Wigan Greenheart Landscape Recovery

03/09/2026

The LWT Wigan team is working on “rewiggling” a brook has been straight for 100 years. Brookside Brook, at Victoria Fields, between Hindley and Bickershaw, was a wiggly brook until it was straightened along with its valley, by mining companies during the Great Depression.

The LWT team, with support from the and , are working to make the brook meander again, forming a more natural habitat for wildlife, with pools, riffles and embankments for burrowing.

Crucially, the works will also help to slow the flow of water into a high-risk flood zone along the Hey Brook corridor. At the same time, we are also working to clear paths on both sides of the valley to make the area more accessible for local people.

19/08/2026

Our Wigan team has started work on Barlow’s Farm and Victoria Fields, Hindley.
It is part of the wider Wigan Greenheart Landscape Recovery Scheme, restoring habitats and protecting wildlife across the borough. Working with Forestry England, we are creating ponds and building bunds around the meadow to make a wetland area for flood defence and to create a habitat for wildlife.
This vital work has been funded by The Veolia Environmental Trust and Wigan Council and is part of the wider Wigan Greenheart Landscape Recovery Scheme, which is restoring habitats and protecting wildlife across the borough. 💚🌳
Read all about it here 👉 https://www.lancswt.org.uk/.../wetland-work-water-voles...
Discover the wider project here: https://www.lancswt.org.uk/wigan-greenheart-landscape...
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27/11/2024

Join Borsdane Wood & Rayner Park Friends Group's Free Weekly Welly Walks! 🚶‍♀️🚶🌿

Put on your wellies and join the community group to explore the woods every Friday leading up to Christmas! Enjoy activities like scavenger hunts and singing—it's the perfect way to embrace the Christmas spirit in nature with your family and friends.

Date of the first walk: 29th November (this Friday!)
Time: 10 am
Gathering at: The tunnel of Borsdane Woods (the entrance on Hindley Mill Ln, WN2 4BT)

See you there!

21/11/2024

🌿Have you noticed the beautiful gardening work at Hindley Station? 🌿

A big thank you to Sheila from the Friends of Hindley Station for taking us on an inspiring visit to learn about the history and ongoing development of their fantastic community project at Hindley Station. We discovered their incredible efforts, such as planting fruit trees, wildflowers, and replanting the Christmas tree bases! 🎄

But that’s not all! The group is also dedicated to creating habitats for our local wildlife, with initiatives like insect hotels and birdhouses. 🐝🐦This work is vital for connecting all the Greenheart sites, such as Borsdane Wood and Whelley Loop.

It’s amazing to see how everyone in our community can contribute to wildlife and well-being.💚

Visit Greenheart Friends of Hindley Station - The Official Site

19/11/2024

We've been out and about filming an exciting new video about the Visit Greenheart Landscape Recovery Scheme. Keep your eye out as we'll be sharing the video asap. 👀📽️

Huge thanks to Wigan Council, Forestry England, Natural England and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for being amazing partners in the project and taking part in the film.
Standby Productions Ltd

14/11/2024

Get ready for Light Up Leigh this Sunday, 17th November! Join the magical parade with lanterns, illuminated puppets, live music, and dance from 4:30pm, starting at Gas Street.

You could also explore the 'Beyond the Surface' exhibition at The Turnpike Gallery from 2pm to 4pm before the festivities light up the town! ⭐️

Down to Earth
The Turnpike Gallery

There's less than a week to go until Light Up Leigh!

Presented by Down to Earth, WigLe Dance CIC and The Turnpike Gallery , Light Up Leigh will be brightening up the streets in a community-led parade on Sunday 17th November 2024.

Expect twinkling lanterns, giant illuminated puppets, mystical lights and flags, and spectacular live music and dance performances through the town centre.

The gallery will be open from 2pm to 4pm, so pop in and have a look around our 'Beyond the Surface' exhibition before the festivities begin!

The parade sets off at 4:30pm from Gas Street next to the Spinning Gate Car Park and will travel throughout Leigh town centre before finishing at Leigh Civic Square, where you can enjoy a magical light installation and an evening of exceptional live music.

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13/11/2024

Exciting news:
The Borsdane Wood & Rayner Park Friends Group is very excited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first tree planting in Rayner Park by the Council! Please join them for a fun and meaningful day of planting trees, bulbs, and scattering wildflower seeds with students and teachers.

Date: 15th November (Friday)
Time: 10 am
Location: Play Area of Rayner Park, Danes Avenue

Let’s make some great memories while helping Rayner Park grow for generations to come. 🌳🌳🌳

Borsdane Wood & Rayner Park Friends Group

07/11/2024

💚 A big thank you to everyone who joined our consultation and co-design workshops for the Wigan Greenheart Landscape Recovery Scheme!

We’ve wrapped up our final session, 'Your Greenheart Talking Shop,' and we're thrilled to share this infographic to capture the collective insights.

We’re exploring ways to connect the amazing local conservation efforts already underway across Wigan. As always, if you have any new ideas or observations to share, we’d love to hear from you! Please stay connected for our updates.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust - North Lancashire Reserves Wigan Council

05/11/2024

🌍Exciting News!💚

The public consultation for Greater Manchester’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy is just around the corner! From 15 November 2024 to 31 January 2025, we invite you to share your thoughts on how we can make Greater Manchester greener, healthier, and more sustainable. Please join the upcoming event at Wigan:

Place: Town Hall Atrium, Wigan
Date: 18th November
Time: 1 pm - 4 pm

For more information, please visit 'GMCA’s Plan for Nature Recovery':
https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/natural-environment/our-plan-for-nature-recovery/public-consultation-get-involved

This is the perfect chance to voice your ideas and learn more about the plans. Your input is super important to us! 🌍💚

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

31/10/2024

🎃👻Happy Halloween! 🎃👻
Why not take a stroll through your local woodlands and discover the fascinating fungi that sprinkle some enchantment across the autumn landscape?

It’s the perfect time to find incredible fungi that add vibrant colours, a hint of mystery, and a touch of Halloween magic to your outdoor adventures.

Lace up your boots and visit the nature reserves on your doorstep to witness the magical world of fungi! Happy haunting! 👻🍄🍄🍄