Author: Colin Andrews

  • Working Party, January 2025

    Working Party, January 2025

    Having survived both the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the group returned refreshed and raring to start 2025, and to continue the good works it had undertaken in 2024. As it turned out the first task was to continue a job started in the summer of 2024, to clear the existing ditch that runs along…

  • Working Party, December 2024

    Working Party, December 2024

    The volunteer team met as usual on the second Tuesday of the month outside the tool store up by the café, on a wet and windy morning, ready for action! It had previously been agreed that we would remain flexible regarding tasks to be carried out at this time of year due to the weather,…

  • Working Party, November 2024

    Working Party, November 2024

    The Rangers had identified a buddleia bush for removal which is an invasive plant, not native to the UK. Half of the team headed to the eastern end of the park and was able to cut the bush back, although the root system (pictured below) requires special equipment due to its size. The same team was…

  • Working Party, October 2024

    Working Party, October 2024

    We were joined by the wonderful team from the Newbury Building Society for our working party this month. The weather was overcast with occasional light drizzle, but not enough to dampen our enthusiasm for a number of tasks. With the augmented numbers we had the opportunity to split into two groups, with one group (pictured…

  • AGM, September 2024

    AGM, September 2024

    After our regular Working Party we met as usual at the Holly Blue for our coffee and cakes and also held our inaugural AGM. We were joined by Charlie (who kindly took the photo for us), one of the Rangers from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, who gave us an update on the planning for…

  • Working Party, September 2024

    Working Party, September 2024

    The recent site review had identified an area requiring thinning to allow more light in and encourage ground based plants to thrive. The Rangers had already surveyed the area and marked trees and bushes which needed to be removed with a blue spray (which showed up really well despite the rather gloomy weather conditions). So…

  • No Dig Regenerative Gardening, September 2024

    No Dig Regenerative Gardening, September 2024

    On Wednesday 4th September the Beggarwood Wildlife Group hosted a “no dig regenerative gardening” presentation in conjunction with Natural Basingstoke. The presentation was delivered by two founders of Worthy Earth who are a local company but also have several market gardens across the south of England. The presentation was held at the Orchard and was…

  • Working Party, August 2024

    Working Party, August 2024

    As can be seen in the photo of the live hedge the weather for this month’s working party was a little menacing… We managed to tidy up the hedge a little before the rain fell heavily and then retreated to the Holly Blue for some shelter and well earned coffee and cake. The Flower Boxes…

  • Flower Boxes, July 2024

    Flower Boxes, July 2024

    In a bid to develop the flora and community relations within Beggarwood, a community project to position two large flower boxes at the cafe in the park was formed. This project included the Beggarwood Wildlife Group, Stratton Park Men’s Shed and Hatch Warren Community Centre. Men’s Shed kindly agreed to build these boxes and did…

  • Marbled White Butterfly, July 2024

    Marbled White Butterfly, July 2024

    Whilst working together as a group we also learn more about the plants and animals in our local park. This photo was taken on one of the impromptu litter picks in the park. The lovely butterfly was identified as a Marbled White by another group member.