‘Transforming the Trent Valley’ awarded £2.7 million National Lottery Funding
A revitalised landscape of wildlife-rich waterways and wetlands is being made possible thanks to the ‘Transforming the Trent Valley’ project successfully securing a grant of £2.7m from the National Lottery.
The ‘Transforming the Trent Valley’ (TTTV) project is a partnership of 18 organisations working together to restore and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the Trent Valley, with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust - the county’s largest nature conservation charity - at the helm.
Thanks to National Lottery players, the TTTV scheme aims to reconnect people with the rivers and floodplains of the area, increase their appreciation for the local heritage, and involve them in decision-making about the future use of the landscape.
The scheme will undertake a wide range of environmental, cultural and community-led projects within the Trent, Tame and Dove river valleys, covering some 200 square kilometres from Uttoxeter to Tamworth and including the river valleys within or near to the main towns of Burton, Rugeley, Lichfield and Derby. Projects will include river restoration, improved access to explore hard-to-reach areas, and creating ways to reconnect communities with their natural heritage.
Projects include making the landscape more accessible - footpaths and cycling paths for instance, encouraging communities to learn more about the cultural and natural heritage of the Trent Valley and improving connectivity in the landscape for wildlife. That will be achieved by re-naturalising stretches of the river which have been engineered and creating new habitats for wildlife to thrive.
The partnership programme was successful in 2016 for a first stage Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant to deliver a wide range of projects aimed at reconnecting communities to the Trent Valley area.
The second stage of the project can now begin after an application to HLF for a grant of £2.7million was successful. The total value of the project is £4.7million.
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of HLF said: “The landscape of the Trent Valley is home to significant archaeological and industrial heritage and wetland habitats, but what was once integral to the working lives of local communities is now hidden from view and difficult to access. We’re delighted that funding from the National Lottery will rejuvenate this historic landscape and will once again see people get up close and personal with the natural heritage that surrounds them.”
Julian Woolford, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Our vision for TTTV is to create wildlife-rich waterways and wetlands at the heart of a resilient, accessible, beautiful and culturally rich landscape and in turn a brighter future for people, business and wildlife in the Trent Valley.
“We’re delighted the next stage of the bid has been successful, and the funding will allow us to focus on one of Staffordshire and Derbyshire’s most treasured landscapes.
“By working with the communities that live, work and play along the River Trent, we hope to build a sustainable landscape that is enjoyed by all and protected for the future.”
Garry Jones, Chair of the Partnership, said: "Securing this funding from the National Lottery means that we can start delivering some high quality projects in the landscape and bring positive change to an area that is under significant pressure for housing, road and rail infrastructure. By working together we can achieve more and create a positive outlook for the future."
Editor’s Notes:
The full list of partners for the project are:
Aggregate Industries
British Canoeing
Canal & River Trust
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
East Staffordshire Borough Council
Environment Agency
GeoConservation Staffordshire
Hanson UK
Lichfield District Council
National Forest Company
RSPB
Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire County Council
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Support Staffordshire
Tamworth Borough Council
Tarmac
Trent Rivers Trust
The ‘Transforming the Trent Valley’ (TTTV) project is a partnership of 18 organisations working together to restore and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the Trent Valley, with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust - the county’s largest nature conservation charity - at the helm.
Thanks to National Lottery players, the TTTV scheme aims to reconnect people with the rivers and floodplains of the area, increase their appreciation for the local heritage, and involve them in decision-making about the future use of the landscape.
The scheme will undertake a wide range of environmental, cultural and community-led projects within the Trent, Tame and Dove river valleys, covering some 200 square kilometres from Uttoxeter to Tamworth and including the river valleys within or near to the main towns of Burton, Rugeley, Lichfield and Derby. Projects will include river restoration, improved access to explore hard-to-reach areas, and creating ways to reconnect communities with their natural heritage.
Projects include making the landscape more accessible - footpaths and cycling paths for instance, encouraging communities to learn more about the cultural and natural heritage of the Trent Valley and improving connectivity in the landscape for wildlife. That will be achieved by re-naturalising stretches of the river which have been engineered and creating new habitats for wildlife to thrive.
The partnership programme was successful in 2016 for a first stage Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant to deliver a wide range of projects aimed at reconnecting communities to the Trent Valley area.
The second stage of the project can now begin after an application to HLF for a grant of £2.7million was successful. The total value of the project is £4.7million.
Ros Kerslake, Chief Executive of HLF said: “The landscape of the Trent Valley is home to significant archaeological and industrial heritage and wetland habitats, but what was once integral to the working lives of local communities is now hidden from view and difficult to access. We’re delighted that funding from the National Lottery will rejuvenate this historic landscape and will once again see people get up close and personal with the natural heritage that surrounds them.”
Julian Woolford, Chief Executive of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Our vision for TTTV is to create wildlife-rich waterways and wetlands at the heart of a resilient, accessible, beautiful and culturally rich landscape and in turn a brighter future for people, business and wildlife in the Trent Valley.
“We’re delighted the next stage of the bid has been successful, and the funding will allow us to focus on one of Staffordshire and Derbyshire’s most treasured landscapes.
“By working with the communities that live, work and play along the River Trent, we hope to build a sustainable landscape that is enjoyed by all and protected for the future.”
Garry Jones, Chair of the Partnership, said: "Securing this funding from the National Lottery means that we can start delivering some high quality projects in the landscape and bring positive change to an area that is under significant pressure for housing, road and rail infrastructure. By working together we can achieve more and create a positive outlook for the future."
Editor’s Notes:
The full list of partners for the project are:
Aggregate Industries
British Canoeing
Canal & River Trust
Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
East Staffordshire Borough Council
Environment Agency
GeoConservation Staffordshire
Hanson UK
Lichfield District Council
National Forest Company
RSPB
Sport Across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire County Council
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust
Support Staffordshire
Tamworth Borough Council
Tarmac
Trent Rivers Trust