Can your business help by sponsoring an element of the Green Hub, or would your family like to make a donation to help construct the multi-purpose community building for the Ninesprings area of Yeovil Country Park?
The Green Hub is a project to construct a sustainable multi-purpose community building within the Ninesprings area of Yeovil Country Park. Together the Friends of Yeovil Country Park and the South Somerset District Council ranger team are fundraising to construct a new centre that will deliver a range of functions supporting this fantastic urban fringe green space.
Yeovil Country Park is a 127 acre Green Flag award winning, free to access, country park that wraps around the southern and eastern sides of the town of Yeovil. It includes popular and well known land parcels like Wyndham Hill, Summerhouse Hill, Riverside Walk, Penn Hill and Ninesprings. Despite being so close to a busy town the site supports a huge range of habitats and species, including some that are becoming increasingly threatened in the UK like water voles, otters and kingfishers. A dedicated ranger team, with the help of a superb team of volunteers, run the country park, making a safe and attractive green space that functions well for its human visitors and protects the species of plants and animals that live there. Currently the facilities on site available to the visiting public, groups and volunteers are poor. Provision of information about the incredible biodiversity and rich industrial heritage is limited and we want to change this.
The Green Hub will include:
· A new free to access country park visitor attraction that enables visitors to find information, view exhibitions, participate in events and access toilets & a café.
· A new community room that enables groups to meet in inspiring surroundings, support groups with special needs and deliver training courses.
· A flexible learning space for educational groups to start sessions with a ranger, shelter in bad weather, access exhibitions, explore the eco build, view wildlife cameras and deliver enrichment activities.
· A meeting room and workshop that enables volunteers & rangers to increase volunteering opportunities and expand accredited training programmes.
Countryside Ranger Rachael Whaites says, “We are really lucky to have such a fantastic and diverse site as the country park right on the edge of town, so many people use and appreciate the site now, but we know that it could deliver more for a greater range of people. We also want to be able to host more volunteers so we can carry out even more habitat improvement works, and we can only do this with better facilities for everyone. If we can raise this money and build the Hub we will also be able to progress the Heritage Lottery project for a 3 year community ranger post so that events, volunteering and wildlife protection will really flourish on site.”
Mr Robin Mackay Chairman of the Friends of Yeovil Country Park commented “this community project will ensure future generations can use and enjoy the Park.”
Councillor Sylvia Seal, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at South Somerset District Council added, “We have now hit the phase of fundraising for the Green Hub where we are inviting local businesses and the public to get involved and support the project through donations or sponsorship. If you are passionate about the country park, its fantastic wildlife and tremendous community opportunities then help us to preserve the country park for future generations by building the Green Hub.”
The Rangers and Friends of Yeovil Country Park are now seeking donations and project sponsorship to make this project a reality. If you would like to know more, or to send a donation please contact Katy Menday, Countryside Manager on 01935 462522 or e-mail [email protected].