REDCAR & Cleveland Borough Council, Middlesbrough Council, Stockton Borough Council and Tees Valley Wildlife Trust have welcomed the news announced today (Friday 18 July) that their bid for a £649,000 grant has been successful from the Nature Towns and Cities Programme.
The partnership, named the Tees Urban Nature Network (TUNN), will bring together local communities, councils, schools, businesses and nature organisations to help reconnect people with green, blue and natural spaces.
The Nature Towns and Cities Programme is an initiative led by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Trust, and Natural England. The funding will help TUNN to fund a team to kick-start a wide range of community-led activities leading to future improvements to local green and blue spaces.
The project will support local people to shape how the region's natural spaces, such as parks, allotments, cemeteries, rivers and other natural urban areas are planned, protected, and celebrated by local communities.
Being close to nature is good for health and wellbeing, and TUNN aims to empower communities to shape where they live and improve access to nature close to people's homes. This is especially important in areas where people feel disconnected from nature, something highlighted in recent local health reports.
It also hopes to inspire a new generation of nature champions who care for the environment and help others do the same.
With support from partners like Business in the Community, the project will also explore new ways to fund and sustain these improvements long-term.
Speaking on behalf of the TUNN partnership, Cllr Carrie Richardson, Cabinet Member for Climate and Culture and Deputy Leader of Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, said: “This investment from Nature Towns and Cities presents a remarkable opportunity to forge a greener, healthier future for our communities - one where people and nature thrive together.
“Tees Urban Nature Network is about empowering our communities to shape the places they live in, and lead change for healthier, and more resilient communities.
“The funding will help tackle health inequalities and social isolation by supporting participation and making our natural spaces more accessible, inclusive, and fit to serve and reflect community priorities.”
For more information, you can email: TUNN@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk