Lottery triumph for friends group

Springfield Park

The Friends of Springfield Park group has been awarded with a grant of almost £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The group is set to use the £49,300 to help them achieve their objective of repairing and renovating the pathways into the forested area of Springfield Wood, leading down to the River Roch.

Additionally, the group’s ambitious plans include the renovation of a facilities room in the stone coaching barn, for the use of schools and community groups.

Dave Logan, the Friends of Springfield Park (FoSP) Liaison Officer said: “The Friends of Springfield Park group is thrilled to receive the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, brought about mainly by the prolonged hard work and persistence of FoSP committee member Colin Wilkinson.

“The FoSP group are confident that this exciting project will allow many more people to enjoy this ‘hidden gem’ area of our park, and particularly at a time of such severe austerity, when more and more families and members of our community are relying on our parks and open spaces to give them much needed relaxation and enjoyment.”

Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said:  “We at HLF are delighted to support the Friends of Springfield Park in their work to restore and renovate this much loved natural green space.

“Parks are special places that enrich our lives and contribute to the well-being of communities across the country - and are a crucial part of this country’s heritage.

“Thanks to the work of this dedicated friends group, more people from across the community will be able to enjoy Springfield Park, both now and for many years to come.”

The group hopes this project will help everyone, but especially young people, to become more active and responsible citizens and take exceptional pride in their local amenities and facilities, as well as allowing other volunteer groups to run training and educational courses and workshops, supporting members of the community in developing new skills.