Love Your River Cole

The river Cole and the Cole valley have the potential to form a brilliant haven for wildlife, as well as a valued green space for the diverse communities living alongside it.

With the support of the Environment Agency (EA), a vision for the valley has been developed, detailing the potential of the Cole valley to become a high quality and multi-functional blue-green corridor within its catchment through East Birmingham, North Solihull and North Warwickshire.

Tame Valley Wetlands Landscape Partnership (TVWLP) are proud to be facilitating the delivery of the Love Your River Cole (LYRiC) project, aimed at actively improving the ecosystem quality of the river Cole and working with communities to invest in its future for wildlife and people.

Click on the posts below to read about our project work so far:

The organisations funding Love Your River Cole have allowed us to make our vision into a reality.

2019-2020 funding: Environment Agency and European Regional Development Fund

Funding awarded in 2019 from the Environment Agency (EA) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)’s Small Habitats Grants through Solihull Meteropolitan Brough Council has supported our work on initial stages of improvements to the river such as the development of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), as well as a number of community and education events in collaboration with local schools and community groups to help create awareness of the importance of a healthy river.

2020-2022 funding: Green Recovery Challenge Fund

Funding awarded in 2020 from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund facilitated Tame Valley Wetlands in leading a partnership project to help transform the wider Cole Valley. The Green Recovery Challenge Fund is a Government fund developed by Defra in partnership with its Arms-Length Bodies, which the National Heritage Fund administered on behalf of Defra.

Our partnership working on the Love Your River Cole project consists of The B37 project, Birmingham City Council, Castle Bromwich Hall & Gardens Trust, North Warwickshire Borough CouncilThe Prince’s TrustSolihull Metropolitan Brough Council, The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country and Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. These partners are working to deliver the project whilst involving and engaging local people.

Partners involved in the Love Your River Cole Green Recovery Challenge Project

The Green Recovery project worked towards the vision for the Cole valley, delivering improvements to various key locations in the Cole valley.

The project work focused on four main locations throughout the Cole valley: Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens and Park (Solihull), Cole End Park (North Warwickshire), Glebe Farm Recreation Ground (Birmingham), and Meriden Park (Solihull).

Click on the project area map to zoom in.

Our work at these sites, as well as around the wider Cole Valley area, involved tree planting, wildflower meadow creation and wetland habitat enhancements, and access improvements to paths and trails through the key sites.

We also focused on creating and supporting local green jobs, and offering traineeships aimed at giving people the experience and accredited training required to pursue a career in the environmental sector. The Prince’s Trust worked with young people from a range of backgrounds, to offer first-hand experience of the local environment and support in finding work or further training.

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