A POPULAR beauty spot enjoyed by families from all over Bolton is looking to its future, and wants the public's help.

The HIVE project at Moss Bank Park has launched a public consultation to find out how it can keep growing.

The family activity centre is led by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and runs activities throughout the year, with anything from food growing and bug hunting to forest skills and 'wild' parties.

Cuts in May meant it had to stop accepting self-guided public access and lose two members of staff – but demand to use the centre is still growing.

Senior project manager at The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, James Hall said: "Moss Bank Park is still an extremely popular attraction and we are receiving more and more demands on our time at the HIVE to offer more services for families and individuals with support needs.

"The purpose of the consultation is to find out how people think we should use the site going forward.

"Most people still think of Moss Bank Park as a key flagship park in the borough and we want to allow everyone to have the opportunity to have a say on the delivery of the HIVE.

"Losing two members of staff was such a negative thing but a positive has come from it as the site now works more as a community partnership. We have diversified its use.

"The real positives are we have more volunteers then ever before coming to the site."

The HIVE forms part of the original Animal World attraction which was managed by Bolton Council.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust is the lease holder for the HIVE and is supported by partners Johnson Fold Community Action Group along with a number of other community organisations, volunteers and local schools.

Around 100 people use the centre each week in various groups, including weekly Nature Tots sessions where anything from 20 to 90 children and families enjoy wildlife activities.

Mr Hall added: "It is really successful, averaging 20 children coming along and even more parents and grandparents. It's a real family event.

"The site is used all year round, even when it's snowing!"

Lancashire Wildlife Trust and partners said it wanted to maintain the ‘feel’ at the site while delivering additional activities to increase the amount of people benefiting from it and help secure the centre's long-term sustainability.

One option for the future of the site is to utilise areas of the previous Animal World attraction which are not currently used.

However, it warned, like all services at present, its finances remain extremely tight and while there may be potential for receiving short term funding it is vital that any additional activities can be sustainable.

An initial consultation has identified a number of potential options for the future. These include health and wellbeing activities, animal assisted ecotherapy, food growing, active events and volunteering.

The consultation links can be found at www.lancswt.org.uk/hive or a copy can be collected from the cafe at Moss Bank Park.

For more details about the HIVE contact bolton@lancswt.org.uk or call 01204 663754.