Making Liverpool cleaner and greener

ALMOST 40 projects that will make Liverpool cleaner and greener are to be funded using some of the income from litter fines in the City. The ₤20,000 Environmental Initiative Fund will see 39 schemes across the City given grants of up to ₤500 each.

They range from a woodland trail in Croxteth and a mud kitchen for children in Norris Green through to a litter picking scheme involving young people in Everton, a flower garden and allotment in Kirkdale, a summer fair in Kensington, a wisteria wall on Penny Lane and an edible hedge in Anfield. The successful bids have come from a range of organisations including community groups and Schools, and will enable them to play an active role in improving their local environment.

Councillor James Noakes, Cabinet member for City services, said:- "Our share of the money raised from litter fines is already being reinvested in helping keep the City clean, whether it's putting in additional cleansing or tracking down flytippers. What we are doing here is taking a slice of the fines and using it for environmental improvement projects. The applications we have received show that these groups can make a little bit of money go a long way. It will have an impact on making the City cleaner and greener and will help to get communities working together to improve their neighbourhoods."

The successful schemes and applicants are:-

►  Woodland trail and outdoor classroom; Croxteth Park Volunteer group.

►  Community clean up at Sandown Playing Field; Wavertree Cricket Club.

►  Mud kitchen and outdoor area in Norris Green; The Nursery @ Ltd.

►  Flower beds and plants on Queens Road in Everton; L6 Community Association.

►  Plants in Walton Hall Park; Friends of Walton Hall Park.

►  New water tapes and pipes - Ashfield Allotment Association, Knotty Ash.

►  Shrubs and bird boxes; River Oaks Pond project, St Michaels.

►  Road improvements; Adlam Road Allotments, Fazakerley.

►  Skips for community clean up; Tuebrook Hope Group.

►  Flower Garden and allotment; Everton in the Community .

►  KennyFest summer fair; City Church Liverpool.

►  Maintenance of Bluebell Woods; Friends of Bluebell Woods, Fazakerley.

►  Opening up access to a green space; Joseph Lappin Partnership, Everton.

►  Planting within the new Cains Brewery Village; Constellations.

►  Operation Clean Sweep litter picking in Everton; Merseyside Police, Walton Lane.

►  Wisteria Wall on Penny Lane in Childwall; Penny Lane Millennium Group.

►  Environmental campaign; Liverpool Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) young advisors.

►  School fence painting; Our Lady and St Swithin's Catholic Primary School, Croxteth.

►  New cherry blossom trees and artwork signage at Stanley Park, Stanley Park CIC.

►  Dog poo and litter clean up project; Kensington Fields Environmental Group.

►  Environmental improvements; Friends of Norris Green Park.

►  Seating and planting at Kempston Street in the City Centre; The Tapestry.

►  Children's gardening project; Croxteth Gems Community Centre.

►  Healthy eating project at Pinehurst Primary School; Pinehurst Community Green .

►  Clean up around Woodlands Community Centre, Belle Vale; Woodlands Community Centre.

►  Allotment intergenerational project in Garston; ARCH Under the Bridge.

►  Community engagement events for Loving Lark Lane in St Michaels; Lark Lane Neighbourhood Association.

►  Multi use games area project in Everton; Daisy Inclusive UK.

►  Greening and cleaning project in Ritson St and Asbridge St, Princes Park; GTDT Ltd.

►  Planting project in Granby Four Streets; That Bloomin' Green Triangle.

►  Tree planting in County; Ship Roads Residents Association.

►  Planting and growing fruit and veg; St Aidan's Community Garden, County..

►  Edible hedge and public herb garden in Anfield; Homebaked Community Land Trust.

►  Community wellbeing garden in Clubmoor; St Andrew's Community Network.

►  Flower beds at Toxteth Park Cemetery; Friends of Toxteth Park Cemetery

►  Refurbishing memorial garden and outdoor learning space; St Mary's West Derby PTA.

►  New raised beds; Fern Grove Community Garden, Riverside.

►  'Our Space' gardening project for adults with additional needs in Wavertree; The Vibe Liverpool.

►  Greening project; Tusk Restaurant Ltd, Mann Street in the City Centre.

Southport School wins national Big Pedal competition

A primary School in Southport has come 1st place in Sustrans' Big Pedal, that takes place over 23 April to 4 May 2018, the UK's largest cycling and scooting competition for Schools. Kew Woods Primary School won the large primary School category, with over 3 quarters (76.44%) of pupils cycling or scooting their journey during a 1 day challenge for the event.

Over ½ a million children across the UK cycled and scooted to School during Sustrans' Big Pedal (including 14 Schools from Sefton), which helped prevent release of 1179kg of nitrogen oxide, according to Sustrans' figures about the event released this week.

Beverley McNally from Kew Woods Primary School said:- "The Big Pedal really promotes our sense of community, with many parents cycling to School too. The area around the School is much quieter and safer for the children with the huge reduction of cars. Our children engage in our basic cycling sessions in Reception, Learn to Ride in Year 2, Bikeability programme in Year 5, cycling transition work in Year 6, as well as road safety workshops. The Governors identify the importance of the Big Pedal and fund every child who rides to School on a bicycle or scooter with a free breakfast."

Currently more than 2,000 Schools and nurseries are near to roads with damaging levels of motor emissions. Cycling and walking can play a vital role in reducing pollution from nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter which are primarily produced by motor vehicles.

To help tackle air pollution, Sustrans is calling on the UK Government and local authorities to invest in cycling and walking infrastructure and further training and engagement programmes which will enable more young people to travel actively to School every day.

Rosslyn Colderley, Regional Director at Sustrans in the North of England said:- "We're delighted that so many Schools in Sefton took part in this year's Big Pedal and achieved such great scores. Events like this demonstrate to parents and children just how easy it is to leave their car at home and walk, cycle or scoot to School instead. We hope that everyone who participated will continue to travel actively in the morning and afternoon. This will play a huge role in improving air quality and will protect future generations for years to come. To help clean up our air, the UK Government needs to show leadership by helping local authorities fund and deliver better cycling and walking infrastructure, so that every child is able to travel on foot or by bike to School in safety and with confidence."

Organised by Sustrans, and sponsored by Micro Scooters and Tonik, the Big Pedal, which took place from 23 April to 4 May 2018, is the largest inter School competition of its kind in the UK. Sustrans works with over 40 Schools in Sefton including 16 in Southport. For more information and a list of the overall winners visit:- BigPedal.Org.UK.