A community conservation project is seeking volunteers after receiving funding from East Suffolk Council ward members to begin work on revitalising the much-loved green space.
Cllrs Peter Byatt, Louise Gooch and Malcolm Pitchers have given £2,050 of funding from their Enabling Communities Budget towards the restoration of Kirkley Ham.
Owned by Suffolk County Council, Kirkley Ham is a 7-acre space of land. The Ham, Fen Park and Pakefield Wood form part of a 'green corridor' along Tom Crisp Way. In recent years, the area has become overgrown with bramble and gorse, with incidents of antisocial behaviour, fly-tipping and littering becoming more common.
Funding from the councillors will be used to pay for a skilled contractor to undertake initial work to cut back some of the gorse and bramble, creating more light and space for wildlife and plants to thrive.
The Friends of Kirkley Ham are now actively seeking volunteers who are interested in nature conservation to help with the project. Volunteers are needed to help identify and protect the many species of plant and wildlife on the Ham, as well as volunteers to get involved in maintenance activities and working parties.
In a joint comment, Cllrs Peter Byatt, Louise Gooch and Malcolm Pitchers said:
"We are so pleased to contribute funding from our Enabling Communities Budgets towards the restoration of Kirkley Ham. Many residents will recall playing here as children, so we are grateful to the Friends of Kirkley Ham group for their efforts to bring it back to its former glory.
"We encourage people to come forward and give up some of their time to get involved with this wonderful project, and we look forward to seeing the work to restore the land progress."
Cllr Michael Hadwen, Leader of Suffolk County Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Property, said:
"Kirkley Ham is a valued space with enormous potential to benefit communities from across Suffolk. It's fantastic to see local organisations, volunteers and councillors working together to restore it for the benefit of our communities.
“By improving access, enhancing habitats and creating opportunities for people to get involved, this project will help ensure Kirkley Ham can be enjoyed by residents of all ages for many years to come."
In a survey of local residents carried out by Kirkley People’s Forum at the end of 2023, there was considerable interest in rejuvenating the Ham, to make it more accessible for families and to protect and conserve the wildlife and plants that make the land their home.
Consequently, Kirkley People’s Forum set up the Friends of Kirkley Ham group and in January this year signed a lease with Suffolk County Council to manage the Ham for the benefit of the local community and wildlife.
The Friends group sought initial advice from Suffolk Wildlife Trust, and Lowestoft Town Council also provided financial assistance to cover the costs of insurance for volunteers, early publicity and some essential tools.
For more information, and to get involved with the conservation project, please contact Stew Bowers, Chair of Friends of Kirkley Ham (stewbowersork2020@gmail.com) or Alison Stannard, Secretary (astannard@uwclub.net) , or join the Facebook group.