THE Friends of the Tame Valley have been celebrating after securing another funding grant, this time from Action Together.
The grant for £1,000 has been secured from the ‘community wellbeing microgrant’ scheme and will enable the group to purchase tools and equipment needed for some of the improvement work they are planning.
The group has also secured a £6,420 grant from the Bradley Park Community Fund, and a £2,000 grant from the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund.
The Friends of Tame Valley was established in February this year by determined residents, MP Andrew Gwynne and local councillors, to help transform the section of the river valley between Shepley Road, Audenshaw and Mill Lane Haughton Green. The area encompasses the entirety of Jet Amber Fields and a part of the Peak Forest Canal.
The group has more than 150 members, many of whom are actively working to clean and improve the valley. They have collected 370 large bin bags of rubbish which have been removed from the Tame Valley since the group was formed.
It also has an ambition to upgrade the footpaths, install bins and information boards across the site, as well as continuing to clean-up the countryside and riverbank to make the area more enjoyable to use.
Vice-chair Connor Martin said: “We are so grateful to Action Together for the support they have shown for our new group with advice, help and now financial support. This grant will enable us to purchase tools and cover other start-up costs so we can start to make the real improvements to our valley.”
Secretary Andrew Gwynne added: “A big thank you to Action Together for awarding us a microgrant. Our group is enthusiastic to get stuck into improving our bit of the Tame Valley.
“The support shown by various funding bodies will help us to achieve our aims, and to bring back this piece of open space to the best standard possible.”
The money from the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund goes towards the maintenance of Lovers’ Alley between the River Tame and the Peak Forest Canal in Dunkirk Wood.
To get involved, contact Mr Gwynne by email: ajgwynne@sky.com