A charity that works across Stroud district to connect people with nature has been given a funding boost.
Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) works with community volunteers on 15 sites including at Berkeley, Kingswood near Wotton, Cashes Green and Bisley, and the team are celebrating a generous donation they’ve received from Midcounties Co Op’s Stroud network.
The Midcounties group, which has food shops and childcare settings across the area, has donated £1,441 to its partner charity SVP for the period running from December 2023 to July 2024. The money has been raised through a combination of events and in-store donations.
“Our remarkable colleagues and engaged members and customers know just how important it is to do good in the community,” says Midcounties’ community coordinator Louise Brown.
“Our partnership with groups just like SVP helps us to tell the story locally and inspire more people to get involved.”
At present, SVP is working to secure tens of thousands of pounds of funding to restore the Frome Banks Nature Reserve, which covers the riverbank between Wallbridge and Capel’s Mill, and the donation from Midcounties will go towards the work.
Restoration will make the path safer for people while providing habitats for nature, with sturdy boardwalk so the area is accessible to more people, and wildflowers and trees planted in a thoughtful way so wildlife thrives. The path will also provide a safe off-road route for walking from Wallbridge to the pedestrian crossing at Dr Newton’s Way.
“We’re hugely grateful to the staff and customers of our local Midcounties stores and childcare settings,” says SVP’s Kerri Tyler. “This donation will enable us to make an inroad into our project to improve the area next to the River Frome, which is so special to the people of Stroud as well as being a tranquil haven for nature.”
