New faces are always welcome to join our Nature Volunteers who meet once a month to work in Barton Farm Country Park.
Led by our Green Spaces Officer, activities vary from month to month and include creating wildflower areas, pruning and deadheadging, planting and protecting trees, removing invasive Himalayan balsam and helping at the tree nursery.
Kate Nicholls, a volunteer with the group for the past 20 years, says it’s a rewarding way to learn countryside skills and become part of the community.
“I’ve learned an awful lot about plants, care of trees, why weeds are good,” she told us.
“It’s so nice when people say we’re doing a good job and we can share what we’re doing and why.
“We want to inspire people to learn a bit more about the countryside bordering our town and to feel they are part of it.
“We love to have new people join and they don’t need to know anything. They will learn just as we have done. One of the lovely things about the group is meeting with like-minded local people.”
Caroline Watson who took her two children to the group when they were young said: “The children loved it – a morning spent in the undergrowth, wielding loppers and saws, eating far too much chocolate cake and not minding how grubby we became.
“Lifelong skills were learnt during those Saturday mornings and they also created very many happy memories.”
If you’re interested in joining our Nature Volunteers, head over to our volunteering page and complete the sign up form.
- the Nature Volunteers meet on the second Saturday of every month – and under-18s must be accompanied by an adult at all times.