All things bright and beautiful: Liverpool and Sefton bloom as urban communities transformed
Video report by Merseyside Correspondent Andy Bonner
Stunning wildflower meadows sown by local children and residents have transformed derelict land in Liverpool and Sefton, bringing bright colours, beautiful blooms and nature to urban communities.
The ten sites, now in full bloom, were created by the Head North for Beauty project with a £49,000 grant from the Liverpool City Region Community Environment Fund, established by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
They form part of a new wildflower meadow trail from Everton in North Liverpool, through to Litherland in Sefton.
The sites were ploughed in April and schoolchildren from All Saints Catholic Primary School and local residents helped sow the new meadows.
The idea is to bring a splash of vivid colour to often derelict land which would usually be grassed over.
The meadows are now being looked after by volunteer community wildflower rangers.
Liverpool has the country’s highest number of council wards with wildflower meadows – which are increasingly appreciated for their biodiversity benefits. Yet 97% of UK wildflower meadows have been lost since 1947.
Lowering the carbon footprint is high on the list of priorities for the Metro Mayor after the Liverpool City Region became the first area in the UK to declare a climate emergency and commit to becoming zero carbon by 2040.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said: "We have ambitious plans to tackle climate change in the city region, the climate emergency remains the biggest long-term challenge our region – and in fact the world - faces.
“We can all make a difference if we get together in our communities and each do our bit, whether that’s improving air quality with these beautiful wildflower meadows, or leaving the car at home and walking or cycling to work.
The sites are located at:
Litherland:
Hornby Flats, Linacre Road.
Longfield Road park area by Violet Road.
Linacre:
Gray Street/Peel Road
Wordsworth Street/Marsh Lane
Marsh Lane Park
Sefton Asda
Kirkdale:
Langtry Close
Everton:
Albion Street
Everton Park
Tynemouth Close