Cleck to go greener

The Friends of West End Park will be holding its first ever tree-planting day at the little-known park on November 19. The group will plant 420 saplings given to them by the Woodland Trust.

Cleckheaton Rotary Club will lend its shovel power to the event, and the Friends of West End Park hope to see families come along and muck in.

Chairman of the Friends group Martin Webster said: “I hope families will bring a spade and share the planting experience, then return to see ‘their’ trees grow in the future. We also aim to clear an area of weeds in preparation for a picnic area planned for next summer and the council’s parks department has promised some geo-textile (strips of fabric to put on earth to help drainage) and a truck-load of tree-bark which we’d like to spread too.”

Community links co-ordinator at nearby Whitcliffe Mount School Matthew Mckirgan praised the park and the scheme which he said would have wider benefits for the public.

“West End Park is a hidden gem in Cleckheaton,” he said. “I hope that the school will be able to contribute to the upkeep of the park and will have opportunity to promote use of this magnificent facility, for the benefit of all young people in the area.”