Taking place on Tuesday 20 August, between 9am to 5pm, volunteers can join housing association Riverside as they work to transform Backfield Salterbeck Community Park into a beautiful display of biodiversity.

Throughout the day, volunteers will be able to play their part in planting 24,000 bulbs aimed at creating floral arrangements and habitats of wildflowers.

Volunteers can meet Riverside’s Environmental Services team at The Oval Centre on Salterbeck Drive for 9am, before taking the short two-minute walk to the planting site.

Individuals are welcome to drop in briefly or dedicate the entire day to take part.

No experience is required as Riverside’s team will be on hand to support, and refreshments and facilities will be available to volunteers back at community centre The Oval Centre.

Taking part during the summer holidays, the planting day is a great opportunity for families to spend time outdoors together, as children are welcome to join if accompanied by an adult at all times.

The community day promises to be a rewarding opportunity to make a positive impact on the local environment and contribute to enhancing the urban park situated in the heart of Salterbeck estate.

The planting of these wildflowers will not only significantly boost the biodiversity but create a pleasant space for the community to enjoy.

The park which backs onto Coronation Drive has unfortunately been subject to vandalism and fly-tipping for many years.

As part of efforts to restore the green space and make it more attractive to local residents, pollinating insects and wildlife, and in preparation for the community planting day event, Riverside and their contractors have been clearing the backfield of brambles, litter and debris.

In their place, a more open coppice woodland with wildflowers is envisaged to complement the diversity of shrubs and trees Riverside have already planted.

Riverside hope that through working together to improve the green space, it will encourage the community as a whole to have pride in their neighbourhood and help prevent further littering or damage.

Work has also been done to make the site more accessible for visitors and cyclists through installing more level pathways and introducing wheelchair friendly paths to the woodlands.

The improved backfield will present opportunities to use the park for events hosted by the local community and a programme of engagement and educational activities developed by The Oval Centre.

Alongside support from Riverside’s Sustainability and Community Funds, this restoration project for the community space has received £20,139 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Sarah Mitten, Riverside’s Community Planning & Resilience Manager, said: “Community days like this don’t just contribute to the future of our neighbourhoods, but bring local people together and give us another reason to feel proud of where we live.

“We encourage anyone to come along and give as much or little time as you can. Whether you can drop in briefly or stay the day, you will be helping to make a difference in your local community and to the environment, all while reaping the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of being in nature.

“We know this is an area that has experienced vandalism and littering in the past and following a recent incident, we’re already making repairs to the newly installed accessible paths. But we hope that by breathing life into it together, that it will encourage individuals to respect the space more.

“Once the restoration works are fully complete, we look forward to residents and surrounding communities of Workington being able to appreciate and visit the improved urban park and woodland for generations to come.

“We’re pleased to be collaborating with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and want to thank them and all volunteers who will get involved for supporting this project.”

Those taking part in the community planting day are encouraged to bring their own gardening gloves, spades and rakes if possible, and advised to wear suitable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing.

For more information about the community planting day, or to confirm your attendance, please get in touch with Riverside’s Environmental Services team at [email protected] or call 07890 56804