Crewe Heritage Trust Awarded Funds to Restore Nature and Boost Biodiversity
Crewe Heritage Trust has been awarded a grant of £22,500 from The Julia Rausing Trust, to deliver an ambitious new project focused on restoring green space, enhancing biodiversity, and reconnecting people with nature at its historic railway heritage site in Crewe.
They recently welcomed representatives from the trust for a visit to Crewe Heritage Centre, a site which used to be open fields before the arrival of the railway in 1837.
Harry Erskine, Grants Manager at The Julia Rausing Trust, said: “It was a pleasure to visit Crewe Heritage Centre and see first-hand the enthusiasm and care that is going into this project. Meeting the team and learning more about their plans to restore green space and support local wildlife brought the vision to life. We’re delighted to support a scheme that will create lasting benefits for both the community and the natural environment.”
This project will look back to that earlier landscape, transforming parts of the site into greener, more wildlife-friendly spaces while supporting learning, volunteering, and wellbeing for the local community.
A new green corridor alongside the Trust’s miniature railway will be created, which will be divided into three distinct zones. Wildflower Way will be full of native and pollinator friendly planting, Lavender Lane will offer colour, scent, and nectar sources while Butterfly Bank is designed to support butterflies and other insects.
The project will also deliver five new wildlife habitats, including bug hotels, bird boxes and a mini pond, creating shelter and feeding opportunities for insects, birds, and amphibians.
Improvements will be made to an existing locomotive workshop, with the addition of water butts for rain collection and a new green roof.
The trust will also create six raised pocket gardens across the site, filled with herbs, pollinator friendly flowers and edible crops, each telling a different story from Crewe’s past. Alongside, a new station garden will be created at the miniature railway using pots, planters and baskets.
The Trust is planning a supporting programme of drop-in activities for all visitors to take part in when the centre reopens on Wednesday 1 April and recruitment is underway for Green Space Volunteers.
Gordon Heddon, Chair of Crewe Heritage Trust, said: “This generous grant from The Julia Rausing Trust allows us to reconnect our site with its pre-Industrial Revolution landscape. By restoring green space, creating new wildlife habitats and involving volunteers, children and families, we’re ensuring our heritage site is not only a place to learn about the past, but a living, breathing space that supports nature, wellbeing and community pride. We’re incredibly grateful for this support, which will leave a lasting legacy for both people and wildlife.”
By reconnecting the site to its pre-railway landscape and embedding nature within its heritage setting, Crewe Heritage Trust is creating a place where history, environment, and community come together.
The project aims to increase recorded wildlife sightings and the diversity of species on the site by more than 50%. The Trust would like to thank The Julia Rausing Trust for its generous support, which will enable lasting benefits for wildlife, volunteers, visitors, and future generations.
