Welcome Back Fund

The Welcome Back Fund is providing councils across England a share of £56 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support the safe return to high streets and help build back better from the pandemic.  Silloth Town Council have been allocated £12,857 by Allerdale Borough Council to carry out improvement work to the Eden Street play area which is located off the main shopping street and adjacent to the Eden Street bus stop.  The park was identified as an important facility which could be enhanced to make it more welcoming.

The funding has been used to create a graffiti wall, new seating,  a new Picnic area – including picnic benches, bins, new shrub beds and fencing around the picnic area.  Also new seating, picnic benches, bins and a new path into the play area to provide better access.  The graffiti wall, new picnic area, including new seating, picnic benches, bins and shrubs will make the park a much more welcoming place to be as we come out of the pandemic. It will provide somewhere for people to sit and enjoy some peace.   There are several food outlets close by and the picnic area will provide a valuable amenity for their customers to be able to sit outdoors and enjoy their food.

A local graffiti artist was employed who has done several other projects in the town and has worked with a lot of our local youngsters.  Volunteers from the Friends of Silloth Green helped the Town Council’s grounds maintenance team to give the wall a base coat of paint. Six youngsters from Silloth Youth Club under the guidance of the graffiti artist, helped with the design and painting of the wall.

Low maintenance seating and picnic tables have been chosen made from recycled plastic which have a 25-year guarantee.  Also, the bins chosen have bird flaps on them to deter gulls from raiding the bins and scattering litter.

Volunteers from the Friends of Silloth Green have assisted with the creation of the new shrub beds, location and size of the beds, type of plants to be used etc.  The planting was done by the Friends of Silloth Green, with some help from pupils from Solway Community School. The plants chosen will provide a colourful display all year round, as well as providing a valuable source of food for birds and insects. Bird boxes and bug hotels are also being installed.

A big thank you to everyone involved with this project.