Rabbit Ings - 23rd April 2011

We received anInvitation to attend the official opening of Rabbit Ings. To give you all a brief insight of Rabbit Ings history, Rabbit Ings is on Lund Hill Lane and has been created between the communities of Ryhill, Havercroft and South Hiendley in Wakefield and Shafton and Royston

in Barnsley on the site of the former Royston Drift Mine Colliery and tip site, which is owned by Wakefield Council. Over 130,000 cubic metres of soil and soil making material has been brought onto the site of the new park to

prepare for the planting of 36,000 trees and shrubs. Around 8.6 km (over 5 miles) of footpaths and cycleways have been constructed and new grasslands, ponds and wetland habitats have been created. The £7.5m project has been delivered by Yorkshire Forward in partnership with Wakefield Council with funding provided from the National Coalfields Programme and by the Homes and Communities Agency.

The event took place on the 23^rd April 2011 and was attended by myself Scott Hurley, Cliff Grimshaw and John Sheriff.

                                                       The information stall set up.

                        The calm before the storm, Cliff Grimshaw eagerly awaits the first

                                                                      customers.       

                                                                                   

The day started well with temperatures reaching 16⁰C by 1000hrs and increased as the day went on. Overall the day was a huge success and we had plenty to hand out, which Mandy Loach (TPT Officer) had supplied us with. Unfortunately we never received any items from the Events Team from Sustrans’ as requested. We also had a lot of interest in the maps, Walking Guides and Cycling Guides plus we had Frisbees, teddies and pencils to give away. We got a lot of positive feedback from the public and some negative which all was sent to Mandy. The day finished with a rumble of thunder and threat of rain. We had just finished packing the stall away when the first few spots of rain started to fall and the remaining stall holder in a mad rush to pack theirs away.

For more information on Rabbit Ings please look at Groundwork Dearne Valley and Wakefield Council web pages.