The woodland walk by the River Swale near Richmond received the upgrade through work carried out by the town’s Rotary Club and British Gurkhas and Nepalese Community from Catterick and Darlington.
Round Howe Wood is now adorned with two bespoke oak picnic tables, wooden toadstools and woodland animal sculptures to create a better experience for visitors.
The funding came as a result of a successful application to National Highways through its Community Legacy Fund while work on the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project takes place in the surrounding areas.
Martin Collinson Programme Manager, National Highways said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to support these improvements at Round Howe Wood through our National Highways Community Legacy Fund, connected to the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project. It’s fantastic to see this investment creating a welcoming, enjoyable space for the whole community.”
The sculptures of otters, badgers, owl and mole were created by chainsaw artist Sam Bowsher from Moffat with Jonny Staley Stonework providing the stone bases and tables being built by Military Craftsmanship.
Colin Grant, from the Richmond Rotary Club, said:
“I am really pleased with the outcome of this community project. Some time ago, the club was asked to see if we could improve Round Howe Wood, which had some 15-year-old woodland sculptures that had seen better days. This is a picnic area, but visitors had few facilities to attract them to stay for a picnic”.
National Highways’ Community Legacy Fund helps to create positive change through its work. By integrating social value work into daily operations and collaborating with its supply chain, the company ensures that every project maximizes positive impact.
The four key themes of social value are economic prosperity, environmental improvement, community wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion.
You can find out more about the National Highways Community Legacy Fund and Social Value here
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