Tuesday 11th March 2025 – Woodnook Vale
On Tuesday 11th March 2025 the Hyndburn’s Woodlands Volunteers were back at Woodnook Vale LNR carrying out some Invasive Non-Native Species management.
This time, it took the form of Small-leaved Cotoneaster removal. The coverage of this shrub was quite extensive as it had been allowed to grow for many a year.
The main issue with this plant is its density and coverage, which tends to prevent any foliage growing underneath it, reducing the overall species diversity and reducing the prevalence of native species. Some bird species also eat the berries, which retain through Winter and so offer an appealing snack, this is turn helps the plant spread far and wide through seed dispersal.
Initially, all of the branches must be cleared away until just a small stump remains, which makes mechanical removal via digging the roots out much easier.
We are happy to say we have cleared two large shrubs, with one more on the radar.
Thank you to our amazing volunteers who help us keep Hyndburn’s Woodlands native
As always, thank you to our funders at Lancashire County Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, and the Windfall fund for making it all possible
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Over 300 Trees Planted at Knuzden Recreation Ground
Tuesday 25th February 2025 – Bat Box Making
On Tuesday 25th February 2025 the Hyndburn’s Woodlands volunteers had a change of pace from our usual activity session! Today, we created 9 bat boxes from scratch that will be installed around Whinney Hill woodland to create habitat space for bats!
We followed The Wildlife Trust methodology for our boxes, which is available to view HERE
Everyone had a great day making the boxes, it was very much an appreciated change being dry inside a building!
Thank you to our amazing volunteers who have helped us create habitats for UK wildlife!
As always, thank you to our funders at Lancashire County Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, and the Windfall Fund for supporting our work, and making it all possible
Free Wildflower Seeds for EcoFest 2025!
To get ready for EcoFest 2025 in Accrington Town Centre on Saturday 14th June 2025, PROSPECTS will be handing out free wildflower seeds.
We will be handing them out at events and in our shop at 54 Broadway, BB5 1EW.
Be sure to keep updated on our events by checking our calendar or signing up to our e-newsletter.
The seeds are a mixture of 26 annual and perennial wildflowers. The annual flowers ensure you get some colour the first year and act as ‘nursery’ plants, shielding the perennial plants whilst they establish their roots and get ready to bloom the following year. Perennial plants can live for many years and will continue to flower yearly. Annual plants will die after one year and will only appear next year if they can get their seeds on to bare ground, so you may not see them again after the first year.
To sow them, you can sprinkle them on to any patch of bareground, e.g., in a pot/planter or on your lawn. Lightly tread the seeds in so that they are covered by soil. The seeds can cover an area of 0.5m2 but you can spread them as far as you like. To give your mini wildflower meadow the best chance, choose an area of low nutrient soil. Then once the growing season is over, cut the vegetation and remove it from the area. We do this on a bigger scale at Pleck Meadow.
This is also the case for our wildflower bombs that we make at crafting sessions.
The wildflower seed mixture is Boston Seeds’ Bees and Butterfly Seed Mix. See below for the full contents:
- Common Agrimony (Perennial)
- Borage (Perennial)
- Wild Clary (Perennial)
- Red Clover (Perennial)
- White Clover (Perennial)
- Corn Cockle (Annual)
- Cornflower (Annual)
- Ox-eye Daisy (Perennial)
- Wild Foxglove (Biennial)
- Common Knapweed (Perennial)
- Greater Knapweed (Perennial)
- Purple Loosestrife (Perennial)
- Wild Marjoram (Perennial)
- Meadow Cranesbil (Perennial)
- Musk Mallow (Perennial)
- Common Poppy (Annual)
- Ragged Robin (Perennial)
- Sainfoin (Perennial)
- Field Scabious (Perennial)
- Small Scabious (Perennial)
- Teasel (Biennial)
- Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Perennial)
- Kidney Vetch (Perennial)
- Viper’s Bugloss (Biennial)
- Yarrow (Perennial)
- Yellow Rattle (Annual)
Tuesday 11th February 2025 – Whinney Hill
On Tuesday 11th February the Hyndburn’s Woodlands Volunteers were back at Whinney Hill woodland carrying out some Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) removal. This took the form of removing 3 large Cherry Laurels from the site, along with a few much smaller Japanese Spotted Laurel (Variegated Laurel).
