Footpath opened as tribute to former council worker

A new footpath has been opened at a Bradford beauty spot in memory of a former council employee who died suddenly.

Dedicated to Barrie Tinker, a former Bradford Council parks and landscape manager who died in 2008, Tinker's Trail will provide access from the Woodside entrance into Judy Woods.

Mr Tinker's widow, Janet, said: "We can think of no more fitting memorial for Barrie, who would have been honoured to be linked permanently to this woodland trail. When not working he loved to walk, away from the traffic, and believed that everyone could be enriched by the beauty of natural surroundings."

The footpath was officially opened yesterday by Mrs Tinker.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bradford Council's leisure services worked with the Friends of Judy Woods to create the footpath along with kissing gates, two environmentally friendly picnic sites and native shrubs and trees en route.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the council's executive member for environment and culture, said: "This new path will open up the beautiful Judy Woods so more people can enjoy the woodland. It is a fitting tribute to Barrie Tinker who worked so hard for the council in the parks and landscape service for 35 years."

The footpath has been funded through the Community Spaces programme.

The Community Spaces grants programme is managed by Groundwork UK as a partner to the Big Lottery Fund. Community Spaces is part of the Big Lottery Fund's Changing Spaces initiative.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The grant scheme, run by Groundwork UK, represents a 200m investment in England's green spaces to improve them for local people.

Peter Walker, chairman of the Friends of Judy Woods, said: "We are grateful to a number of people who have helped us with this scheme. We are particularly grateful to Phil Chambers who acted as adviser on the specification of the footpath, Bradford Council woodland manager Bob Thorp, contractor Simon Thornton and Ian Butterfield from the Forest of Bradford.

"We were also pleased to be offered additional funding and support from Bradford Council's leisure services to extend the project and provide picnic facilities and other general improvements."