Explore the environment and history of Lilliput Park (5 August) and work morning (1 August)

Instead of the Saturday work morning in August, there will be an opportunity to explore the park's environment and history.

Have you wondered what the park was originally, before all the houses were built? Do you know where the water in the streams comes from? (well, admittedly not at the moment!)

Come and join us at 10.00 am on Saturday 5 August, and find out what the volunteers of the Lilliput Conservation Group have been up to over the last few months. We'll be starting from the Kingfisher Road gate.

And how about giving the volunteers a hand to get the park ready for the event? We'll be up there from 10.00 am on Tuesday 1 August for a couple of hours to make sure that the area looks its best, again meeting at the Kingfisher Road gate.

We look forward to seeing you at either event.

Sixth Green Flag Community Award for Wapley Bushes

Local environmental volunteers have been delighted to hear that Waoley Bushes Local Nature Reserve and the Orchard for the Future have gained the Green Flag Community Award for the sixth year running. The Reserve is among a record-breaking 1,797 UK parks and green spaces that will today receive a prestigious Green Flag Community Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

The Nature Reserve is an area of meadows and woodlands which is very popular with local people of all ages. It is managed by the volunteers of the Wapley Bushes Conservation Group on behalf of site owners Dodington Parish Council.

Committee member Paul Hulbert said “We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the sixth time. We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Wapley Bushes to such a high standard”

“The real credit for this award must go to our hard-working volunteers, and to Dodington Parish Council for their unfailing practical and financial help”

"Our reserve is a mixture of flower-rich meadows, ancient woodland and younger plantations. We work closely with South Gloucestershire Council and the Southwold Group of the Wildlife Trust, who provide us with very valuable advice"

Please support us at Waitrose this month!

We are please to tell you that amonth the good causes for Chipping Sodbury Waitrose customers to support this month are. Wapley Bushes Conservation Group AND the Southwold Group of the Avon Wildlife Trust - both very local enviromental organisations.

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group looks after the meadows and woodlands of Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve plus the Orchard for the Future. AWT Southwold Group members help at Wapley and maintain other local wildlife areas such as the Nature Reserve area in Kingsgate Park, and the Link Road Pond opposite Yate Shopping Centre.

Please support these very worthy causes - by placing a token in the Community Matters box at your local branch you’re helping your community. At the end of your shop in branch, you’ll receive a token to place in a box of the good cause you’d most like to support. The more tokens a cause gets, the bigger the donation they receive. Each month every Waitrose branch donates £1,000 (£500 in Convenience shops) between 3 local good causes chosen by customers.

Good work morning - with added radio!

Radio Bristol's Martin Evans and Sach with our volunteers

We began Sunday's work morning with a visit by BBC Radio Bristol's radio car. Presenters Martin Evans and Sach were starting off their popular treasure hunt programme Clueless, and we told them a little about the nature reserve. You can hear us on the 16 July programme here for the next 28 days - we start about 13 minutes in.

Our eight volunteers trimmed round the fruit trees to give them some room for growth. We also gave the area a really good tidy up.

The meadows are just starting to go past their best, but there are still plenty of butterflies and moths to be seen as you walk through the long grass.

Butterflies and bees at Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve

There is a wide range of insects on the meadows at the Reserve at the moment. As well as the bees and the butterflies, you may catch a glimpse of lovely dragonflies (no photos of them, sorry!)

Wapley Bushes Summer Fruit Tree Pruning Sunday 16 July

As well as pruning stoned fruit trees such as plums and gages, we shall also be attending to odd jobs on the reserve.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.