A popular country park on the southern edge of Cambridge is set to expand. Local charity, Cambridge Past, Present & Future has purchased 4.5 acres of land next to Wandlebury Country Park, which it owns and runs.

James Littlewood, CEO of Cambridge Past Present & Future explains about the project:

two separate area of land recently came onto the market next to Wandlebury and the charity saw an opportunity to protect them from development and to increase the size of the park to help tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis. During the pandemic we have seen how important green spaces are for health and well-being and as the population of our area is growing rapidly, we will need more green space and nature in future.

One of the areas is a 2-acre strip of grassland with some trees and, with the support of the community, the charity plans to restore the ecological value of this field to create an attractive grassland meadow like the others found in the park. The other land is 2.5-acres of farmland that the charity plans to plant with trees to connect the woodlands at the park.

The charity has launched a ‘Land for Nature’ Appeal to raise £100,000 to restore the new land into nature rich habitat and to enable it to buy more land in future.

Ros Aveling, Chair of the charity said, “We are often advised to “think globally, act locally”. We have all been doing a great deal of thinking globally as a pandemic has ravaged our lives over the past year.  Now here is the opportunity to act locally and be a part of a very visible stake in a better future. People can donate to the appeal via our website, and we are really pleased that one of our generous supporters has pledged to match fund the first £25,000 raised through the appeal, so every donation will double the impact. People will be able to visit the land they have helped to buy and to watch its transformation over the years ahead.”

Please click here for more information and to make a donation.