The bid would also allow Durham Wildlife Trust to, which is based at Rainton Meadows on the Sunderland-Durham border, is fundraising to buy fields adjacent to its HQ to prevent the encroachment of housing and create more space for people to enjoy nature. Sign up to our daily newsletter Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Sunderland Echo, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. The owners of the land have agreed to sell the site to the Trust for £540,000, most of which it hopes to secure from a Biffa Award, part of the Landfill Communities Fund.
Advertisement Advertisement But the Biffa Award requires the Trust to raise 10% as match funding, meaning it must raise £54,000 by October to seal the deal. Emily Routledge, head of development and communications at the Trust, said: “This is the biggest individual giving appeal the Trust has even done, and it’s a glorious opportunity for nature lovers to play their part in securing and extending a beautiful site for future generations. “Buying this land will enable us to create a buffer between the existing nature reserve and nearby housing, protecting existing species and giving us scope to attract more wildlife to a special part of our region.
” If the appeal is successful, Rainton Meadows will be 30% larger, just in time for its 30th anniversary in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Under plants for the new land, a.
