The sunny weather is beginning to attract various butterflies

Our first sighting of a Peacock butterfly this year.

and a Small White butterfly

Thank you Alex

Police apprentice Alex Walker helping out with some maintenance on the Green Heart Den.

Thanks Alex, it was much appreciated. Looking forward to your next visit.

Very generous donation form Soroptimist International - Barrow

Our Project Coordinator Graham Bromley (back row, far right) along with representatives of various other organisations  who received a very generous donation from members of Soroptimist International - Barrow.

Thank you to all at Soroptimist International - Barrow, this will make a real difference.

Contractors begin building the new north plot wall.

Concrete being poured for the new footings

"Little blue" birds showing an interest in our bird boxes

Work begins on the north plot wall

Work begins on the north plot wall. This work involves knocking the wall down, rebuilding it to half height and installing metal railings on top.



Big thank you to all who helped make this happen; in particular thank you to Thomas Armstrongs, Arcus Consulting and Barow Borough Council.

John Muir Award meeting

Meeting on the Green Heart Den to discuss John Muir Trust Award actvities for Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens and potential opportunites for future involvement in the scheme are left to right; Gemma Blackburn (Natural England), Graham Bromley (our Project Coordinator), Andy High (Senior Neighbourhood Warden) and Graham Watson ( John Muir Award, Regional Manager for Cumbria).

Cumbria Community Foundation - Grassroots grants

DEADLINE 25TH MARCH

Cumbria Communty Foundation grassroots grant aims to support small voluntary and community groups and organisations (grass roots groups) enabling them to continue or expand their work including advocacy, community voice and service provision for local people.

Who can apply?
* groups with an average annual income up to £30,000 in the last three financial years (average to date if not three years old)
* volunteer-led groups helping people facing disadvantage
* applications from new and small groups are particularly welcome
Last year we gave 106 grants for an average of £2,050 and approved 82% of applications.

Examples of activities supported;
* junior football club coaching and training
* disabled access
* community market garden
* grass cutting machine
* drop-in club for older people

For more information please visit their website grants page here

Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens John Muir Award activities 2010

Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens preparing for their film and interview technique lession. This formed part of their John Muir Award activities during 2010 in which they documented their excellent work on the Green Heart Den.



The session which included an introduction into basic video filming and interview techniques was delivered by Darren Conway of Morph Films.

Funding for the session was provided by Our Green Space, a Cumbria-wide three-year partnership project running from Jan 2008 to Dec 2010 which was extended until December 2011. The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s 'Your Heritage' grant scheme.

Our lawn gets its first trim of 2011

Our first sighting of a ladybird in 2011

Our daffodil are beginning to flower

Central and Hindpool Junior Warden John Muir Award activities 2010

Various Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens activities which contributed to their John Muir Award in 2010. Funding to enable many of these activities was provided by "Our Green Space" -  a Cumbria-wide three-year partnership project running from Jan 2008 to Dec 2010 that has recently been extended until December 2011.The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund's 'Your Heritage' grant scheme.



We are looking forward to hosting similar activities for the Junior Wardens during 2011 as part of their efforts in achieving another John Muir Award. 

During 2011 the Junior Wardens, working with organisations such as Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Natural England and the National Trust,  will attend both theory based and practical sessions at various sites locally -  including the Green Heart Den, Roanhead and North Walney Nature Reserve.  These sessions will include a study of both plants and wildlife in the area.  The participants will undertake survey work with Cumbria Wildlife Trust.  The award will include clean ups and the preparation of a public display of the experiences as well as being involved in filming and editing a short film of their experiences.

Groundwork NE - Senior Project Officer opportunity

Groundowork North East are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join the Cumbria Operations Manager to support the delivery of their Cumbria programme. Please find details below. 

Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens - John Muir Award 2011

Green Heart Den is looking forward to helping Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens in their efforts to achieve a John Muir Award in 2011. This year they will be working towards both discovery and  explorer level awards with activities conducted at various locations locally -  working with other partners such as Cumbria Wildlife Trust (Sue Thurley), Natural England (Gemma Blackburn) and National Trust (Neil Forbes/Pete Burton) and the Green Heart Den (with our project coordinator Graham Bromley).

Narcissus flowering on the north plot wildlife banking

You can view our recently updated Flickr photo galleries here.

A visit from a small tortoiseshell

Basking in the sun..........

Viola enjoying the sun

Enjoying the sun.......the viola in the large arbour planting boxes, previously planted by Central and Hindpool Junior Wardens as part of their 2010 John Muir Award activities.

Successful WREN grant application

Are pleased to announce that a grant application submitted to Waste Recycling Environmental Limited (WREN) was successful. This grant will be used to help develop the north plot community grow your own scheme.

WREN is a not-for-profit business that helps benefit the lives of people who live close to landfill sites by awarding grants for community, conservation and heritage projects.

Directors, staff and the members of their regionally based advisory panels are fully committed to enhancing the community environment, natural conservation and heritage aspects of the world in which we live and create a beneficial and lasting legacy for future generations.

To find out more about what WREN does and most importantly how WREN funding might benefit you and your community, please visit their website here.

We would like to take this opportunity and thank Groundwork NE for their assistance in completing and submitting the application, it was very much appreciated.