A hardy band of volunteers, who make a Tamworth nature reserve a better place to visit for people and wildlife, have been handed nearly £1,000 by the Tamworth Co-operative Society.
The Friends of Warwickshire Moor received £997 to continue their excellent work at the beauty spot close to the town centre.
The money – from the Tamworth Co-op’s Community Dividend Fund – was raised by shoppers at the Society’s Bolehall convenience store donating the dividends from their purchases.
Jayne Cutforth, manager of the Tamworth Co-op’s convenience store in Bolehall, presents Pam Clark, secretary of the Friends of Warwickshire Moor, with a cheque for £997. Several of the volunteers are also pictured.
Pam Clark, the Friends’ group secretary, said they plan to spend the windfall on metal picnic benches to enable the public to enjoy the lovely surroundings.
“We always need funds for laying board walks, maintaining tools or buying new ones,” she said.
“This year, we thought it would also be nice to have a vandal-proof picnic table.”
The group’s work has been influential in getting the moor officially recognised as a nature reserve.
With a river winding through it, the area is brimming with wildlife. Butterflies, dragonflies, harvest mice, foxes, badgers and deer have all been spotted. The river is home to various species of fish and a rare water rail bird was spotted this spring.
Jayne Cutforth, manager of the Tamworth Co-op convenience store in Bolehall, said the group is a popular cause amongst its shoppers.
“This is something that benefits the entire area. I think the Friends do a great job, and I’m very happy to be able to give them this money from this very successful scheme.”