Repairs to arch D brickwork continue

North plot banking flora and fauna

Vipers bugloss (foreground) and ox eye daisies.

Female Common Blue butterfly

Repairing the archway brickwork

Contractors from AMCO reparing the archway brickwork, as commissioned by Network Rail.

Additional pictures can be viewed on our Flickr gallery here

North plot wildlife banking

Common Blue butterfly

Ox eye daisy

Marks and Spencer site meeting

Pictured left to right during this morning onsite meeting on the north plot are : Barrow Marks and Spencer store Manager Andrew McKellar, our project Coordinator Graham Bromley and Groundwork NE Operations Manager Julian Smith.

The aim of the meeting was to view the project first hand and explore options for the involvement of local Mark & Spencer staff.

Marks and Spencer have contributed a substantial grant towards the development of the north plot community grow your own scheme as part of the Greener Living Places programme This is a 10-year partnership between Marks & Spencer and Groundwork and is giving hundreds of people the opportunity to come together and improve their quality of life by creating invaluable clean and green open spaces.

Clearing the north plot

Contractors from Marsh Plant Hire begin works to clear the north plot.

Minor works to Greengate Street Bridge structure

Contractors from AMCO continue with the minor works assocaited with Greengate Street bridge sturcture, as commissioned by Network Rail.

North plot wall update

The work to rebuild the wall to half height in now complete. The next stage is to commission the works to fabricated and install metal railings on top of the brickwork and a new secure gated access. These will be similar in design and specification to those on the Green Heart Den. This work will be commissioned by the end of this week.

The work associated with the new brickwork was joint funded by Barrow Borough Council and the Marsh Street Arches and Garden CIC and using bricks previously donated to the CIC by Armstrongs. Works associated with the new metal railings and gates will be commissioned by the Marsh Street Arches and Garden CIC and funded via their Our Green Space grant.

Various blossoms on the Green Heart Den

Egremont Russet

                                           Malus Golden Hornet crab apple

                                                         Malus Golden Hornet crab apple

Green Heart Den blossom



Natterjack Toad Walk - Monday 18 April 7pm

Interested in growing your own? Got limited space? This is for YOU!

Snowy mespilus beginning to blossom

Thomas Armstrong Construction Ltd preparing to leave the north plot

Peacock butterflies on the north plot

North plot wall progress

Works associated with the new north plot boundary wall is progressing nicely. The brickwork for the wall is to be rebuilt to a height of one metre after which one metere high metal railings will be installed on top.

The work associated with the new brickwork was joint funded by Barrow Borough Council and the Marsh Street Arches and Garden CIC and using bricks previously donated to the CIC by Armstrongs. Works associated with the new metal railings and gates will be commissioned by the Marsh Street Arches and Garden CIC and funded via their Our Green Space grant.

Nice to see the little blue birds again

Cumbrian communities wanted for new project to help local green spaces

Friends of the Lake District are looking for communities across Cumbria who would like to develop, enhance or celebrate the heritage of their local environment.
The landscape conservation charity is inviting communities from across Cumbria to apply to take part in a three year project that will provide support and funding to undertake work or activities focused on their village greens or urban green spaces. 
Friends of the Lake District are developing the project to build upon the success of ‘Our Green Space', a Heritage Lottery funded project that has provided financial support, help and advice for five communities developing their green spaces and celebrating them by holding events and festivals. Run over the past four years, ‘Our Green Space' has found that communities greatly value their local green areas and many would like help to look after them and enjoy them more.
All nominations for the new project should be submitted by May 9th 2011 and could include proposals such as repairing historic features on a green, developing a wildlife area or pond, researching the history or archaeology of a site or re-creating celebrations and activities on the green. 
Projects should aim to involve many people within the community and training, help and advice will be provided to develop a plan and involve others. The project will focus on the history and culture of green spaces or environmental and communty benefits, and is not aimed at funding playgrounds, allotments, school playing fields or formal council owned parks.

You can download an application form on their website here.
If you would like more information please visit: Our Green Space or phone Friends of the Lake District on 01539 720788.

Greengate Bridge structure update

Following our long standing concerns in regard to what we understood to be a deteriorating condition of the Greengate Street bridge structure and following recent structural surveys commissioned by Cumbria County Council, the bridge has been given the following classification as identified in the picture below.

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.