Elmley National Nature Reserve on the Isle of Sheppey, in North Kent, is delighted to have received a £206,557 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund for its community-focused Nature Programme. Made possible by National Lottery players, the project aims to improve, and support access and engagement with local residents of Swale, which includes the Isle of Sheppey and the town of Sittingbourne.
Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said, “We are delighted to support this project, which thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep. Heritage has a huge role to play in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies, and this project is a fantastic example of achieving those aims.”
The proposed Nature Programme which will be delivered over a two year period, features a range of activity from offering transport by eco-shuttle to and from the Reserve, and improving signage, to facilitating educational and community visits, and hosting an events programme.
The National Lottery funded project, involves an array of elements, aimed to enable local communities, who might not otherwise, re-engage with the natural world and landscape heritage on their doorstep. Developing and delivering of educational resources and events about ecology, biodiversity and nature conservation, will enhance the experience and knowledge gained by visitors of all ages to the Reserve. With volunteers, local groups and schools able to take part in the project through events and training opportunities, allowing even more people to enjoy and play a part in Kent’s natural heritage.
Elmley Nature Reserve is a 3,300 acre estate and family-owned farm, renowned for its long-term nature restoration work, and conservation projects. Guests are able to visit for the day, or stay in the heart of the Reserve – the only National Nature Reserve in the country that you can stay the night within. Just over an hour from London, it is regarded as one of the best places to have a wildlife experience in the UK.
The events programme, launching in early 2025, and to run throughout the project, will comprise of a series of creative performances, talks and workshops, providing additional reason to visit Elmley. Details of future events will be announced in due course via the Elmley Nature Reserve website and social channels.
Elmley’s Fundraising Project Manager, Grace Spooner said, “We are thrilled to have received this initial support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we can develop our plans to enable a range of activity to benefit communities local to the Reserve, with resources dedicated to educational trips, highlighting wellness and mental health benefits of spending time in nature, and engaging in nature walks, tours and workshops.
“We hope that by engaging the public, both locally, and regionally, including schools, higher education establishments, community groups and volunteers, we will increase the diversity of Elmley’s visitors and boost local tourism on the Isle of Sheppey and learn how we can all play a part in nature recovery from this very special place.”
Elmley Director Georgina Fulton continued, “It is hugely important to us, that we are able to share Sheppey’s internationally important wildlife and landscape heritage with our visitors, and The National Lottery Fund grant will make such a difference in enabling us to open up new opportunities for our local community to spend time in and reconnect with nature.”
Here at Visit Swale, we are so thankful to have such a wonderful Reserve right on our doorstep, and we can't wait for the Nature Programme to commence!