High Scores for Butterfly Park: North West In Bloom Assessor Report

The North West In Bloom assessor's report on New Ferry Butterfly Park

We have previously reported on the success of New Ferry Butterfly Park in the RHS North West in Bloom Awards. The judge’s report revealed that we had scored 93/100 points!

Our judge, Jason Lambert reported back on his visit on July 24th:

On arrival I was met by eight volunteers: Phillip, Linda, Steve, Daisy, Claire, Peter, Charles and Yan. The Park has a Community Green Flag and has had this for twelve years. This is their first time entering North West In Bloom.

There are so many activities that go on at the Butterfly Park - it's truly amazing the work that is done by all the volunteers. They also host corporate days with local businesses such as Marks & Spencer and Astra Zeneca. They also have lots of local schools that come and use the site regularly, together with Beavers, Scouts etc. Some of the volunteers go out to do talks in the evenings and weekends to other groups about the site and ecology and they provide practical support for their projects.

When I was given the tour of the site, I was amazed how the site had been transformed from a former Railway Sidings into a truly amazing space teaming with wildflowers and insects which are listed on the notice boards all around the site and are changed regularly for each season.

North West in Bloom Awards for Butterfly Park

The RHS run many schemes to encourage and acknowledge gardening in the widest sense. Wirral is in the area known as North West in Bloom (NWIB).

Last year Phil Putwain, chairman of New Ferry Butterfly Park, broached the idea of applying for an award as it is open to small, volunteer led community groups.

An initial visit from an RHS judge was made in January and we were encouraged to submit an application. This involved creating a portfolio with information about the three areas that would be assessed: community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.

Common blue butterfly at New Ferry Butterfly Park.
Photo: Roy Lowry

New Ferry Butterfly Park has always been run by volunteers and been involved with the local community. The initial idea came from Mel Roberts who lived in a house overlooking the site. Over a thousand people came to our Opening Day in May, we took 450 people on guided visits and had 1050 visitors on Sunday afternoons this year. In total we have counted 34,890 visitors in the last 21 years.

About 50 volunteers are actively involved in practical management, wardening and hosting groups. Volunteers also do outreach events to publicise the Butterfly Park, going to schools and other organised events and giving talks.

Environmental responsibility is a keystone of our nature reserve and, as well as maintaining varied habitats within the site, the plants and insects are well and regularly recorded. Butterfly transects are carried out to give a reliable record of species found and changes over time. Monthly photography of the site and wildlife provide a valuable record.

Mel's Garden - a demonstration garden growing pollinator plants

Gardening achievement has been interpreted based on our identity as a nature reserve. We have Mel’s Garden, our demonstration garden growing pollinator plants, and similar plants are sold on Sunday afternoons.

In July, Jason Lambert, an RHS Judge, came on a visit. Volunteers from different areas explained what they did and we gave him a comprehensive tour of the Butterfly Park. He admitted to being very impressed by what he saw and told us that assessment of entries would take place in July and August. We wouldn’t know the outcome of this until the Awards Ceremony in October.

On October 30th three volunteers set off to the venue at Bolton Wanderers FC stadium to await the results.

There are 5 levels of award, one to five. Imagine our delight when, on our first time of entering, the Butterfly Park won a Level 5 - Outstanding award.  However, that wasn’t all. We were presented with a certificate and trophy as winner of the NWIB Gardening for Wildlife (Biodiversity) award. What an accolade for New Ferry Butterfly Park!

New Ferry Butterfly Park's Outstanding award!

Our certificate for the NWIB Gardening for Wildlife (Biodiversity) award

The NWIB Gardening for Wildlife (Biodiversity) trophy

All our volunteers deserve the greatest congratulations for their continued support of the Butterfly Park. The awards are testament to everyone's dedication. 

What a great end to this year's opening season!

Linda Higginbottom
Volunteer Co-ordinator

Ron's Rotary Club Award

Ron Warne (on right in Christmas jumper)
after being given his award from the Rotary Club

We are very pleased to congratulate Ron Warne for his recent award from The Rotary Club of Birkenhead.

Ron was awarded the Sam Lamour Award for Developing Youth. This is because he has quietly worked to ensure that the world young people will inherit will be a good physical environment. He has provided support for the amazing fundraising by Woodchurch High School pupils, by identifying a system whereby funds raised can be shared amongst voluntary groups that aim to improve Wirral's environment.

