Seeking to Preserve Areas Wild & Natural

12/10/2026

Phew !! Lots done today...we had a couple of plans and we got them all done 💪
So we planted some bulbs in our flowers bed for next year 🌸🏵🌷🌼🌺 ..we removed lots of over grown brambles and dead grasses that were making the area look untidy.

Next we tackled the ivy that was beginning to cover the wall, Paul pulled up the old grass along the ground whilst Lisa and l cut the ivy from both ends..we're all really pleased with how it looks now.

The wild flower area was the hardest to do..all three of us cut and removed the old foliage that has had its time and has no more to give, we litter picked in there too....why on earth are people chucking cans and alcohol bottles in there rather than using the bin they're approaching

🫩makes no sense 🙄

There's little insects and other creatures living in the flower bed and they and can get stuck and trapped inside, plus it looks unsightly

😢...just use the bins we've put there please 🙏

Huge thanks to Paul👈 for his hard work today, clearing up, pulling up grasses, engaging with the passing public and turning up every week, ready to get stuck in and always giving 100%

Missing our great buddy Nigel ..we're missing you and sending you lots of love 🫂

S.P.A.W.N meets on arranged Sundays from 11am until 1pm at The Frog entrance on Ormond St
We welcome any volunteers...
You don't have to stay the whole two hours, stay as long as you can 😃
We always have refreshments and provide any tools ...so some along and join us 😃

09/10/2026

SPAWN will be out doing an autumn gardening task this Sunday 11am-1pm.
New volunteers very welcome. If you like gardening come and join us for an hour or two. Meeting at the frog entrance to the gravel pits, Ormond St off Radcliffe Road, Darcy Lever 🐸🪏🧹

04/10/2026

04/10/2026

Is there a hero out there that can help repair our narrow boat planter? We would very much appreciate it if someone could volunteer 🙏

17/08/2026

SPAWN met up yesterday with our loyal team determined to make this little area welcoming, and pleasant for wildlife and the general public 😃

First job was to replant and tidy up the planter by Ormond Street 🌻🌷🪻🌹
Next we cut back the low over hanging branches by the flowerbed- this made the area look lighter and brighter 😃
A tidy in the flower bed was important..we filled up the waters, then left apples for the Deer and hungry birds.
Nigel is our Balsam basher who arrived with gusto and his own slasher💪 and was determined to make a difference with this invasive species and YES he DID make an impression!🥀
Thanks for your hard work x
Balsam.. be ware !! 😆

Paul spent alot of effort removing the branches and chopped down Balsam from the main area, we like to leave the place tidy and free from any debris so if we get visitors, they can see the pride we have for the place. He did get some bites which we gave cream for so l hope his legs are feeling better ? You did a great job Paul- thank you x

The two bushes near the gate have been trimmed so that looks a lot neater too...all in all- we're happy with our work.

Bins were changed and we had to clear away rubbish again that had been left 😠

We're NOT a litter picking group!

We do clear all sorts that is strewn all over and that included blue bag of someone fish and chips chucked in the grass..at least 5 steps from the bin 🙄
Makes you wonder what goes through people's minds 🤔
By leaving rubbish, litter louts make our volunteering harder as we have to clear up before we start our planned jobs 🫤

When we work at The Frog Entrance we like it to be clean and clear of debris 😀

We meet at 11am and finish at 1pm.
Volunteers can come and go as they please, even if they can only stay half and hour it helps 🙂
Tea, coffee, cold drinks and biscuits are always with us and sometimes homemade cake 😋

Hope to see some new faces next time 😃
Again thanks to Paul and Nigel as always x

19/07/2026

Last Sunday SPAWN was out doing a gentle gardening task due to the hot weather. Melanie started by cutting back some overgrown branches, big thanks to Simon for doing a brilliant job of climbing tall ladders and sawing the branches. We managed to harvest a crop of plums which were left for any wildlife to feast on. Paul and myself got the butterfly nets out followed by exploring our mini ponds. Nice to see nature thriving in our area 🦋🐞🪲🐛

10/07/2026

SPAWN will be out this Sunday doing a gentle gardening task with the weather being so hot. We’ll be getting out the butterfly nets to do some identification and seeing what we can find in our mini ponds. If you would like to join us between 11am-1pm pop down, newcomers welcome. Meeting at the frog entrance to the gravel pits, Ormond St, Darcy Lever 🦋🐞🌺

03/06/2026

Nettles are very important for butterflies without them some species may decline. If you have nettles in your garden leave a small patch for butterflies to lay their eggs. These caterpillars will turn into the Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly 🐛

31/05/2026

Housekeeping task!! 🌱☘️🍃☘️
(not weeding 😜)
We had LOTS to do today as our boat planter, wildflower garden and flower bed all needed tidying up. We had fresh sand to lay on the Bee Bank, bins to empty and to remove some excess grasses that were threatening to choke some newly planted flowers ..so we set to it !!

Nigel joined us bashing Balsam on the way here.. and on the way home 😀
Paul was very helpful by taking the bin bags to the allocated spot where they can be collected officially. He's also started to make a Bug Hotel, that might attract other creatures not just mini beasts so fingers crossed 🤞

Thanks to Nigel for all your hard work today, joining in with any help needed or just seeing what needs doing and doing it- your advice for my sign was welcome too 😁

We have a couple of new signs regarding the long grass🌱 and insects 🐞so keep a look out ☺️
There are some mown areas so please use them to avoid stepping on any teeny wildlife in the grass thankyou.... 🦋
Mowing done by Richard Williams and he has made the path along the flower bed look pristine 👌

So we still have more tidying to do, we have plans to repair the boat and make sure our wildflowers have room to breathe and grow 🥰

We welcome any help..💪
Our tasks start at 11am until 1pm.
There's no pressure to stay the whole 2 hours,
stay as long as you want. We always have hot and cold drinks, biscuits and sometimes homemade cake 😋