Grants for Southern Rural

Two community groups have been awarded a total of £1,780* following a meeting of the Southern Rural Committee on 30 June.

Holwell Parish Council was awarded £1,211 towards chairs, tables, a cooker and fridge/freezer for their new pavilion, which is the main hub for the village. They intend to hold their parish council meetings there and already have a cricket club and youth football teams that want to use the venue, and hope it will also be used by the local mother and toddler group as well as youth clubs, book clubs, exercise classes and children’s parties.

River Hiz Conservation Group (RHCG) was awarded £569 towards ongoing seasonal conservation projects to maintain and improve Ickleford’s chalk streams. There are only about 200 chalk streams in the whole world - 85% of them are in the south of England and North Herts have three. The River Purwell joins the River Hiz in Hitchin and then the River Oughton joins the River Hiz in Ickleford, flowing north to join the River Ivel. The volunteer group will use the money for materials for riverbank protection and additional equipment, a licenced chainsaw user, trained first aider, the Wildlife Trusts’ expertise and annual public liability insurance for all their work.

Co-ordinator Clare Gooden said: “This funding will enable the work of the RHCG to continue to keep volunteers trained and safe in their projects to protect Ickleford’s precious chalk streams. Many thanks to North Herts Council’s Southern Rural Committee for their support.”

Councillor George Davies, Southern Rural Committee Chair, said: “We are pleased to help Holwell Parish Council furnish their new pavilion to provide a warm and welcoming place for local people to meet as well as the River Hiz Conservation Group which does sterling work looking after one of our precious chalk streams.”

More information: Community grants

*subject to completion of the necessary formalities