RURAL skills in Cumbria have been given a boost with the news that the Dry Stone Walling Association and the National Hedgelaying Society Rural Skills Hub Project has been awarded a grant from the Government’s £40 million second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, a multi-million pound boost for green jobs and nature recovery

Ninety nature projects across England have been awarded grants from £68,100 to £1,950,000 to create and retain over 1,000 green jobs, backed by the Government’s £8 million Green Recovery Challenge Fund.

Work will be carried out on over 600 sites around the country, and combined with the first round, almost a million trees will be planted, contributing towards the Government’s commitment to treble tree planting rates across England by the end of this Parliament.

The launch of a Rural Skills Hub will ensure that essential traditional boundary skills and knowledge are passed on to the next generation via the delivery of information, advice, work placements and funded training and qualifications, thereby creating rural employment opportunities for young people and providing the essential skills to maintain valuable landscape assets.

The project will enhance people's connection with nature by delivering an educational programme to include experience days and the production of online resources.

A full time Rural Skills Coordinator will be appointed to deliver the project.

Paul Clayton, Chairman of the Dry Stone Walling Association said: “The funding received from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund will make a real difference to the opportunities for people to train in traditional boundary skills “