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Last chance to book subsidised places for GreenSpace conference A limited number of subsidised places are available for community group members at GreenSpace's next conference, Sustainable Parks: Sustainable Futures... |
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Bovril’s Great Outdoors Revival Bovril's Great Outdoors Revival aims to regenerate public spaces in the UK. Organisers are encouraging the public to nominate an outdoor project they feel could benefit from a revival... |
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Swap a plant for Thrive Thrive has launched a campaign to help disabled people to discover the benefits of gardening by delivering them a free box of plants worth £35... |
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Spotlight on Friends of Chorlton Meadows
Dave Bishop, Chair of Friends of Chorlton Meadows, South Manchester, shares his experiences in this issue's Community Profile... |
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GreenSpace News |
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Last chance to book subsidised places for Sustainable Parks: Sustainable Futures conference |
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Funding news |
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Bovril’s Great Outdoors Revival |
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General news and features |
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Swap a plant for Thrive |
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Events |
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February - April Guided walk series Organiser: The Royal Parks Location: London Contact: www.royalparks.org.uk/events The Royal Parks is running a series of guided walks across its properties. Booking is required. 2 March 2010 Sustainable Parks: Sustainable Futures Organiser: GreenSpace Location: Liverpool Contact: www.green-space.org.uk A one-day conference focusing on creating and managing environmentally sustainable parks and green spaces. 4 March 2010 Managing long-lapsed ancient ash pollards Organiser: Ancient Tree Forum Location: Gloucestershire Contact: www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk A one-day workshop to discuss the dynamics of managing long-lapsed ancient ash pollards. 14 March 2010 Meet Mother Nature Organiser: British Science Association Location: Reading Contact: www.britishscienceassociation.org.uk An afternoon event for families to learn about nature and biodiversity, with insect crafts, nature trails and earthworm charming. 25 March Growing the Future Organiser: Growing Schools Location: Oxford Contact: www.growingschools.org.uk A one-day conference aiming to support all teachers, from early years through to secondary level, who are interested in expanding and improving learning outside the classroom in their schools. 10 April Plant Swap Organiser: Thrive Location: Reading Contact: www.thrive.org.uk A one-day launch event for Thrive’s Plant a Difference campaign. Attendees can swap produce and plants to raise money for disabled gardeners. |
Community Profile |
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Dave Bishop, Chair Friends of Chorlton Meadows, South Manchester What inspired you to get involved with the Friends of Chorlton Meadows? I live near Chorlton Ees and Ivy Green Local Nature Reserve, in the Mersey Valley, South Manchester. For many years now I have been very interested in the area’s plant life. Soon after I retired the Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service asked for volunteers to set up a friends group. This seemed like a good opportunity to contribute to the conservation of an area that I am very interested in and a good way to spend my retirement. My fellow volunteers and I soon decided that the Friends of Chorlton Ees and Ivy Green Local Nature Reserve was too much of a mouthful and changed it to the Friends of Chorlton Meadows. What does being part of the group involve? • A surprising amount of bureaucratic form filling! • Fundraising • Planning and organising work days and other events • Communicating with other volunteers and the wider community. • A certain amount of hard, physical work • Learning about all of the plants and animals that live on the nature reserve • Writing articles for the Friends of Chorlton Meadows blog What do you feel has been your greatest success as a group? Raising consciousness in the local community about the importance of the area and its wildlife. The group is a very practical one, undertaking a lot of work. What advice would you give to other groups wanting to organise working days? Be aware that you will need the necessary insurance and training before you can pick up a bow saw or pair of loppers. We have received training in health and safety, first aid and tool handling. We’ve also had skills training in hedge laying, pond management and plant and animal identification. What have been the challenges of being involved with the group? • Developing a tolerance for filling out forms • Setting up a bank account and finding a competent person to act as Treasurer. Our Treasurer, John Agar, is extremely competent and patient and is much more tolerant of bureaucracy than I am! • Accepting the fact that some members of the group have jobs and family commitments, and therefore may not have as much free time to devote to the group as a retired person such as me. What advice would you offer a new friends group? • Decide what your priorities and objectives are and write a constitution • Appoint competent and committed officers, particularly a treasurer, and set up a bank account • Learn as much as possible about the area you have assumed responsibility for, particularly its plant life • Don’t assume that your first priority is tree planting! Tree planting has little to do with conservation (how can introducing new things into the environment have anything to do with conserving what is there already?) and can cause environmental damage by shading out existing vegetation and, eventually, by drying out the soil. What have been the challenges of being involved with the group? Hopefully, we can fulfil our greatest ambition, which is to find a way of managing the nature reserve’s grasslands so as to maximise their biodiversity. For more information on the Friends of Chorlton Meadows, visit friendsofchorltonmeadows.blogspot.com. ^^top |
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Community Bench is the online newsletter of GreenSpace aimed specifically at community groups. It reports on community green space issues across the country and the work of organisations and groups that take an interest in the green spaces. |
