From Stockport Council:

Stockport Council and The Friends of Abney Hall have secured a £10,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund ‘Awards for All’, to enhance Abney Hall Park.

Some of the exciting improvements to be made over the next year will include new picnic benches, a board walk, interpretation board, new educational material, new ponds and a ‘dipping platform’.

Floating islands will be added to the park’s larger pond to improve vegetation and provide a safe habitat for birds, amphibians and other pond life. Accessibility will also be improved, with some of the park’s paths being resurfaced.

The park’s existing orchard will be expanded with more fruit trees and soft fruit bushes added.

Councillor John Smith, Executive Member for Leisure, at Stockport Council, said: “This is fantastic news and is thanks, in no small part, to the hard work of dedicated members of the community. We look forward to working closely with the Friends of Group throughout the next year to further improve the park for even more people’s enjoyment.”

Jean Goulden from The Friends of Abney Hall, added: “We are delighted to have secured the grant. Abney Hall Park is a great local asset, with unique wildlife and habitat. All of the improvements are aimed at developing the biodiversity, as well as increasing what the park has to offer for the benefit of park users.”

Abney Hall Park was designated a Local Nature Reserve in 2006 and is a Site of Biological Importance, which recognises the importance of the park for wildlife. 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and this project will help towards further improving the natural biodiversity within Abney Hall Park.

For more information visit www.stockport.gov.uk/parks or call 0161 474 4560.

Stockport Council provides over 600 different services to local people and maintains and improves over 150 parks and play areas. For more information visit the Stockport Boost website www.stockport.gov.uk/boost.

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