A SCHEME to maintain and enhance one of Trafford's outstanding attractions has received funding of £50,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The cash windfall has gone to a community volunteering charity's initiative for Sale Water Park.

The funding will back the Conservation Volunteers (TCV) ' Discover, Explore and Conserve Our Natural Heritage' project at the water park.

Led by young people aged from 14 to 25, the project focuses on the natural heritage of the water park with participants learning practical skills to help conserve it for the future.

The project has kicked off to a successful start with young people learning practical skills such as traditional coppicing and hedgelaying, to improve the hedges and meadows in the area.

These habitat improvements will provide important spaces for wildlife, such as nesting birds, insects, amphibians and small mammals.

The project also provides the opportunity for participants to work with community partners to investigate and discover the heritage of Sale Water Park.

The water park has a rich and often overlooked heritage, including its history as the former grounds of Sale Old Hall and its important habitats for wildlife, such as the willow tit.

Young people on the project are now looking forward to upcoming activities including the planting of wildflowers to help pollinators and biodiversity surveys to research the existing natural heritage at Sale Water Park.

Katie Lowry, TCV north west operations leader, said: “We are excited to have received National Lottery support and we have already seen the young people grow in confidence, whilst making valuable improvements to the heritage at Sale Water Park.”

TCV has employed a dedicated project officer who works on this exciting project. It is also currently looking for a volunteer officer to assist with the project, details at the TCV website for anyone interested in this opportunity.