Skip to content

Impact

Following the success of the #QueenBee community project run by the Parish Council in 2022 and conscious of the community appetite to improve and enhance green spaces in the parish, Shavington-cum-Gresty Parish Council have successfully secured National Lottery Community funding of £10,000 for our new project ‘IMPACT- every leaf counts’.   

With ‘IMPACT – every leaf counts’, the Parish Council aims to create and enhance the biodiversity in the area with an emphasis on improving pollinator habitats, and to raise awareness and empower residents with taking ownership of green spaces in the parish.

The project aims to:

  • Leaf 1: Revamp existing green spaces with pollinator-friendly plants
  • Leaf 2: Convert disused phone kiosks into community vertical herb gardens.
  • Leaf 3: Establish a group of volunteers to look after green areas in the parish.
  • Leaf 4: Cultivate environmental awareness with a series of garden coffee meetings.
  • Leaf 5: Promote opportunities for people to meet and connect with others who share similar interests or values, to help build social networks and strengthen relationships within the community. 
  •  

Leaf 1

The Parish Council will revamp green areas in the parish across three different locations. The gardens will be planted with a selection of roses and bulbs, which are an important wildlife habitats and sources of pollen for bees, butterflies and birds.

The council aims to recycle and reduce the footprint impact as much as possible, so will vow to repurpose any material or plants from the existing green areas or make them available for the community to use.

Planter display will be revamped as part of the ‘IMPACT – every leaf counts’ project

Leaf 2

The Parish Council aims to convert its adopted phone kiosks into community vertical herb gardens.

The vertical herb garden will house wildlife-friendly herbs such as: rosemary, English lavender, wild thyme, fennel, common mint, hyssop, common sage.

The aim is not only to create a welcoming habitat for pollinator like bees and butterflies, but also allow residents easy access to seasoning for food.

Leaf 3

‘IMPACT- every leaf counts’ aims to empower community taking ownership of public environments.

The project aims to establish a group of residents who are keen to adopt those green habitats and take care of them.

Support will be given to establish the group and to run high risk tasks (such grass cutting, ..).

Through community members working together this will also help to encourage collaboration and cooperation, which will hopefully lead to greater understanding, respect, and empathy for one another. 

Leaf 4:

To support environmental awareness, the parish council will run garden coffee sessions open to residents. Sessions will be run by an expert gardener, who will share tips and advice on how to grow wild herbs and how to create a wildlife herb garden at home

Leaf 5

‘IMPACT- every leaf counts’ aims to encourage education and collaboration of community groups. It focuses on the strength of existing community groups and their impact on community well-being and support.

The Parish Council will support community groups to work together to deliver/arrange/present educational talks and workshops on environmental issues that directly affect the parish.

The Parish Council will help these community groups to promote these opportunities within the local community and encourage new membership.

The purpose of this is to create an awareness of the environmental support that people attending these groups can assist with on a local level.  They will also create opportunities for people to meet and connect with others who share similar interests or values.  It is hoped that this signposting will help build social networks and also strengthen existing relationships within the community. This can help to reduce social isolation and create support for those facing challenges or difficulties, thereby helping to build a sense of community which can help enhance personal growth and well-being.

If you are interested in any of these initiatives, please contact our Community Manager communitymanager@shavingtononline.co.uk or phone 01270 42 11 25 to discuss this further.