Biodiversity on Your Doorstep at Creggan Country Park

Creggan Country Park was awarded £55,410 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Out Connecting Older People programme, to run a five year project to encourage 250 isolated older people in the North West to become environmental volunteers and part in a wide range of activities. Workshops and social activities include Bird ID workshop, Bat monitoring, Butterfly/Moth ID workshop, tree planting and wildlife documentary workshop.  The project aims to address social isolation, health, wellbeing and enhancing skills in older people through interactive workshops and reward days.

“The project will give older people the opportunity to develop new skills, while increasing their confidence and self-esteem and helping them to get outside, enjoy nature and become more socially, physically and mentally active,” said Environmental Officer Karen Healy.

“After each workshop there will be social activity such as a meal or a coffee morning, or an activity like arts and crafts or angling. We also have an intergenerational element of the project which sees young people recruited from local schools to build friendships with the older people involved and assist with activities such as tree planting, community clean-ups and bingo.”

Rath Mor 50+ Club have been volunteering in the project for the past two years, helping plant raised beds and trees in care homes and act as a ‘buddy’ to residents.  On the last volunteer reward day, volunteers and residents got the chance to meet birds of prey and watch some local musicians perform.

For more information or to become a volunteer contact Karen on 71363 133 or email [email protected]

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