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Help reopen Camley Street Natural Park

Funded on Spacehive 15 October 2019

Impact data and claims within this report are provided by the project creator and have not been independently verified by Spacehive.

Help reopen Camley Street Natural Park

London Wildlife Trust By London Wildlife Trust

We are transforming Camley Street Natural Park, our much-loved nature reserve & learning centre in Kings Cross. Help us build a beautiful new learning space for school groups & the local community.

Camden Delivery stage

346
backers
£32,770
raised
funded icon
This project was funded on 15 Oct 2019!

Camley Street was saved from being turned into a lorry park in 1982, by Londoners, for Londoners, and it has been protected for the community ever since. It is the only nature reserve to be found in the densely populated Kings Cross and is visited by thousands of local people every year. The old building, which was erected in 1984 and has accommodated thousands of visitors, had a certain charm but was slowly falling apart. It was leaking, the wood had started to rot, poor insulation meant that it was freezing in winter and the bathrooms and kitchen were not the best. Something had to be done! We undertook months of community consultation to decide what was needed, how the site could be designed better and what we could offer local people in the future. In 2016 we approached the National Lottery Heritage Fund to start our mission to replace the building. We were successful in securing £1,098,000 of the £2,166,500 needed. Now we need your help to get over the finish line!

What we'll deliver:

  • Building a bespoke new learning centre to accommodate twice as many school and local community groups.
  • A new volunteers room for our dedicated group of local volunteers who make Camley Street such a success.
  • A new on-site café for visitors to come and enjoy.
  • Outside seating area for visitors.
  • New outdoor learning area including invertebrate, wildflower, woodland and wetland zones.

Why it's a great idea:

Camley Street Natural Park is an oasis of calm for nature and visitors alike in the densely populated Kings Cross, a valuable space for the local community, which has supported and loved it since day one. Camley Street will provide a learning centre for visitors and school groups to learn about and enjoy wildlife, building a community of nature-lovers who will care for and protect our wildlife in the years to come. The building has been designed sustainably with thick insulation and natural lighting, therefore reducing the electricity needed in the space. With the benefit to wildlife always in our minds, the roof has been designed as a roosting area for bats and birds to nest in and the new outdoor learning area will ensure that the high visitor numbers frequenting these areas do not impact on the more wildlife sensitive areas down the other side of the park.

Steps to get it done:

  • Build a lasting and sustainable building
  • Fit out the building
  • Create and plant up new hedgerow and wildflower area
  • Refurbish and set up the new seating area on the barge
  • Install outdoor seating area
  • Create the new outdoor learning area

If you would like to donate above £100 you will have the opportunity to have a personalised plaque added to our supporter's wall on the outside of the building. The come in either brass or copper and can either be: A Kingfisher (for donations of £450 and above) A Dragonfly (for donations of £250 -£449) A Willow Leaf (for donations of £100 - £249) Please see the gallery for an image of the plaques. For more information on this offer, please see: https://www.wildlondon.org.uk/wildlife-plaques

Location Camden

About the space

Custom Location

Council

London Borough of Camden

How will the money be spent?Total £31,641

New building - £30,000 (95%)
Other - £1,641 (5%)

Costs Breakdown

This shows how money raised for the project will be spent. These costs have been confirmed by the project's Delivery Manager and verified.

95%
New building
£30,000
5%
Other Read More
£1,641
  • Spacehive fees
    £1,250
  • VAT
    £250
  • Transaction Fees
    £141

Overfunding

This project is enabled for overfunding. If the project hits its funding goal before the end of the campaign period, any extra funds raised will be spent (in order of priority) on:

  • 1) Fit-out of the volunteers' room (new lockers, tables and chairs), 2) Purchasing new plants for the area around the building, 3) Educational materials for school sessions and family events.

Total £31,641

Our Volunteer List

We're currently looking for people to offer skills and time to develop our project! Check out the list of what we need below and then use the 'Volunteer' button to the right to get involved.

Want to help?

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