Organisers behind the bid to land £50million of lottery money to open up caves in the Black Country are banking on people power to give them a head start in the race for cash.
The team behind A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park is urging residents to throw their weight behind the bid by logging onto a website and saying why the region deserves the cash.
The website allows visitors to make a pledge to support the bid, as well as showing video clips, artists’ impressions and behind-the-scenes footage of the area’s ambitious project.
Included on the site is a video by 80s pop star Toyah Wilcox, who is the face of the Black Country’s bid, and a four-minute film showing how the money will be used to revitalise the region.
The project aims to open up a network of caves and canals beneath Dudley as a major tourist attraction, revamp the town’s Wren’s Nest Nature Reserve, create a “green corridor” between West Bromwich and Walsall, and breathe new life into Wolverhampton’s canals.
It will battle it out for the cash against three rival bids from around the country live on ITV in December.
Dozens have already pledged their support and the project’s organisers hope hundreds more will show their support by leaving messages wishing the team good luck ahead of the showdown. Dudley borough geologist Graham Worton, who appears on one of videos on the website, urged people to log on and make a pledge to support the Black Country’s bid.
“It’s a very important website because it gives people the chance to view the different projects and have their say about them,” he said.
“We’re conscious of the fact that people living in the area might not know what the project’s all about and the website gives them the chance to find out about all the different elements that make up the bid. It’s a fabulous opportunity for the area and it would be fantastic if we won the money, but we need people’s support and for them to ring up in December and vote for us.”
To pledge your support click here.
4 Comments
Good-evening all!
What an excellent idea!The canals
beneath Dudley are just waiting to
be explored by the public at large,
many who have no idea of what,s
underground the place they are living.The canal scheme needs all
the support it can get!
FJ Bartling,former Dudley inhabitant,still proud!
What an excellant way to add more pollution.Estimated 1 million visitors,how many more vehicles? This is an excellant way to benefit the people of Dudley.Where are the benefits,cannot see any for health etc, maybe it will be already conjested roads.Maybe the kids, i dont think so.pollution kills.I can,t see any benefits,that is unless you have youe fingers in the pie.Remember voters of Dudley, after the lottery goes away,it,ll come out of joe public via your taxes taken by the council. Remember the vandels,fires,police etc ,security,cameras,how many more wardens.How can this be sustainable,easy with your money,your taxes, The 50 million giveaway,it,s your money they are using. We are,nt intelligent enough to know what to really do with it,like looking after the vunerable. Jail a pensioner for non payment of tax,that sounds more like it. They think it,s theirs they are giving away. It all seems a long time ago giving it to organisations not worthy,and slagged off in the press.Just who are these people who raid the coffers at will.The people have to beg and it.s their money,shame on the lottery.
Message 2 asks “where are the benefits” and answered in his first line “Estimated 0ne Milion visiters” surely it’s what Dudley and the Black Country needs!
Yes, the bid to get the lottery fund will need all the votes it can get.
So it’s upto the Blackcountry media, like the E@S who are keeping it on there pages to inform more people of this and keep it in the limelight until the day of voting.
The Black Country needs your vote, so tell your friends and family to spread the word.
all that’s missing from Joe Darby’s message is Bah! Humbug!
OK, it’s public money, but let us have some of it, rather than a privately owned Greenhouse in Cornwall, or an extension of a forest in Notts.