Cash aid (From Gazette Series)

Cash aid

VOLUNTEERS from Cam will soon be searching for rare water voles, otters and other wildlife along the 12 miles of the River Cam thanks to a government grant.

The award, of £2,700 from Volunteering England, has been made to Stroud Valleys Project to enable co-ordinator Ray Sherman of the Cam Wildlife Group, along with 30 other local volunteers to survey the ecology, water quality, topography and land ownership along 12 miles of the river.

Part of the Year of the Volunteer 2005 Small Grants Programme, the award will help Stroud Valleys Project to take part in the Year of the Volunteer and make a difference in the community.

Volunteering England, in partnership with BitC, the Media Trust, TimeBank and Youth Action Network Youthnet are distributing small grants in order to enable and encourage more people to participate in the year by taking action to address the needs of their own communities.

Caroline Aistrop, director of projects at the Stroud Valleys Project said: "We are delighted to have been awarded this grant to help make a difference in the Year of the Volunteer. The grant will help volunteers to search for any signs of rare water voles and otters living on the river, both of which evidence suggests used to live there at one time.

"They'll also be recording plants and wildlife as well as sampling water quality, all of which will help to improve the management of the river as a resource for the community and local wildlife."

Ruth Johnson, director of grant-making at Volunteering England, said: "The Small Grants Programme provides groups such as the Stroud Valleys Project with a great opportunity to encourage and participate in new and exciting volunteering activities in their community.

"The Year of the Volunteer is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution volunteers make to society and hopefully this project will help to raise awareness and interest in volunteering and ecological issues in their local community."