26 July 2007 12:52 Derbyshire community follows a safer path with help from Central Networks

The group received a £2,500 grant from Central Networks, which was used to build gates to deter motorcyclists, to build benches and to plant wild flowers along a popular countryside route.

The project is just one of the winning schemes rewarded by the company's £70,000 Safer Environment Fund, which makes money available for projects that can demonstrate a lasting and positive effect on the local environment.

Phil Wilson, Customer Operations Manager for Central Networks, said: "We wanted to put Central Networks at the heart of the communities we serve so we launched the fund to help create a safer environment for everyone.

"The footpaths in Findern are an important part of the local community and improving the safety of this new path will only encourage more people to come out and enjoy the outdoors."

Liz Froggatt, from the Findern Footpaths Group, said: "We put in a lot of effort to make sure our public paths are lovely, relaxing places for locals to stroll. We've been experiencing problems with motorcyclists, but the new barriers we've put up with the funding from Central Networks will ensure that the area won't be spoilt anymore."

The Safer Environment Fund is open to all local community groups and not for profit organisations with their own bank account located in the Central Networks distribution region, which covers central England. Groups can apply for grants of up to £2,500. For more information, and to download an application form, visit www.central-networks.co.uk/sef.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Central Networks is the new name for Midlands Electricity and East Midlands Electricity. The company brings power to 4.9 million customers across central England through 133,000km of underground and overhead cables and via almost 97,000 substations;
• Central Networks covers an area from the Peak District in the north to parts of Bristol in the south, and from the Welsh Boarders to the Lincolnshire Coast.

For more information contact:

Jamee Majid on 02467 183679

A selection of Central Networks images are available free of charge to the media by registering at www.newscast.co.uk and looking under the Distribution section.