Volunteers first used loppers to clear away much of the foliage, leaving the main trunk exposed. Bow saws were then used to fell the remaining tree using a traditional ‘V notch’ technique.
We also carried out a litter pick in the opened up area as the density of the INNS had attracted quite a lot of litter.
The arisings from the INNS management were put to good use as a fence bordering the area of felling had fallen into disrepair and needed supporting back into place. The Woodland’s volunteers put their extensive dead-hedging experience to work and created stakes from suitably large limbs, which were driven next to the fence to sure it up, and others were driven a metre behind it. The remaining brash was then slotted between these stakes to create a dead-hedge.
This gives the fence structure, provided space for wildlife, and improves the aesthetic value of the area.
Thank you to our amazing volunteers who helped us maintain Hyndburn’s Woodlands and improve space for wildlife.
As always, thank you to our funders at Lancashire County Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, and the Windfall Fund for making it all possible
Citizens gather for the first of our Climate Action & Me events!
Starting off with a talk about the science of climate change
Participants were asked to record what climate acions they were already taking
Particiants taking part in an interactive activity
Our zero waste refills shop was available on the night
Hyndburn’s Nature Reserves February 2025 Newsletter
2024 happenings at Miller Fold Allotment
In the last garden session of the year in December, our volunteers at Miller Fold Allotment pruned our grape vine which had happily sprawled across half the polytunnel during the growing season. Grape vines are best pruned around the winter solstice as their sap starts to rise early in the spring and thinning them out means there’s more grapes to enjoy the year after! This marked a ‘putting to bed’ of the garden after a busy year of planting, growing and harvesting and clearing at Miller Fold Community Allotment over the past year.
Last January the garden was looking slightly dog-eared and unkept but since then the community gardeners have worked hard to create a productive, functioning hub for local food growing and events. We’ve cleaned, cleared and planted the polytunnel, cleared paths, repaired the water butts, installed hedgehog and toad houses, painted the noticeboard, pruned currant bushes, made a new sign for the garden, and started remodelling the bird feeder. In the past year we have grown broad beans, lettuce, peas, rocket, sprouts, cabbage, runner beans, carrots, radishes, dill, parsley, tomatoes, chard, spinach and coriander, and harvested apples, blueberries, plums, strawberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants, raspberries. We’ve also run sessions making bird feeders, apple juice using local apples, and willow weaving!
Projects for the new year include creating a willow sculpture, revamping our bug hotel, pruning the apple trees and prepping the beds ready for another full-on year. We’re in the garden almost every Tuesday morning from 10am till 1pm. Feel free to join us for a session, or pop in and say hello on your way past. We’re a friendly bunch and always happy to have a chat over a brew and a biscuit.
Friends Of Arden Hall & the Coppice – March 2025 Meeting
As part of the new Hyndburn’s Nature Reserves project, PROSPECTS is looking to kickstart the return of the Friends of Arden Hall & the Coppice community group with the support of local project officer, Robert. The group has been responsible for a number of improvements at the site since its conception and will do so for many more years providing the continued support of the local community.
We are hoping to have an in-person meeting in March 2025 to discuss the future of the group and get activities up and running again.
If you have any interest in Peel Park & the Coppice LNR, please don’t hesitate to come along. Please contact robert.gabryszak@prospectsfoundation.org.uk, 01254 230348 or call in at 54 Broadway, Accrington, BB5 1EW to express your interest.
Furthermore please contact Robert if you have queries or want an update on the Friends Of group.
Tuesday 28th January 2025 – Woodnook Vale LNR
On Tuesday 28th January The Hyndburn’s Woodlands Volunteers were at Woodnook Vale LNR for a different kind of session!
