Communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are sowing the seeds for nature’s recovery!

Thirteen projects from across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are the first to receive a small grant from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fund for Nature in endeavours to ‘Double Nature’ where they live. From Wisbech in the north of the county to Shepreth and in south, community groups, environmental charities, churches, schools and Parish Councils are taking forward projects for the benefit of nature and people with funds which have been provided by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Projects include: the creation of a community garden in an inner city area; the development of a wetland area for education and biodiversity in a community orchard; tree-planting adjacent to the River Great Ouse; a tern raft in a country park; native orchid planting in a village wildflower area; and the installation of bird nesting boxes, feeding stations and insect boxes to encourage biodiversity in a school’s grounds.

The Fund for Nature has been enabled with funding from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, with the fund being managed by Natural Cambridgeshire, the Local Nature Partnership for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, working in partnership with the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, who are experts in local grant giving.

Grants of up to £5000 are available for local groups for capital items that will enable them to double nature on their doorstep. Applications that were submitted to the second round will be announced shortly. Further rounds are dependent on the availability of funding.

Natural Cambridgeshire’s Chair, Martin Doel said: “We are immensely grateful to the CPCA for recognising the importance of local actions in achieving our shared ambitions for doubling nature. Local groups have a vital role to play in helping to create places where both nature and people can thrive, and we look forward to being able to encourage more communities to take more action for nature where they live in the future.”

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation’s Director, Michael O’Toole said: “The Fund for Nature is enabling transformative local action for nature – from inner-city gardens to wetland development. The supported projects demonstrate just how passionate our communities are about protecting and enhancing nature right on their doorstep. Our expertise in local grant-giving, combined with Natural Cambridgeshire’s environmental leadership, means we can efficiently channel funding to where it will have the greatest impact for both nature and people.”

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s Mayor, Dr Nik Johnson said: “It’s inspiring to see the Fund for Nature supporting local biodiversity projects across the region, helping them take root and grow. This is exactly the kind of grassroots action needed to achieve our vision of doubling natural green-spaces and areas of rich wildlife.”

If you wish to find out about how to do more for nature where you live, or if you wish to make a donation to the Fund for Nature to support community-led nature recovery projects, please email fund@naturalcambridgeshire.org.uk.

Photo: Wisbech Street Pride volunteers were awarded a grant to create a bee and butterfly garden which will enhance habitats for nature in urban Wisbech.