City scoops £490k lottery funding to improve residents' access to nature

The City Council's bid to the Nature Towns and Cities Programme is one of only 19, benefitting 40 towns and cities nationally, to be awarded funding.

Nature Towns and Cities is a coalition of organisations united by the ambition to enable millions more people to experience nature in their daily lives, particularly those places and communities currently lacking access to quality green space.

The first of its kind, the new programme announced by Natural England, National Trust and The National Lottery Heritage Fund aims to help at least 100 places across the UK to become greener, healthier, happier places for people to live and work over the next 10 years. 

Welcoming the grant funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Councillor Michael Mordey, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "We're delighted to have been awarded this funding which is all about improving our residents' access to nature and helping them to enjoy some of the fantastic greenspaces, coastline and riverbanks on their doorstep.

"As we all know, getting out into the fresh air can really help us to clear our minds and take time for ourselves 

"This funding will help us to support our communities, making it as easy as possible to access nature, which in turn will help to create a real sense of pride in the local environment."

"So, we'll be looking to work with residents and partners over the coming weeks and months to help us develop the plans further and make sure that we're making the most of this grant funding to support our residents to enjoy the nature on their doorstep." 

Sunderland's project will bring organisations across the city together to better connect residents with local greenspaces.  The funding secured will also help communities to improve their health and wellbeing by making it easier to access nature.

Led by Sunderland City Council in partnership with Durham Wildlife Trust and the voluntary sector, the project will also be supported by other key partners within the city.

Plans include a focus on linking community greenspaces, parks, transport routes and the city's coastline and riverbanks, connecting people and creating a sense of pride in the local environment.

The project will bring together organisations citywide to work in partnership to increase understanding of the benefits of the natural environment via volunteering opportunities, outdoor activities, training and nature-based social prescribing.

This will include:

• The creation of new education courses in conservation and horticulture
• Undertaking ecological surveys and preparing management plans for the city's precious Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) sites which include Tunstall Hills and Claxheugh Rocks to ensure that the city continues to preserve its natural heritage.
• Working with public health commissioned services, social prescribers and anti-social behaviour organisations and supporting communities to engage in and deliver nature based activities
• Distributing small grants, once the delivery stage of the project is underway, to support communities across Sunderland to develop the skills and capacity to conserve nature sustainably

The City Council will be looking to work with residents and partners over the coming weeks and months to further develop the plans and take them forward.