This week, we were joined by Imogen, from Imogen Storey Gardens, who kindly offered her expertise on live Willow structures! Imogen showed myself and volunteers how to correctly weave live Willow into a desired shape so that it grows into a frame.
The Willow structure in question has been on Woodnook Vale for many years but has fallen into disrepair. The aim of the project is to get the Willow Arch back into its ‘domed’ shape that will offer shelter for the two benches present. The arch is located along Woodnook Vale LNR, just below the entrance to Jubilee woodlands. W3W location is baker.removes.mended
Activity funded by Lancashire County Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, and the Windfall Fund.
Oak Sapling Rescue Success! (January 2025)
An exciting week to be an oak sapling!
On Monday 20th, the TreeACTION Project teamed up with Hyndburn's Nature Reserves Project to rescue some small oak saplings at Peel Park & the Coppice LNR.
These little trees are planted accidentally by Jays when they forget the location of their acorn cache! As the heather is a vital habitat, they would eventually have been cut down. We dug up 60 oaks to give them a brighter future elsewhere in Hyndburn.
On Tuesday 21st, the smaller oaks were potted up at our Tree Nursery, allowing them to grow stronger before they’re planted next year.
Lastly, on Wednesday 22nd, 15 of the larger oaks found their new home at Harvey Street in Oswaldtwistle - a beautiful way to complete their journey in just three days!
A huge thank you to our incredible and hard-working volunteers 
Oak Sapling Rescue at the Coppice
A freshly dug up Oak Sapling
A volunteer holding an Oak Sapling
Potting on the Oaks at our new Tree Nursery
Re-planting the larger Oaks at Harvey St
Climate Action & Me – A Community Workshop
Concerned about climate change?
Join the PROSPECTS Foundation for a free, interactive workshop all about climate action. We will be busting common climate change myths, giving out top tips for having climate conversations, and discussing the very best ways that we can ALL take action.
Get your free tickets here: TICKETS
Happy Holidays from PROSPECTS! 2024
2024 Volunteer Christmas Celebration!
Volunteers also got free brews at the bar.
Our Treasurer getting in the festive spirit!
Quiz!
Our Volunteers at the bar!
Digging into the buffet!
Tuesday 17th December 2024 – Whinney Hill
On Tuesday 17th December the Hyndburn’s Woodlands Volunteers were back at Whinney Hill woodland! This week, we found a new ‘treasure trove’ of fly-tipping that was previously unknown to us.
Throughout the session, we removed bags of old clothes, building waste, settee cushions, fencing mesh, and plenty of garden waste
Overall, we removed well over 20 bags of rubbish and fly-tipping from the site. The area is now looking a lot cleaner but work remains to keep the area tidy.
Thank you to our wonderful volunteers who give their time to help keep Hyndburn’s Woodlands clean from rubbish!
As always, thank you to our funders at Lancashire County Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, and the Windfall Fund for making this all possible.
Tuesday 10th December 2024 – Tree Nursery Allotment
On Tuesday 10th December the Hyndburn’s Woodlands Volunteers lent their hand to the TreeACTION Project’s newest site, the tree nursery allotment!
This site, once it is up and running, will be used to grow native provenance species which can be used around the district of Hyndburn for tree planting sessions! Trees with native provenance means that the seeds used to grow the trees have been collected from within the area they are to be planted at a later date. This ensured that local genetic compositions remain the same and helps preserve an areas biological heritage.
For the session, the woodland volunteers set about clearing the 7 sheds on the site. This was a tremendous effort with an incalculable amount of waste being removed from the buildings.
We are happy to say all the sheds are now clear and usable.
Thank you to our amazing volunteers for helping us get this site up and running, the future residents of Hyndburn will be in your debt for all the wonderful, locally grown trees they will enjoy in the future!
As always, thank you to our funders at Lancashire County Council, Hyndburn Borough Council, and the Windfall Fund for making it all possible
Come On Down to our Volunteer Christmas Party!!
