THE Friends of Mount Farm Way Pond have found a friend in a local homebuilder which stepped in to help with improvements to the green space in Great Sutton.

Residents of the Foxall Way Estate formed the community group to improve the pond and adjoining green space, with support from Cheshire West and Cheshire Council park development officer Andy James.

They’ve made great strides to regenerate the previously neglected pond bordering Mount Farm Way and Foxall Way through a series of community days.

The group successfully applied to Redrow’s Ledsham Community Fund for financial support and received almost £600, which they used to purchase a duck house and bird feeder.

Resident Jo Evans explained: “The aim of the project is to have a positive impact on wildlife while providing a well-cared for, enjoyable, usable green community space.

“Community days have been attended by residents of all ages. They have encouraged a sense of belonging as residents have begun to form relationships with people living in the area and informal support networks are being established. The days have also had a positive impact on volunteers’ physical and emotional health.

“Thanks to Redrow we now have a lovely new home for a brood of moorhens in the centre of the pond.”

Since 2016, Redrow has shared more than £25,000 to around 30 projects local to its Ledsham Garden Village development.

Elaine Mounsey, area sales manager for Redrow Homes (NW), said: “The Friends of Mount Farm Way Pond have done a fantastic job in not only improving greenspaces in the neighbourhood, but bringing people together.

"While we’re more accustomed to building homes for humans, we were happy to be able to support the project by providing a bird house. It’s great to see moorhens have been making good use of their new home.

“Looking after wildlife and the natural surroundings is important to us too. As a responsible homebuilder we aim to create desirable neighbourhoods with the natural environment at their heart. For example, at Ledsham Garden Village we will be providing 100 acres of open space for residents to enjoy.”

Ledsham Garden Village will eventually become a sustainable new community of up to 2,000 homes.

Redrow’s voluntary community fund in the Ledsham area is in addition to more than £13 million the homebuilder is investing in the local area to support the growth of the neighbourhood.

This funding has been allocated towards a new primary school, off-site school provision, new and improved bus routes, better playing fields / play facilities, and improvements to local shops and health facilities. There will also be a total of 500 affordable homes built.

The next project for the Friends of Mount Farm Way is raising enough money to have the pond dredged and to introduce a bacterial treatment to balance and reduce the sediment. Find out more at www.facebook.com/MountFarmWayPond.