Lottery funding to benefit Melksham Conigre Mead

MELKSHAM’S Conigre Mead will benefit after Wiltshire Wildlife Trust received a £498,800 from the Lottery Fund (HLF). 

The money has been handed over to fund a new three year project called Wild Connections which aims to increase visitors to the Trust’s nature reserves, including Conigre Mead, through better accessibility and raised awareness of the natural heritage right on our doorsteps.

Wild Connections will focus on 15 of the Trust’s key nature reserves chosen because of their proximity to local communities and natural heritage.  The Trust will work with local people and a number of partners to widen the audience they can currently reach.

There will be an exciting new programme of events, increased volunteering activities and new volunteer training opportunities to encourage people to find out more about the natural world and care for their local nature reserve.  The Trust will also be able to undertake a range of improvements and enhancements to increase access to these special reserves for everyone.

Michele Gard, fundraising manager for the Trust said, “We’re delighted the Heritage Lottery Fund has generously supported our Wild Connections project.

“Wild Connections is an innovative and important new project for the Trust.  We will now be able to increase and encourage access to nature for everyone, including groups that historically may not spend time in the countryside. This funding greatly enhances the work the Trust does and takes us another step closer to achieving our aims of enabling everyone to access their natural heritage.”

Everyone in Wiltshire and Swindon lives within 10 miles of a Wiltshire Wildlife Trust nature reserve.  The 15 Wild Connections sites are rich in historical and natural heritage, including features such as ancient hunting sites, wildflower rich meadows, native woodland, chalk downland, medieval terraces and even a WWII airfield.

The Heritage Lottery Fund support will enable a wider range of people to learn about their natural heritage, develop new skills and build confidence, take an active part in their natural landscape’s management and protection, and enjoy the benefits of spending time outside.  The Trust will launch Wild Connections in the Spring 2015.

Change the world in 2015!

Following the success of their Waste Watchers diet, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust are offering all Wiltshire households the chance to cut their waste and make a difference with a simple resolution to slim their bins in 2015.

The Rubbish Diet Challenge is a simple two-step process of email tips that can help you recycle more, buy better and save money.

Change the way you view your rubbish forever: On average, across the UK, two thirds of the stuff we put in our bins could have been recycled.  Our bins are full of valuable resources that could be turned into new products – plastic bottles could be back on the supermarket shelves in just three weeks, aluminium cans in just six.

Whether you’re already an ace at recycling, or a self-confessed novice, The Rubbish Diet Challenge can help put a lid on Wiltshire’s waste.

Emma Croft, Community Waste Minimisation Officer at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust said, “Our waste watching households were amazed how easy and enjoyable it was to cut down on how much they threw away just by following some simple tips on what to buy and how to reuse and recycle more.”

Save Pounds with the Rubbish Diet: Did you know that the average family could save £700 a year – just by being better with their food waste – planning and buying better and not throwing away so much?

You’ve nothing to lose but rubbish…: Sign up for The Rubbish Diet today at www.therub bishdiet.org.uk to make a difference to your life and the environment in just two easy steps.

Make 2015 the year you changed the world.

For more information, please contact Emma via EmmaC@wiltshirewil dlife.org or on 01380 736077. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s waste minimisation project is funded by Wiltshire Council to help members of the community to take positive action to reduce waste.