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A River for All - Heritage Project
Location: Suffolk
This Project is creating a new community open space on previously developed land to meet local needs in Town Ward, an area of social and economic deprivation. By improving access to the river corridor through the centre of Ipswich and the interpretation of its historical significance, the importance of the river to Ipswich’s industrial heritage will be made clear.
The completion of replacement interpretive boards in November 2004, which were not at all satisfactory when initially installed, at last brings this stage of the project to completion. The project was officially opened earlier (February 2004) by the Mayor of Ipswich.
The River LHI project was started in 2002/3 and most of the work was completed during that financial year thanks to full-time help from the Greenways Countryside Project. The work however was done in the name of the charity Ipswich Wildlife Group (affiliated to BTCV and Urban Wildlife Partnership of RSNC) on behalf of the River Action Group. The River Action Group is a group of voluntary and statutory bodies working together to transform the section of the Orwell and Gipping rivers as they pass through Ipswich.
The funding helped us transform one of the worse parts of the Orwell and Gipping rivers into an area where people can feel they can walk and take an interest in their surroundings.
The River Action group has taken on a major task: it is likely to be at least a 20 year project. As funding sources become available so tasks are being chipped off the total transformation project. This stage of work has been a major help to the section between Stoke Bridge and the Constantine Weir.
The main elements of this stage of the project encompassed:
a) Interpretation
b) Improvements and return of some of the local cattle yard as a picnic site.
This site includes an interpretative mural and a “Gateway” sculpture to complement a skateboard park (which has successfully bid for a Sports Lottery grant) and the “Sarsen Stones”.
Group Name |
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Ipswich Wildlife Group |
| Project Contact |
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Mr John Welsh
90 Bell Lane
Kesgrave
Ipswich
IP5 1JJ |
| Address |
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Ipswich, Suffolk |
| Project Postcode |
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IP4 2UJ |
| See also |
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Ipswich Wildlife Group website |
| Local Community Involvement / Partnerships: |
| British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV), Urban Wildlife Partnership (RSNC), River Action Group, Ipswich Borough Council, Environment Agency, Ipswich Society, Over Stoke History Society, Inland Waterways Association. |
| Grants: |
Heritage Lottery Fund: £25,000
Nationwide Building Society: £5,000
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