News

Boost for biodiversity and community groups


Graphic stating Pebble - projects that explore biodiversity benefits in the local environment


We are helping to improve the environment by supporting eleven projects which are working to help biodiversity in the our supply area.

The eleven charities and community groups will receive funding totalling over £48,400 for projects that encourage and enhance biodiversity in almost twelve hectares (equivalent to almost twelve rugby pitches) as well as having a positive community impact.

The projects include wildflower and hedgerow planting, habitats for bees, an innovative project to measure migratory patterns of skylarks and the eradication of Himalayan Balsam an invasive species.
  • West Midlands Ringing Group, Blithfield: using innovative technology to monitor the presence of skylarks in the Blithfield, to build up information about their migratory patterns and build a plan to develop habitats working with local farmers and landowners.
  • Thomas Russell Infants School, Barton-under-Needwood: Expanding the biodiversity at the existing forest school with wildflowers, native hedging.
  • St Thomas’s Community Association, Dudley: Turning a neglected area into a community green space by planting a hedgerow, native plants, shade tolerant plants to grow in damp areas, planting fruit trees and installing bird, bat and owl boxes.
  • Etwall Primary School, Etwall: Creating a meadow on the school grounds.
  • Kingstone Jubilee Committee, Kingstone: Creating wildflower verges and areas of the churchyard.
  • Kinver Eco Collective, Kinver: Creating wildflower verges which can act as corridors between Heathlands and Sandland habitats in the area.
  • Hereford & Worcester Scouts, Kinver: eradicating Himalayan Balsam across the site and through renovating a former area of coppice and planting new hedging along the boundary of the site.>
  • Bird's Bush Primary School, Tamworth: create an engaging and innovative outside space, while improving biodiversity.
  • Kettlebrook Short Stay School, Tamworth: Enhancing biodiversity on the school grounds by planting trees, shrubs and planting.
  • Tutbury Community Forest Garden Steering Group, Tutbury: Planting hedging to create a forest garden on the edge of a new housing estate.
  • Grenfell Road Allotments, Walsall: Providing more habitats for bees, by planting trees and shrubs, and buying two hives and colonies.

Since the launch of the PEBBLE fund in 2016, 54.7 hectares (equivalent to almost 55 rugby pitches) have been improved thanks to these awards.

"We’re not just here to provide our customers with high quality water, we want to improve the environment for current communities and for future generations.

We do that by supporting and funding the community groups and charities, which are working hard to increase the variety of natural living things and the diversity of the habitats where they live. This is work which not only benefits wildlife, but also enhances local communities and our open spaces.

We were pleased to receive so many applications for our PEBBLE fund this year, the successful projects were chosen by a combination of our staff volunteers across the business and customers on our online community. I’m looking forward to seeing how these projects progress."

Dan Clark, Water Resources and Environment Manager.

 

PEBBLE fund

Find out more about the PEBBLE fund



Posted: 16 December 2021