The Parish Council will be supporting the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal again this year by putting up lamppost poppies across the Parish. Thank you to Rob of the Parish Environmental Team who will be out in all weathers this week to put the poppies up.

This year we have a number of the large poppies for sale for a minimum donation of £3. All donations will go to the Poppy Appeal.

The Poppies can be purchased from the Parish Office in Lawley Square. We are open 10am until 3pm ( until 12.30pm Wednesday 18th October) in Lawley Square.

Telford’s Parish Environmental Teams recently came together at an event in Town Park to celebrate five years since the first teams were set up as a joint partnership arrangement by Parish Councils, Telford and Wrekin Council and Telford & Wrekin Services to provide an enhanced service to improve the local environments.

There are now 13 teams serving the urban area of Telford and their job is to make a difference by keeping their Parishes areas cleaner and greener.  In addition to the environmental work being done by the teams, the initiative has provided new training opportunities for young people with 33 apprentices completing the training scheme.
In Lawley and Overdale Parish our PET carry out environmental maintenance such as cutting back shrubs and hedges, clearing leaves and debris from footpaths, planting and maintaining flower beds, mowing grass verges and painting benches in addition to maintaining public green spaces in Lawley, Dawley Bank, Old Park and The Rock.

We have received positive feedback from our councillors, residents and visitors to the Parish on the regular environmental works that are undertaken. The PET make a significant difference to the whole area and have also created a community garden which is being used by groups from the Parish for education and for pleasure.

We are proud of our PET team and the work they do.

Following reports of large numbers of dead fish in the pond last week, the Environment Agency have been out to test the water. There is no problem with the water but the Officer reported that the pond is very heavily overstocked and the fish are dying due to lack of oxygen.

They have suggested a number of solutions, which are currently being considered by Telford & Wrekin Council. However, they have also asked that residents please stop feeding the fish and wildlife in the pond as this is adding to the problem.

Signs will shortly be put up around the pond reinforcing this request.

The Parish Council has established a new Community Garden in Lawley on land leased from Telford & Wrekin Council. The area is designed to provide a relaxing garden environment for local residents, a venue for Community Events and educational projects and a haven for wildlife and insects in an area which will have seen over 3500 houses built by 2025.

Funding for the project was given to the Parish Council from their Ward Pride Funds by Councillor Jayne Greenaway, Councillor Jacqui Seymour, Councillor Mark Boylan and the late Councillor Clive Mollett, all of whose Ward Boundaries are adjacent to the Garden.

The area was previously used by a local Community Group but has been overgrown and little used for a number of years. It has been transformed in recent months by the Parish Environment Team who have re-stocked flowerbeds created a Community Herb Garden built raised vegetable beds and put up bird and insect boxes.

The Parish has sourced materials and plants from local suppliers wherever possible. The wildlife boxes and Noticeboard have been made by the Woodwork Team at the Skills and Enterprise Hub at Horsehay and the herbs for the Community Herb Garden were purchased from Meadowdale Garden Centre at Horsehay, who have also generously donated many of the shrubs planted in the flowerbeds.

A number of local Community Groups will be using the Garden for environmental projects and the area will also be used by the Parish Council and Bournville Village Trust Community Team to hold Community Events.