Reclaiming the Riverside

The first phase of this ambitious community-focused project was funded through the Green Recovery Challenge Fund and ran from Autumn 2021 until early Spring 2023. The aim was to work with the local community to revitalise a 3 km section of the Crane riverside and adjoining open spaces in the Cranford area, creating new habitat for wildlife and improving access for people.  There was also an intention to re-open a 0.5 Km (approx) stretch of disused riverside path connecting the A4 Bath Road with Waye Avenue Open Space. The project was initially spearheaded by The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Let’s Go Ouside and Learn CIC (LGOAL), and supported by Cranford Action Group, London Borough of Hounslow and Crane Valley Community Interest Company.  

Members of the diverse local community (where 84% of residents are from minority ethnic backgrounds) were supported to engage with nature through practical volunteering, citizen science and other relevant activities. The  project was subsequently extended, utilising some grant funding from the Smarter Water Catchments (SWC) initiative in 2023/24 and again in 2024/25. 

The disused path has not yet been re-opened but considerable progress has been made towards that goal by LB Hounslow, supported by interested parties (including CVP).  LGOAL continues to work on the “Reclaiming the Riverside’ project using core funding to support two activities a month to maintain engagement.  A new enhancement project focusing on Avenue Park (working title ‘Avenue Park Improvements – Nature, Community and Access 2025’) will ultimately serve as an extension of Reclaiming the Riverside.

To find out how you can get involved in this project, click here.  

Click here to view a case study covering the period April 2023-September 2023

Image below (courtesy of LGOAL): a Reclaiming the Riverside community event at Waye Avenue Open Space