Diss gets grass roots helping hand

A Diss-based environmental project has had a helping hand in getting its roots established within the community - thanks to support from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society.

The Diss Community Woodland Project was established in June 2006, with the purpose of creating a woodland for the benefit of the community. Everyone is encouraged to join in, including local children and young people, as well as anyone who has the relevant skills to help the project.

The project will aim to be fully sustainable, using no chemicals to assist the growth of trees, plants and produce. It's also designed to be a social activity to be enjoyed by everyone, and to keep the financial cost minimal. Native trees and shrubs will be planted to enhance the landscape and to encourage even more wildlife to the area.

Richard Pither is secretary for the project. As a relatively new project, there are many things that it needs in order to work efficiently, so Richard turned to his local N&P branch for support. Matthew Garnham, customer advisor at N&P's Diss branch in the Market Place, was happy to help out. Amongst the things that were needed were large bales of straw to help control the weeds around the 200 existing trees at the site. Matthew donated these and offered to meet the cost of grass cutting for the next season.

Mr Pither: 'It's absolutely wonderful to have the support of organisations like N&P. We are delighted with this project as it gets the local community working together to produce something that will benefit us all for years to come.'

Mr Garnham added: 'As a carbon neutral building society ourselves, it's absolutely great that we have been able to get involved with this community project. It's really important to raise awareness about the environment, especially amongst young children, and what better way for them to learn than by getting some hands on experience.

'I wish everyone involved in the project the very best.'