Every month we’re donating £1,000 to a worthy cause that will benefit local people in an area where we have a current or upcoming development. We’re pleased to announce that our latest community grant was made to Ribble Rivers Trust and will be used to create a new area of woodland at Mearbeck in North Yorkshire.
Ribble Rivers Trust is a non-profit organisation that provides environmental improvements for people and wildlife along and around the River Ribble. Over the last year alone the organisation has planted 24,000 trees, run over 150 volunteering days and delivered six fish pass projects, opening up over 46km of waterway.
Our donation will enable the Trust to plant 300 new saplings and create a quarter of a hectare of new woodland at Mearbeck. Caroline Verity, Sales, Marketing and Design Director at Skipton Properties, said: “We are always looking at ways to help reduce our environmental impact and give back to the communities living in areas where we build new homes. We are creating a new development, Kings Mill Residences, in Settle, so our donation will allow Ribble Rivers Trust to create a new area of woodland close by, providing a natural habitat for wildlife and a new environment for local people to enjoy.”
Matthew Powell, Agricultural Projects Officer at Ribble Rivers Trust, added: “This new woodland area forms part of a larger farm scheme which has been developed with the landowner and Ribble Rivers Trust. The scheme will see approximately 750 trees planted, 1.1km of watercourse fencing erected, 1.3km of new hedgerow planted, and 260m of watercourse re-naturalised. The benefits of the scheme include a reduction in runoff by increased soil infiltration, improved water quality, and increased and improved habitat biodiversity, all whilst improving grazing management for the landowner via improved field boundaries.”
Find out more about Ribble Rivers Trust here.
Do you know a local charity in need of support? If so we’d love to hear from you. Click here to make a nomination for our next £1,000 community grant.