This funding will make a really positive difference to BBCWT, and we will use it to:
- Develop a long term plan assessing the best choice/s for the physical location of our operational functions. This will include suggestions for the site of our head office, storage facilities, fleet parking, requirements for office space, etc. We will also use these funds to plan the redevelopment of our Centre of the Earth building and attached nature reserve.
- We will explore opportunities to increase the number of nature reserves we either manage, lease or own outright. This will consist of a consultancy review of current site opportunities , and their costs and benefits both locally and strategically. We will consider locations’ potential for publicly accessible infrastructure such as new visitor centres, and also strategic contribution to nature recovery. This will hopefully result in the establishment of new nature reserves in Birmingham and the Black Country.
- We will develop a timeline for the initial implementation stages of both of the above plans. This will ensure our plans for organisational development are realistic, concrete and achievable, and will be well underway by the time this National Lottery Heritage Fund project is complete.
This is an exciting and impactful programme that should substantially strengthen BBCWT’s business model, and give us the ability to grow and deliver more nature recovery work in years to come
