build up a picture of the quality of their area and the organisms that live there.
Indeed, OPAL will establish the first community-led study of the world around us, offering a hub for information, interaction, training and dialogue.
Dr Michael Dixon, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: "If we are to take full advantage of the opportunities for improving the quality of life offered by scientific knowledge and discovery, it is crucial that we bring scientists and the public closer together to explore issues such as the quality of local environment".
"''We believe that through Changing Spaces and the Open Air Laboratories Network programmes we will pave the way for communities to share inspiring ideas and change the way they think about and use the spaces around them." "We urgently need to know more about the quality of our local environments and OPAL will provide the training, practical experience, tools and support needed for communities to record the plants, animals and fungi in their local environments".
"''These communities will be empowered to play a major role in the assessment and monitoring of local water, soil and air quality which in turn will raise awareness of wider environmental issues such as climate change and how all these aspects are related to the health and well-being of society." The two environment schemes are part of a GBP47million strong Changing Spaces initiative being rolled out nationally today by the Big Lottery Fund.
Three other large-scale environment schemes are being given multi-million pound awards.
These are focused on community farming, youth crime and support for struggling pupils.
The Plunkett Foundation is receiving over GBP10million for a bumper crop of initiatives to help local communities reap the benefits of locally produced food.
The award will be spent across England to help communities, backed by expert help, to grow organic, fresh and local produce.
The project will ensure that produce can be distributed to communities that may not have good supplies of fresh local food, such as inner cities and more isolated rural areas.
It will involve organising farmer's markets, community-owned village shops and co-operatives.
Crime Concern has been awarded GBP8.3 million to deliver 70 England-wide environment projects for young people at risk of anti-social behaviour or offending.
The five-year Community Space Challenge scheme is to focus on re-engaging young people with their local communities and involving them in practical improvements to their local environment and giving them a sense of pride in their community.
Activities will include development of community and sensory gardens, graffiti removal, allotment developments, litter clean-ups, park improvements, art installations and wasteland regeneration.
Bringing about a change of environment for children struggling in school is The Field Studies Council with their GBP2 million grant.
The Eco Challenge project will give 11-14 year olds in the lowest performing local education authorities the opportunity to learn about conservation issues and the environment.
Focused on disadvantaged pupils in 250 schools, including persistent truants or young people with behavioural problems, the project aims to help them gain skills to care for and take ownership of their school grounds and local green spaces, improve self-esteem and general behaviour as well as benefiting their local environment.
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