New Partnership Connects Communities with Heritage and Nature at Parkwood Springs - Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust

The Friends of Wardsend Cemetery are delighted to announce a new collaborative partnership with Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust and National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET). This initiative will create exciting opportunities for local people to engage with heritage and nature across Parkwood Springs, Sheffield, by opening up access to green spaces and enhancing biodiversity.

Wardsend Cemetery Heritage Park is a unique hillside green space in Owlerton, rich with Victorian history and thriving wildlife. Since its closure in 1988, the cemetery has evolved into a mosaic of habitats, offering a sanctuary for nature and a place of reflection

As part of the agreement, NGET has leased its non-operational land near the Neepsend substation to Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust for biodiversity improvements, including habitat management and creation. Improvements to the land, which is adjacent to the cemetery, will enable improved connectivity and conservation efforts across the wider Parkwood Springs landscape.

The initiative supports NGET’s broader commitment to increase the environmental value of non-operational land by 10% against a natural capital and biodiversity baseline, delivering tangible benefits for both wildlife and local communities across non-operational land.

Howard Bayley, Chair of Friends of Wardsend Cemetery, said: “This is a significant step forward for Wardsend Cemetery Heritage Park. We’ve worked tirelessly to restore and conserve this space, and it’s fantastic to see its potential recognized as an accessible green space for the community.”