Increase biodiversity and public wellbeing on Barnwell Road

The project aims to plant wildflowers, multi-stemmed trees, a forest understory and river of ivy along Barnwell Road in Cambridge. The river of Ivy will mirror the Coldham's Brook Chalk Stream which it will run in parallel with. This project will continue the important pollinator corridor along Barnwell Road, as well as discouraging parking on the verge and encouraging more active travel to school and football matches.

This area has been identified by the community as a problem area, and a local young person approached Abbey People with a solution to develop new planting and a garden along the verge. We've carried out phase 1 of the project with community design workshops, school workshops, door knocking and a community-wide consultation to develop the design for the ivy river & garden in Rayson Way, with integrated community Art.

We have a fully detailed materials and labour budget for the project, as well as details of where community involvement and volunteering can provide in-kind support the project and support the ongoing maintenance.

Abbey People also plans to apply to other funds for this project but would like this to be considered a strategic EIP project, as it is within a key wildlife corridor and will also pilot methods of beautiful low-maintenance, high-impact sustainability interventions which could be used across the city.