Beth Allcock the warden for the Greenstreams project said “this stretch of river was once a popular spot for local residents but following various engineering works and site clearances in the area, the footpath has fallen into a state of disrepair.  We want to bring it back into use so that local residents can once again enjoy this wonderful resource. Huddersfield does have a river and we should make sure we look after it.”

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, who initiated the Greenstreams project, commented that “this is an exciting stage for our Greenstreams project. Our goal is to open up our waterways, to learn from them and their significance to our community.  Volunteering opportunities such as this can be a powerful force of change and a great way of encouraging people to take more responsibility for their local environment.”

There will be corporate and public volunteering events covering four sites on the River Colne over the next few months to make the river a more attractive place to visit for wildlife and people alike.

Urban Mines is coordinating and administering the project. Fiona Ellwood, project manager, said “it’s great that practical work is getting under way. The river is a hidden gem right in the middle of town and we hope to get many more people involved.”

The project has been made possible by support from a number of local companies and trusts including, Britvic, FMG, Syngenta, Strategic Sites, SITA, M&S and the Ernest Cook Trust.