The charity and its Wild About Tamworth project won the funding in the M6Toll’s Drive for Charity Partner scheme and received enough votes to finish in second place thanks to support from people across the region.
The funding means the Trust can now deliver a series of community engagement sessions aimed at improving the physical and mental health and wellbeing of children, young adults and families in Tamworth.
The sessions get underway with a Get Wild event for 8 to 13 year olds on Wednesday 30th October at Hodge Lane Local Nature Reserve between 10am-12pm.
Other events taking place throughout the next 12 months include the Trust's popular Wildfamilies sessions, Wild Youth for 14 to 25 year olds, Wildlings play group for 0 to 5 year olds, as well as Silver Safaris and Wild Wellbeing events.
Amy Bennett, Community Engagement Assistant for the Trust, said: “We were so pleased to win the funding and are very much looking forward to getting started with the events across Tamworth.
“Hopefully there will be something for everyone, you’re never too old to get closer to nature.
“The Wild About Tamworth project is now in its 15th year and has been supporting communities to look after their local green spaces since it launched.”
Cllr John Chesworth, Tamworth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Culture and Operational Services, said: “The Wild About Tamworth project has been incredibly successful in improving our parks and open spaces, thanks in large part to our dedicated teams of community volunteers.
“Spending time outdoors can be hugely beneficial for a number of reasons and the more we can do to encourage and promote this, the better. Massive congratulations to Staffordshire Wildlife Trust for securing this funding as the planned events will help to get more people back to nature and exploring the wonderful open spaces we have around the town. For more information about Wild About Tamworth and volunteering opportunities in your local park, please visit www.tamworth.gov.uk/wild-about-tamworth.”
Andy Cliffe, chief executive at Midland Expressway Limited (MEL), operator of the M6toll,, said: “Staffordshire Wildlife Trust works hard to engage and educate young people, and we are thrilled to be supporting this project which will encourage children and families to spend more time outdoors.
“We are so pleased that the public supported Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. We are really looking forward to working alongside them over the next 12 months.”
All events, times and locations can be located on the Trust’s What’s On page online – www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/events