Groundwork is a federation of nearly fifty Trusts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, each working with their partners to improve the quality of the local environment, the lives of local people and the success of local businesses in areas in need of investment and support. It is part funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) and supported by corporate, local and European funding. Every year Groundwork Trusts deliver thousands of projects in neighbourhoods that are blighted by a variety of social or economic problems. These projects aim to create opportunities for people to learn new skills and to take local action. They also aim to help businesses and individuals fulfil their potential. There are many opportunities for volunteers in Groundwork Trusts or they may be able to support a local project including regenerating parks and gardens.

For more information visit www.groundwork.org.uk or telephone 0121 236 8565

Organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Britain in Bloom has grown into the largest horticultural campaign in Europe. Every year, hundreds of communities are involved, from tiny rural villages to the largest cities, all bringing a great deal of horticultural skill and huge enthusiasm to one common aim: to regenerate local
environments, both locally and nationally, by the imaginative planting of trees and shrubs, flowers and landscaping and by dealing with local environmental issues, such as litter, graffiti and vandalism.

For advice on how to enter the Britain in Bloom competition and for more details of the campaign visit www.rhs.org.uk/britaininbloom/index.asp or for access to the wide range of services and advice from the RHS visit www.rhs.org.uk or telephone 020 7834 4333

The Wildlife Trusts partnership is the UK’s leading conservation charity exclusively dedicated to wildlife. Its network of 47 local Wildlife Trusts, alongside a junior branch, Wildlife Watch, work together to protect wildlife in the countryside. The Wildlife Trusts care for over 2,560 nature reserves, from rugged coastline to rural wildlife havens. With more than 413,000 members, they lobby for better protection of the UK's natural heritage and are dedicated to protecting wildlife for the benefit of future generations. A wide range of publications are available to order or you can volunteer to practically secure the future of precious habitats and species, enabling them to thrive again.
For further information visit www.wildlifetrusts.org or telephone 0870 0367711

The People's Places award scheme is run by BTCV, and is open to community groups in rural and urban areas across England. Awards are targeted at communities living in areas of deprivation and at disadvantaged groups. It offers groups a chance to make a difference to their community by creating or improving a "people's place". This could be an area of land that could be turned into a community garden or park, or a building that the group wants to turn into an environmental community resource. Awards of £3,000 to £10,000 are available and guidance and eligibility notes are provided on the website.

For more information visit www.btcv.org/ppawards/intro.html or telephone the People’s Places Award Unit on 01491 821621.

The Local Heritage Initiative helps communities bring their local heritage alive, by giving funds, advice and support. It is also collecting records and stories from the projects to create a national archive of England's local heritage. If you wish to investigate, explain or care for your local landscape, landmarks, traditions and culture you can apply for a grant of between £3,000 and £25,000. The scheme is administered by the Countryside Agency with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Nationwide Building Society. The £10m initiative currently covers England but similar schemes will soon be developed for communities in Scotland, Wales and possibly Northern Ireland. Visit www.lhi.org.uk/index.html for more information on grants or support, or telephone 01242 521381