Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, was set up in 1996 and is based in Clapham currently with 14 members of staff. We work with a range of partners including The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, National Trust, Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, Environment Agency, Youth Hostel Association, Field Studies Council, Learning Skills Council, District Councils, Craven College, landowners, farmers, community groups and others to grant aid conservation and training skills projects in the Yorkshire Dales.
To date (March 2004) we’ve delivered over 600 projects worth more than £11m in 6 years..
EnviroNet, In our first year, we were awarded £4m from the Millennium Commission for a 4 year programme of projects to conserve the natural and built heritage of the Dales, known as EnviroNet. Over the 4 years, additional funding of £5m (secured through partner agencies, applicants, European funding) was attracted into the Dales.
350 projects were completed, benefiting the local economy, as labour and materials were sourced locally wherever possible.
There were 12 categories of projects including wildlife conservation, walls and barns, village and access improvements, and historical features.
Dales Living Landscape, In 2001 we started work on a three year programme called Dales Living Landscape and are now well on track to complete this in March 2004.
One project that was jointly funded in 2002/03 by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Park Authority was the Malham Access Heritage Strategy
Dales Heritage Education and Training
The aims of this project are to help local businesses benefit from heritage conservation funding; to teach skills which lead to jobs in harmony with the local environment; to develop the potential of volunteers; to provide learning experiences for groups under-represented in their use of the area; and to develop links between training providers and employers.
The project is being delivered (with the current programme due to end in March 2004) by an enthusiastic and committed partnership of local training providers, employers and statutory and voluntary organisations, co-ordinated by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. Co-funding has come from these partners, Yorkshire Forward and a Heritage Lottery Fund grant obtained through YDMT.
