DHL helps to deliver improvements to Long Itchington’s Lilac Park

Terri Du Bois enjoys the sensory walk at thr Lilac field with her children Esme, 5, and Evie, 7, plus Janet Whitehead.

A group of volunteers acting on behalf of the Parish Council have been working on the Long Itchington Leisure and Community Project (Lilac) to develop an area of land bought by the council.

In the past few years Lilac has overseen some major improvements to the land, which included the installation of the jogging track, car park, gates, planting of numerous trees and a hibernaculum to home rare great crested newts.

Sources of funding have been widespread and have included Cemex, Big Lottery, Stratford District Council, Warwickshire County Council and most recently DHL, which donated more than £7,000.

The parcel delivery company provided volunteers whose work included upgrading ‘Matty’s Bridge’, planting a wildflower meadow and 30 fruit trees for an orchard and adding park benches and picnic tables.

Surplus funding also paid for new signs, planters, more trees and a contribution to the area’s sensory walk.

The Long Itchington Brownies will own and maintain the planters to celebrate the group’s 50th year.

Parish councillor Russ Wheatley has thanked those who contributed and praised the DHL team for their dedication and overall value to the project.