A FRIENDS group for a Colne nature reserve is appealing for unemployed people to take part in an environmental volunteer project.

Friends of Greenfield Local Nature Reserve are part way through their second set of funding to run an environment management skills training course.

Last year they secured £7,000 to run the project at the nature reserve, off Whitewalls Drive, taking on three unemployed people and teaching them about the reserve and how it is managed.

And this year they secured £9,000 from The Big Lottery Fund Awards For All grants, to pay for six people to take part.

The sessions run on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the reserve, safety wear is provided and volunteers are trained in health and safety as well as having the opportunity to gain an NVQ level 2.

Annette Hawkins, secretary of the Friends of Greenfield LNR said: “Last year we had three people take part in the project and it was very successful. This year we decided to expand to six people after we managed to secure £9,000 of funding, but we have found that we have not managed to fill all the places. We want people who are keen and have an interest in nature. If possible we would also like some women to take part. All the participants get to undertake an NVQ level 2 as well as gaining many other useful skills.

“The course is free for them and they get a free hot lunch at ASDA each day to the value of £5.”

The project takes place at Greenfield Nature Reserve which is on a former flood plain of Colne Water.

The reserve was once the