AN ARMY of volunteers is breathing a new lease of life into Harrow’s parks and wildlife areas.

The Green Grid scheme, run by Harrow Council, is encouraging volunteers to plant trees and shrubs and improve paths, which will expand educational opportunities and visits for schools.

Work has already started, with open spaces being cleared in woodlands at Stanmore Country Park and Stanmore Common.

Queensbury Recreation Ground, Bentley Priory Open Space, Roxeth Recreation Ground, Canons Park and Stanmore Common and Newton Farm Ecology Park are all earmarked for work as well.

Harrow Council’s divisional director of planning, Stephen Kelly, said: “Alongside providing opportunities for new development and investment into the borough, to support homes, jobs and regeneration, our vision has always been to celebrate and improve upon the large network of green spaces and links that extend across the borough, from the green belt to small green corridors.

“The Green Grid project represents a significant investment of staff and volunteer time in helping to make positive changes to the ecology and environment of the borough.”

Harrow Heritage Trust chairman, Martin Verden, of Moss Lane, Pinner, said: “The Green Grid is not just about improving our major conservation areas, such as Bentley Priory or Stanmore Country Park, it’s about linking all our green spaces together no matter how big or small.”

Volunteers put in 960 hours of work between them last year and planted 12,000 bulbs and 9,000 trees in the borough’s open spaces.

? For more information on the scheme, call 01895 422 730.