Aviva Community Fund has provided £1,316 of match funding
Friends of Charlton Brook
Chapeltown, England, United Kingdom
Aim
To install an interpretation board including historical details to inform a variety of community users on Charlton Brook greenspace.
Friends of Charlton Brook was formed in 2006 to maintain and improve a greenspace, which had sadly become neglected and disused. Over the last fifteen years, countless improvements have been made with the help of numerous volunteers, Sheffield City Park Rangers and successful grant applications. The site, which lies within the North Sheffield suburbs of Chapeltown, High Green and Burncross, is a long narrow green lung within a small valley with a large dam at the north end, which was constructed in the 19th Century to provide water to Thorncliffe Iron Works.
The area had first been recorded way back in 1543 as Cherking Brooke, a term meaning squelching or marshy ground, in medieval language, and has now become a greatly loved, well used and vital green space for the local community, even more since the pandemic lockdown. Since the group was formed, improvements have included the desilting of the Dam in 2010 (at a cost £120,000, raised through grants) and creation of a bespoke fishery.
A disused play ground has been turned into a community garden, several items of play equipment have been installed, paths re-surfaced, trees planted (including a mini orchard), hundreds of bulbs planted and tonnes of litter removed off site
Last year, in collaboration with our friends at S35 Rocks. two trolls moved onto the brook while Father Christmas visited the community garden, bring joy to over 350 children who visited
Before the pandemic the group held work days five times a year, with the invaluable assistance of the dedicated park rangers, while the site now boasts a wishing tree and the group is determined to continue improving and maintaining the site for future generations to enjoy.
This project successfully funded on 23rd March 2021