Ron was a recorder with Wirral Wildlife for some years, recording small mammals and plants. It is due to his good offices that Wirral Wildlife has received generous funding from Woodchurch High School's fundraising activities, for heathland restoration work at Cleaver Heath. Also New Ferry Butterfly Park has received funding towards a new large barrow.

Royal Society of Biology Medal for Botanist Eric Greenwood

Eric Greenwood, with his wife Barbara, in their garden
at the presentation of the President's Medal from the Royal Society of Biology

Eric Greenwood CBiol, FRSB has been presented with the President’s Medal of the Royal Society of Biology. He was awarded the Medal in 2020 in recognition of his work with the local RSB branch, but was unable to receive it due to Covid restrictions. However at a recent happy event in his Heswall garden, Eric was presented with the Medal by members of the North Western branch of the RSB surrounded by friends and family.

Back row, L - R: Jean Wilson (RSB), Dr Alan Bedford (RSB), Chippy Wielopolska, Dr Hugh McAlister, Mike Clapham (RSB), Stephen Ross, Robert Freath, Dr Hilary Ash, Dr Thomas Evans (son-in-law).
Front row, L - R: Barbara Greenwood, Eric Greenwood, Dr Emma Greenwood (daughter).
Photo: Lesley Sutherland.

Eric was Keeper of Botany at the Liverpool Museum, becoming Keeper of the World Museum Liverpool. He was largely responsible for securing the large Lottery grant to enable the Museum’s major redevelopment, before retiring in 1998. He was responsible for setting up the North West Biological Field Data Bank ensuring that local naturalists’ records did not get lost. This eventually led to Record and Mersey Biobank, who today do the same work electronically, and pass records to the National Biodiversity Network. Eric is the author of Hunting Plants and Flora of North Lancashire, the latter being an accumulation of systemic survey work of the region’s plants over the course of 46 years.

Eric's President’s Medal from the Royal Society of Biology

Following retirement, Eric remains an active member of the botanical community, even though he has retired as the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland’s vice-county recorder for VC60 (West Lancaster). He has acted as botanical advisor to Wirral Wildlife’s recording team for years, identifying difficult plants especially grasses, sedges and orchids. He is still doing much botanising in Wirral, finding new plants and re-finding old records.

The other side of Eric's Medal

Eric was nominated by Jean Wilson MBE CBiol FRSB, current vice chair of the North Western branch of the RSB. She commented: “I would describe Eric as a gentleman biologist, always polite and completely professional. He is still passionate and committed to the natural world, and is a man for whom I have the greatest respect.”

Professor Sir Ian Boyd FRSB, President of the RSB writes: “I want to offer you my sincere congratulations on your award and to thank you for your hard work over many years’ association with the North Western branch, and for your extremely long-term Fellowship support over many years. Your significant contribution to the Society is very much appreciated and I hope that this is reflected in the award of your President’s Medal”.

Rotary Club Award For Dr Hilary Ash

The Rotary Club of Bebington have an award named in honour of a previous president, the Harry Partridge Community Award. This is given annually to someone who has made a considerable contribution to the community in the Bebington area. This year the award was given to Dr Hilary Ash, for her work at New Ferry Butterfly Park and for her work on the Green Belt review and other planning issues. The award was presented at the Charter Anniversary Dinner on 1st July.

The photographs show Hilary with retiring President Ron Warne, who just happens to be one of our biological recording volunteers. Hilary is keen to stress that, "All I do is as part of wider teams, on the Butterfly Park and as part of Wirral Wildlife.”

Butterfly Park Wins Liverpool Echo Environment Award

Last night, at an award ceremony at Stanley Park in Liverpool, our reserve, New Ferry Butterfly Park, won the Liverpool Echo Environment Award in the Community Impact category.

Congratulations to everyone involved in this wonderful urban nature reserve. It's the Open Day on Sunday 5th May from 11 am to 4 pm so do come along and join in the fun.

Congratulations also to the other Wirral winners:

Green School of the Year - Heswall Primary School

Carbon Champion Award - Wirral Metropolitan College

Young Environmental Champion - Elizabeth Gadsdon - The Little Collector

Environmental Champion - Emily Gleaves - Waste Not Want Not

See the Liverpool Echo website for a full report and photo gallery.