Monday 17 June 2019

Recognition for New Ferry Butterfly Park and its Volunteers


Hilary Ash, Linda Higginbottom and Ian Jones with Wirral Mayor, Councillor Tony Smith.

New Ferry Butterfly Park won the Liverpool Echo Environment Award in the Community Impact category (see blog post on May 3rd).

All the Echo Environment Award winners from Wirral with the mayor

Three representatives (Hilary Ash, Linda Higginbottom and Ian Jones) attended the Mayor’s Parlour on 5th May for tea and cakes, along with the other award winners from Wirral, to be congratulated by the current mayor, Councillor Tony Smith.

Certificate awarded to the volunteers at New Ferry Butterfly Park

The first week in May was also National Volunteers Week and a celebratory event was held at the Town Hall by Community Action Wirral. A certificate was awarded to all the volunteers who run New Ferry Butterfly Park as recognition that they make a difference to Wirral.

Volunteer Conference



11th August

A thank you event for Cheshire Wildlife Trust volunteers. A nice mixture of talks, workshops and networking opportunities.

The volunteer forum will be at Bickley Hall Farm.

The day will involve a catch up with the Cheshire Wildlife Trust staff and an opportunity to hear about up and coming projects. It will also provide you with some time to take part in an interactive activity, whether that be a walk around the reserve, getting stuck into some gardening or creating a craft item.

To register your interest for any of these, please email volunteering@cheshirewt.org.uk

Monday 3 June 2019

Woad You Believe It!


Woad in the Eastham Rake station car park. Photo: Hilary Ash

Have you heard of woad, the blue dye with which the Romans said the Picts painted themselves?

Since the invention of chemical dyes it has ceased to be a crop plant and become a rarity in Britain. To our surprise it turned up in Eastham Rake railway station car park a few weeks ago, and has now formed its distinctive seeds, like little paddles. It is growing round the bases of two lamp-posts. The ground round the lamp-posts and some of the car park edges have been sown with a wild flower mix (well done Merseyrail). Ox-eye daisy, bacon-and-eggs and red clover are flowering and being much enjoyed by the local bumble bees.

Woad in the Eastham Rake station car park. Photo: Hilary Ash

Hilary Ash