West Monkton Parish Council has been awarded almost £190k in National Lottery funding to support its work at Maidenbrook Country Park.

The council will use the grant to employ a volunteer coordinator at the park, located in Maidenbrook Lane, Cheddon Fitzpaine.

They will support current volunteers, manage new equipment and facilities, and run day-to-day activities at a newly created Volunteer Hub.

Furthermore, the role will encompass facilitating groups and a variety of activities at the park.

The park and Somerset Wood had previously been included in the Taunton Deane Core Strategy (2011-28), which outlined a plan of providing a green corridor and quality green spaces for both wildlife and the local community.

In 2018, West Monkton Parish Council and Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council created a Neighbourhood Development Plan, which went through a review in 2022.

The development of this plan was based on community surveys which emphasised the crucial role of the country park in accomplishing the Recreation and Environment Objective by providing a green space and parkland with excellent accessibility.

Notably, the council acquired a 125-year lease of the country park land from Somerset Council in 2021.

Maidenbrook Country Park offers many benefits to its residents.

It doesn't just act as a community central hub, but also offers volunteering opportunities, social spaces, and hosts events that foster a sense of community.

The health and wellbeing of the residents significantly benefit from these amenities.

The financial boost from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, will contribute to supplementary support for present and future volunteers, backing the procurement of new equipment, education programs, a volunteer hub, storage areas, litter bins, picnic tables, CCTV, and toilet facilities.

(Image: West Monkton Parish Council)

Stuart Haskins, chair of West Monkton Parish Council, said: "We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.

"Now, thanks to National Lottery players we will be able to press on with our plans to broaden the range of opportunities available to the community and to our wonderful volunteers.

"This significant grant enables us to move forward with our plans for the park, making it an integral and central part of our community whilst maintaining a green wedge between Taunton and West Monkton Parish"

Ian Brimacombe, a dedicated volunteer at Maidenbrook Country Park, added: "I am one of many volunteers here at the park, here on a daily basis either walking my dog, mowing or checking the area.

"It’s great to see so many people using the open space and now we have received this grant, we can start to plan improvements to the park which will include better equipment for the volunteers.

"We have many fantastic projects planned, so watch this space and please continue to enjoy Maidenbrook Country Park."

In addition to the appointment of a volunteer coordinator, plans include the development of a ‘Friends of Maidenbrook Park’, as well as adult and junior ranger groups to help foster a sense of community support for Maidenbrook Country Park.

The National Lottery Community Fund recently launched its new strategy titled 'It starts with community'.

It aims to distribute at least £4 billion of National Lottery funding by 2030 to facilitate communities to come together, promote environmental sustainability, ensure the thriving of children and young people, and enable people to live healthier lives.

National Lottery players raise an astonishing over £30 million a week for good causes all over the UK.

Consequently, in the previous year, The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£615.4 million) of life-changing funding to various communities.

For more details, visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk.