A Tour of Volunteer Achievements in Sprotbrough

This week, Hannah and Robert joined the Don Gorge Community Group volunteers for an inspiring tour to admire a number of grant funded projects that have recently been completed by the incredible efforts of the volunteers in enhancing the local area in Sprotbrough.

The tour began with a warm welcome from Ian Carpenter, Chair of the Don Gorge Community Group, followed by a tour of the different projects, proudly presented by members, from installing new benches and building a stone picnic table and benches to revitalising a pond on land just off Nursery Lane.  It was great also to hear from some of the funders of the projects who congratulated the volunteers on their work.

One of the highlights of the tour for us, was the benches installed on the riverbank, alongside the Trans Pennine Trail, thanks to the Don Catchment Rivers Trust’s All Hands on the Don scheme, funded by the National Lottery.  It was very interesting to hear volunteer, Mark, explain the logistical headache of getting the materials on site.

A restored wall, stone bench, and picnic table on the Warmsworth side of the River Don also looked impressive, made possible by grants from Tesco and the Co-op respectively.

The pond revitalisation project on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust land off Nursery Lane was another remarkable achievement. The volunteers have brought the pond back to life, cutting back vegetation that was obscuring it and creating a beautiful and serene environment for the local wildlife – giving the promise of new life, with new reeds clearly visible.   We also saw benches installed on Yorkshire Wildlife Trust land above the pond which were funded by Well Doncaster’s Community Wealth Builder scheme.

         
pictures (from left to right): Bench on the TPT, stone picnic table and bench, new wall and steps, revitalised pond.

We’re delighted that the Don Gorge Community Group also received a grant from the Friends of the TPT Small Grant Fund to produce a leaflet promoting all the wonderful features along the Trail at Sprotbrough. This initiative will help raise awareness and encourage more people to explore and appreciate the beauty of the area.

During the tour, we heard from South Yorkshire’s Chief Medical Officer and local GP, Dr. David Crichton, who spoke about the benefits of volunteering on physical and mental wellbeing. As a keen outdoor lover and litter-picker, Dr. Crichton emphasised the positive impact of community involvement on overall health.

The hour-long tour was blessed with glorious spring weather and Hannah and Robert were pleased to have the opportunity to chat with volunteers, meet representatives from the Don Catchment Rivers Trust and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust while admiring the dedication of Alex and Lynn, who believe in the principle of ‘a good walk is a good opportunity to litter pick as you go along’ and collected litter as we progressed along the tour.

The visit to see the Don Gorge Community Group Volunteers’ projects was a testament to the power of community collaboration and dedication. Hannah and Robert were deeply impressed by the achievements and look forward to seeing the continued growth and success of the Don Gorge Community Group volunteers.

Date: 28th March, 2025

              
Mandy Loach            Hannah Beaumont    Robert Drummond