Friends of Alkrington Woods receive donation

The Friends of Alkrington Woods, a community volunteer group, has received an equipment donation from United Utilities as part of their Better Rivers Better North West Community Fund.

Originally formed in 1997, the group arrange eco-friendly activities for the local community, such as litter picking, tree planting and invasive species control. Volunteers are encouraged to look after the environment whilst getting some fresh air and exercise.

Alkrington Woods local nature reserve sits on the River Irk valley. It contains five fishing lodges and a lake, so the area relies on having healthy waterways. Last year, the team were trained by the Mersey Rivers Trust to test the water systems and carry out river fly sampling.

Friends of Alkrington Woods first reached out to United Utilities with a request for more hand tools as they had been encouraging more residents to get involved in their environment improving activities.

On receiving the equipment, Cliff Ivers from Friends of Alkrington Woods said: “The donation of gardening equipment will really help us to establish a regular volunteer session for local residents. Our wild garden concept is to build a sustainable garden of native plants, trees and shrubs that visitors can enjoy and to inspire people to socialise and enjoy nature. 

“It was great to meet the United Utilities River Rangers. We discussed the local river system and agreed to report any issues should they occur. It was also helpful to hear the company’s plans to improve our storm overflows.”

Mark Sewell, catchment manager for United Utilities said, “Being able to give back to those who are proactive in the community while supporting their efforts to clean up their environment makes a huge difference to water courses across the North West. We hope friends of Alkrington Wood see a boost to their work after this donation.” 

The Better Rivers Better North West Community Fund supports community groups whose activities:

• Benefit local watercourses and riverside environments
• Act as catalyst for improved community and environmental wellbeing
• Reconnect communities to riverside environments
• Promote sustainable drainage

Groups can apply to the fund for up to £2,500 worth of support by emailing Stakeholderrelations@uuplc.co.uk with details of their request.