Local projects receive funding to improve and create green spaces

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Rochdale Canal at Littleborough, near The Waterside

Two projects in the Rochdale borough have received funding to improve or create local green spaces.

Middleton’s Burnside Community Centre has been awarded funding to convert the side of the building from a derelict state to a “thriving and accessible” green space.

Planters and wall hangings to grow flowers, herbs and food will attract wildlife and support the centre’s food pantry service.

The Canal & River Trust's Green Recovery Project will utilise the learning from its Nature For Health project to scale up delivery using a preventative framework to provide services that support young people and families and members of the community with severe and enduring mental health diagnoses to overcome access barriers to blue and green spaces.

The Green Recovery Project focuses on provide new and improved spaces for wildlife along with strengthening relationship between the Canal & River Trust and existing community groups along the Rochdale Canal, as well as developing new relationships within the Rochdale town centre area.

The community projects – which aim to increase the amount and quality of accessible, nature-rich green space – were announced at the Greater Manchester Green Summit on 17 October by Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “I’m so pleased at the wide range of schemes we’ve been able to support through the first round of the Green Spaces Fund. It’s also great to see every Greater Manchester borough benefit in some way.

“Everyone should have access to some kind of green space, whether it’s a place to grow fresh food, plant trees, meet new people, learn new skills or simply enjoy being close to nature. I’m really proud to see local people taking ownership of such fantastic projects that add value to their community and the environment and that’s what the Green Spaces Fund is all about.

“We’ll soon launch the second round of funding and I encourage anyone who wants to develop or improve a green space in their community to apply.”  

21 successful projects – at least one in each of the ten Greater Manchester boroughs – were awarded funding from round one of the Green Spaces Fund.

It is not too late to apply for funding through the Green Spaces Fund, with round two opening on 31 October. There are two types of grants available: grants up to £10,000 and grants between £10,000 and £40,000.

For more information and to apply when applications re-open, visit the Greater Manchester Environmental Fund website.