Gardens group really motoring

The Elford Gardens restoration project is really moving on well now. It’s not all systems go, quite, but compared with two years ago when I first talked to the Elford group and Birmingham City Council about plans for restoration of the historic site it’s fair to say things are on the final lap to at least get the project kicked off fully and work on the ground started in earnest.

It’s been quite a battle dealing with Birmingham City Councilwho, for historical reasons, hold the land around Elford in Trust. Latterly, once the various hurdles to real discussions were knocked down one by one, Birmingham have been pretty good and now appear to be very positive about the community group taking the area over on a long term lease.

Officials at Staffordshire County have also been tremendously helpful over the last year or so and I thought, a few weeks ago, I’d try and coax for that advice and information that has been so forthcoming to turn into something a little more tangible in the way of money. And they came up trumps with £2500 to help the group get their full charity status. So, a result, and the group have already used some of that money to start ground clearance and moving fallen trees on the site.

I popped up to see them the other Sunday morning and have to say the area they’ve now started work on by the river looks absolutely beautiful. Hopefully an even greater transformation will be well on the way by the end of the summer.

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