About Our Green Space

Our Green Space is a Cumbria-wide three-year partnership project running from January 2008 to December 2010 - now extended for a fourth year to December 2011 (see news below for further information). The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s ‘Your Heritage’ grant scheme.

Aims
The project aims  to celebrate and enhance the heritage, cultural, environmental and community value of our green spaces in Cumbria for all to enjoy. It will work with selected community groups to develop a common vision so that after three years other groups may use this information to develop.

Background
The project has come about after several years of research, consultation and discussions with communities, partners and local organisations. For the purpose of this project green spaces are areas of land that are in or near to towns and villages and that are valued by the community. They include registered Village Greens, informal recreation areas, grassy verges etc

Partners
The project organisational partners are Friends of the Lake District (FLD) and Action with Communities in Cumbria (ACT) and the project is supported by a spectrum of local, regional and national organisations including Cumbria County Council, the Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Cumbria Council for Voluntary Services, The Lake District National Park Authority, Natural England and the Open Spaces Society. FLD manages the project, administers the project activities and finances.

Communities There are five project community partners representing different communities across the county. Each community has a project plan to carry out a mixture of groundwork, access and interpretation, historical research, activities and events on and about their green space.
Our green spaces are in danger of serious dammage to their condition or being lost forever as a result of a mixture  of inappropriate development, neglect and lack of funding. Loss of the green space can fundamentally change the character of the respective village or town. The key reason for communities not being able to tackle problems and manage their green space is a lack of information and understanding, with a lack of support and advice. (For more info see the website http://www.fld.org.uk/).

The five projects:
Asby The community of Great and Little Asby have devised a mainly historical based project working closely with the village school, local crafts people and volunteers. They will celebrate this historical  work with small events like well dressing and woolen felt making.
Green Heart Den, Marsh St Arches, (Barrow-in-Furness);
Working with schools, youth and community groups to regenerate an old railway yard to create public access and a landscaped community garden, and so to celebrate its social and industrial history.
Burgh By Sands (Carlisle);
Landscaping of a new village green for recreation, sports, events, wildlife and access, and to celebrate its cultural and historical importance (Hadrian’s Wall, Roman Vallum, old Carlisle Canal, Edward I). Research and celebration of the history and culture of the Village Green giving a permanent historic resource.
Newbiggin (Eden)
Restoration of two historic wells, and their surroundings for wildlife, access, village events and heritage interpretation.
Wasdale (Copeland) Nether Wasdale and Wasdale Head;
Restoration and interpretation of two Village Greens and celebration of their heritage and culture. Restoring a maypole and the green's heritage, a Mayfest event, involving schools and locals in the management.

The green spaces in these communities include some registered Village Greens, areas of registered Common Land and more informal green areas.

Staff
The project employs two part-time Project Officers; one at the FLD offices in Kendal  and one at ACT offices in Penrith. They assist and support the communities to achieve their project aims. The Project Officers raise awareness of the project and issues, and will use the learning from these five schemes to help other communities better manage, protect and enhance other green spaces.

Outcomes
The project is enabling and empowering the communities to make enduring improvements to their areas. It is raising awareness of the issues, and of potential solutions, throughout Cumbria and beyond. Using these communities common experiences we will show the opportunities that are available to other communities. At a strategic level it is hoped to develop a greater understanding, within statutory and other key stakeholder bodies, of the importance, value and potential of green spaces.

For more information on Our Green Space contact

Roe Bake [ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ] telephone 01768 869522; fax 01768 242134 or

Carol Douglas [ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ] tel 01539 720788; fax 01539 730355).