The team at people-powered conservation charity Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) held a special event to say ‘thank you’ to their volunteers.

The charity manages 15 sites across the district, with the aim of preserving and creating habitats for nature, and there are over 200 volunteers on its books.

“Some of our volunteers join us every session at sites such as Prinknash Abbey Walled Garden, Creative Shed at the Beeches in Cashes Green, Sarah’s Field in Berkeley and Rackleaze in Cam, while others drop in and help out at a time and place to suit them,” said SVP’s CEO Clare Mahdiyone.

“We love our volunteers! They make Stroud Valleys Project what we are: an organisation that works with communities to keep nature thriving. Our volunteers bring all kinds of skills to our projects – we even have a few internationally renowned nature experts on our books! That said, even if people don’t have any formal skills, we welcome them... as long as they’re keen to get stuck in!”

The event was held in Stratford Park’s Sensory Garden, which was itself created from scratch by SVP volunteers, with support from a range of community organisations and funding from the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund.

Volunteers took advantage of the amphitheatre, sitting and chatting while they enjoyed a selection of cakes and snacks. Some of the treats were provided by the Midcounties Co Op at Wotton under Edge; SVP manages a site nearby at Kingswood, where a piece of unused land has been transformed into a haven for nature, and the charity is the local Co Op stores’ chosen charity for the year.

“Although it wasn’t exactly a scorcher, we were pretty lucky with the weather,” concludes Clare. “The important thing is, we got to spend time with our volunteers and let them know how much we appreciate them.”

On Sunday August 11, from 1pm to 3.30pm at Wallbridge Fields Wallbridge Fields CIC and Stroud Valleys Project are inviting residents to join them at Wallbridge Fields for a community afternoon.

There will be activities for all the family, including a mini-beast hunt, a 'guess the species' game, and other wildlife-themed fun. SVP will also share the initial results of the wildlife survey of the site. Come along to the Wallbridge Fields entrance, just off Rodborough Avenue. Parking is limited so please walk or cycle if you can.

If you’d like to find out more about SVP’s work across the district, visit stroudvalleysproject.org.