A CARING family business in Diggle has adopted a canal towpath stretch on its doorstep to help look after the local community.
Grandpa Greene’s, on Ward Lane, will maintain the strip between locks 31 and 32 of the Huddersfield Canal, which runs alongside their popular ice-cream parlour and café.
A team of volunteers has already braved snow flurries and bitter cold to spruce up the stretch by laying a stone path to the shop entrance.
Rick Scholes, 23, who runs Grandpa Greene’s with his parents Carole and Steve, was joined by his dad, friends Will and Barry, and Canal and River Trust workers Colin and Norman.
He explained: “The path along here used to get very muddy and people could slip all over the place. This will be a massive improvement.
“We’ve made it much more accessible for everyone, especially the elderly and children who love to come to see us.
“We’re delighted to be working with the Canal and River Trust. They have kindly supplied all the materials and equipment so we just had to carry out the work.”
Plans for further improvements include adding steps and a handrail, which should be completed this month.
Rick revealed he was inspired to take on the canal stretch after seeing the award-winning work the Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents Association has carried out on their own section.
He said: “They have done such a great job and we wanted to do our bit too. They’ve been really helpful and told us how to get started.”
Grandpa Greene’s was set up in 2005 by Carole to sell delicious hand-made luxury ice-creams and now boasts an indoor cabin as well as outside seating.
Customers can choose from a mouth-watering range of flavours including chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, American Cheesecake, Baileys and bubblegum. Their ice-creams are also on sale at Oldham Coliseum.
Guests can also tuck into drinks, including milkshakes and alcohol, and snacks from the café menu to enjoy in the sunshine.
Find out more about Grandpa Greene’s on their website or ring 0770 009 2581. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.
They are open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm.
