Stretching Minds and Muscles on the Cleveland Way
21 Jul 2006
Walkers on the Cleveland Way are benefiting from the hard work of the ‘Coasties’, a new group of volunteers who have been busy improving sections of the long-distance National Trail.
The special team of Heritage Coast volunteers was launched by the North York Moors National Park Authority in November 2005 and their achievements are being celebrated during National Parks Week, from 21-28 July. This year’s theme is ‘stretch your legs, stretch your minds’ and legs are not the only muscles that have been stretched by the team’s conservation efforts!
The team has notched up an impressive number of achievements, including creating steps to improve access onto the Cleveland Way at Sandsend, clearing overgrown scrub and building handrails on steeper sections. They have also been working with the National Trust to give a mud clogged pond, just off the Cleveland Way at Ravenscar, a new lease of life. The pond is used as an educational resource by local schools but until the ‘Coasties’ came along, pupils were only managing to trawl mud! Now, after three days of hard labour, the pond is full of water and is thriving once again, much to the benefit of the resident palmate newts and the enthusiastic youngsters.
Barbara Keville, Volunteer Leader for the ‘Coasties’, commented:
“The North York Moors has a really beautiful coastline and it’s a real privilege to be volunteering here. We may get wet and muddy but that’s all part of the fun and there is a real sense of achievement when we’ve finished a project. Working on the Cleveland Way is great too because lots of walkers are always coming past and admiring the work we’ve been doing – it’s a fantastic feeling to be making a difference.”
Graham Stubbs, Volunteers Officer at the North York Moors National Park Authority, added:
“Our volunteers are absolutely crucial to our work and play a vital role in helping the National Park Authority care for this special place. This year’s National Parks Week is all about stretching legs and minds and I can guarantee that joining our volunteers is a great way to get active, discover places that you have never been to before and learn about how we can work together to protect this important landscape.”
The ‘Coasties’ are one of several volunteering groups run by the North York Moors National Park Authority. To find out more about volunteering opportunities and events during National Parks Week, please visit www.moors.uk.net or telephone 01439 770657
ENDS
21 July 2006
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. For further information about volunteering please contact Graham Stubbs on 07980 737581
