What's going on at Postman's walk?

​Some of you might have been wondering what has been happening a Postman’s Walk this spring. We have done a couple of litter picks there but also you will have seen that some trees have been felled or lopped. This is part of an improvement project that will be happening over the year, we thought it would be interesting to hear from the guy leading the project, so this blog is penned by Sam Riley-Gunn from the Aire Rivers Trust who is managing the project.

Sam Riley-Gunn of Aire Rivers Trust - todays blogger.

Postman's Walk Pocket Park Project Begins 
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When you mention Postman’s Walk, most people initially reply with “Where’s that in Keighley?”  As you explain it is the section of North Beck, next to the Postal Sorting Office, on Oakworth Road, most local people usually give a look of amused horror, with the Keighley community recalling its reputation for litter, anti-social behaviour and being a general “Grot Spot”.
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Recent fly tipping......

..... and anti social debris at the pocket park

Given this reputation, Green Recovery Challenge Funding has been awarded to Aire Rivers Trust to carry out habitat improvement work on the site. Using money from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) via the National Lottery Heritage Fund we will be working with the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and The River Worth Friends and other local community groups, aiming to enhance the area both as a leisure amenity and wildlife haven. 
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​Indeed, we are looking to work with as many local organisations as possible throughout the project, hoping to co-ordinate their activities with River Worth Friends, which the Aire Rivers Trust works in long term partnership with. The intention being to bring real long term improvements to the the North Beck and Postman’s Walk area. If you or your organisation are interested in becoming involved with the site, please contact the project officer: Sam Riley-Gunn sam.riley-gunn@airriverstrust.org.uk Tel. ​01274 061902

​The project aims to focus on four main outcomes over the next 12 months:

1. To reduce the density of the tree canopy and non-native shrub layer around the site. The aim is to improve visibility through the area, making it harder for anti-social behaviour to be hidden within the site.
2. To establish a native wildflower woodland floor to replace the shrub layer and help prevent soil erosion around the beck. The project aims to achieve this by increasing sunlight reaching the woodland floor through the aforementioned tree canopy thinning, then sowing species rich grass seed and planting several thousand native plug plants.
3. To construct with community groups 20 bat and bird habitat boxes. Then install them around the site with the intention of establishing a breeding bird monitoring program in the area.
4. Finally, the overarching aim is to help support local groups such as the River Worth Friends and others to take part in restoring the site. We wish to secure in future a community sense of pride and ownership by involving local groups with practical and monitoring work in the area. The first steps are being made with this wider community involvement, beginning with 1st Keighley (Fell Lane) Scout Group volunteering to help construct bird boxes for the area. Alongside other key community links being forged via the Keighley Big Local scheme. 

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​Sam Riley-Gunn

View of the pocket park from the post office side. After initial work there is much more light and visibility.

The bank on the post office side of North Beck

Much of the undergrowth will be removed and planted with native species.

​If you know of a local community group which would like to be involved with this excellent and worthwhile project please contact Sam Riley-Gunn on 01274 061902 or email sam.riley-gunn@airriverstrust.org.uk