Eden Rivers Trust awarded £2.6m to break down the barriers to Eden’s rivers and natural heritage
We’re delighted to announce that we have received a grant of £2 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of our exciting heritage partnership project, Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges.
Added to money raised by the project’s partners, that will see a total of £2.6 million spent on people and the environment in the Eden over the next four years.
Made possible by money raised by National Lottery players, Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges will remove the barriers that prevent people and wildlife from accessing the natural heritage of East Cumbria and ‘build the bridges’ needed so that they enjoy and thrive in, on and beside Eden’s rivers.
This will include improvements to walks and trails, coupled with better information plus opportunities for all ages and abilities to get closer to nature, so that more people can explore, enjoy and care for Eden’s rivers.
Another major part of the project involves community-led practical conservation projects at eight ‘doorstep’ sites that are within easy reach of urban areas along the length of the river Eden – creating sustainable, healthy, thriving natural spaces.
Whilst developing the project, people who faced the greatest barriers to accessing nature told us that having safe, accessible places to access nature on their doorstep was vital. Here’s a bit more about how two of these sites will be developed as part of Access to Eden:
Loving Engine Lonning
Over the last year, we have spent time with the community surrounding the Engine Lonning green space in Carlisle to find out how the space could be improved to encourage more people to use it.
As a result, over the next two years in a project led by Cumberland Council, a wheel-friendly path will be laid and the environment will be improved by clearing paths and removing invasive non-native species. Local people will discover the railway and Roman history of the site through new signs inspired by the community and a programme of community events.
Cllr Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said:
“This is great news for one of our key sites within Carlisle. We welcome the investment and look forward to working with partners on this exciting collaborative project. We have a rich heritage to explore, and this initiative has the added benefit of engaging with local residents as well as improving access and the habitat on Engine Lonning.”
David Ramshaw Secretary and Director of Carlisle Waverley Viaduct Trust (CWVT) added: “We are delighted to partner with Eden Rivers Trust and Cumberland Council. We applaud their plans to improve access to Engine Lonning Nature Reserve via better footpaths and the encouragement of visitors to appreciate the area’s flora and fauna, the riverbank, its Roman and (more recently) its railway and other industrial history.
CWVT will actively encourage the local community to learn about this rich history through tours and volunteering and will apply its extensive knowledge to the task of developing a lively interpretation of it on the ground. ERT’s aims complement CWVT’s mission to re-open the adjoining former railway viaduct over the river, initially for pedestrians but ultimately for the disabled and cyclists. There is overwhelming public support for the viaduct to be brought into use once more, thus providing the sole traffic-free means of crossing the river west of Carlisle city centre.”
