Haddenham and Waddesdon Community Board goes wild in the country!

At the virtual meeting, the Board gave the green light to extra funding towards the ‘Wild Aylesbury Vale Project’, a competition with three categories for residents and community organisations to identify ways to encourage wildlife in their areas by focusing on food, water and shelter.

The project covers six Community Board areas - Haddenham & Waddesdon, Buckingham & Villages, Winslow & Villages, Wing & Ivinghoe, Aylesbury and Wendover.

Working in partnership with Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), Chiltern Rangers and local mental health charity Lindengate, the project offers ten micro-grants of up to £500 to help put ideas into action.

BBOWT is creating the entry form and there will be a landing page available shortly on the council’s website with more details about the competition. Lindengate is providing a menu of resources which those who are awarded grants can then choose how to spend.

Paul Irwin, Deputy Chairman of the Haddenham and Waddesdon Community Board and Chairman of the Environmental sub-group that came up with the idea, said he was firmly behind the new project. “What a great way to get involved in wildlife conservation,” he said. “We are looking for entries from residents, community groups, parish and town councils or schools. You may already have an idea or a potential project to help support wildlife conservation, so get your entries to us and you may be in with a chance of the cash to make it happen."

Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, Bill Chapple OBE praised the Community Board for its commitment to wildlife preservation. “We all know how important this agenda is, not only during the current pandemic restrictions, but also in the longer term. I look forward to seeing the entries come in and the innovative ideas for supporting our local wildlife."

For further details about the project and how to enter, please email [email protected]