Communities accept doorstep challenge

摘要

Lottery cash is available to create a new type of open space, but will Doorstep Greens really rejunvenate communities? Doorstep Greens have nothing to do with home-delivery vegetables, allotment sprouts or even "right-on" environmentally Sound products. It is the rather homely name for a government initiative aimed at creating informal and accessible green spaces in 200 socially deprived rural or urban communities in England (HW, March 21). Open to partnerships of community groups and landowners mincluding local authorities and existing informal community organisations, the scheme is funded out of the New Opportunities Fund's 125 million pound Green Spaces & Sustainable Communities programme. This has given 12.89 million pound to the CountrysideAgency, which runs the Doorstep Greens scheme. Doorstep Greens information and communication officer David Hagarth said the scheme, which has finally taken off this year after three years of planning, is a great success. "We've had a terrific response from people who are keen to improve their local area. Green spaces are really important to us all - wherever we live - because they give us a bit of breathing space."