Birds - Tree planting

Local councils and groups have been working with South Glos on the first year of a major tree planting programme. Across South Glos around 8,250 young trees have been planted. 

In Dodington Parish local councillors worked with residents to find out where they did and didn't want trees. For example they didn't want trees that would block where children play.

In Lilliput Park a class of children from Raysfield School planted 100 trees, helped by South Glos and Dodington staff and by volunteers from Avon Wildlife Trust Southwold Group. Before Christmas the same partnership helped schoolchildren create a wildlife flower area.

South Glos also planted trees near Goldcrest play area and along hedges around Abbotswood School, Kelston Close and near Chedworth. 

In all about 800 trees were planted in the parish. The extra trees will improve air quality and capture something between 0.5 and 5 tonnes of CO2 a year, bringing health improvements for local people.

Many of the trees will  have pollen rich flowers and fruit, ideal for birds (e.g crab apple, cherry and rowan), so there will be definite biodiversity gains.

Planting for the future - tree and hedge planting events

Local environment groups are organising tree and hedge planting events over the next few weeks. New volunteers are always welcome - you can bring your children or grandchildren too. Major tools are provided.

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group has work mornings on Sunday 18 February (this coming Sunday) and Saturday 17 March. Volunteers will be planting a mixture of native trees in the main woodland as part of a three-year planting project. They will also be pruning the local variety fruit trees and doing a litter pick - there are different types of work to suit everyone.

Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am. Please wear stout footwear, and bring gloves and a pair of secateurs if you have them. The Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve blog has lots of information about Wapley and other local wildlife events.


Lilliput Conservation Group will be planting short lengths of hedge and drifts of bulbs in Lilliput Park on Saturday 24 February and Tuesday 6 March, plus tidying up the hedgerows and planting and litter picking. Again there is something for everyone, and you can work at your own pace.


Meet at the Kingfisher Road gate at 10.00 am. Please wear stout footwear, and gloves if you have them. You can check out the Lilliput Conservation Group on Facebook for more information.

Lilliput Park Big Spring Clean this Tuesday

Please come and join members of Lilliput Conservation Group this Tuesday (4 April) from 10.00 am until 12.00. Litter pickers and bags will be provided - everyone welcome. Meet at the Kingfisher Road gate -  please wear suitable footwear.

Fruit trees for the future

Gloria and Malcolm Stephen with Mr Fruit

Councillors and friends recently planted some fruit trees in the Quiet Corner at Lilliput Park, to inprove the diversity of plants in the park. In future years they will provide welcome shade in the summer and fruit for local people later in the year.

If you would like to find out more about fruit trees, there will be a free Winter Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop at Wapley Bushes on Sunday 15 February.

The workshop tutor will be local fruit tree expert "Mr Fruit" (Graham White), who supervised the Lilliput Park planting. Advance booking is not needed - just turn up on the day. Meet at the southern Besom Lane entrance to Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, Besom Lane, Westerleigh, BS37 8RW, starting at 10am.

Linda Boon - she had  the best soil to dig in!

Paul Hulbert and Pat Cotterell had to use
a crowbar to get rid of the rocks in this spot.

Young people's project at Lilliput Park

Several projects have come to fruition recently at Lilliput Park. Dodington Parish Council and local young people have been celebrating the success of projects in the local community. SAY - the Social Action Youth Project - has involved young people working with residents to enhance the local area.

Around 15 young people from Chipping Sodbury School consulted local people about enhancements to Lilliput Park, and then they designed and painted benches which have been sited near the play area, and created a mosaic as a new entrance feature for the park.

Other young people have been working with residents in an elderly people's home in Yate.

The SAY Project was organised and led by Southern Brooks partnership, and some of the young people have used the project to gain qualifications in Youth Work. Dodington Parish Council provided practical support in installing the mosaic and the benches.

At a celebration event in Dodington Parish Hall, Cllr Paul Hulbert told the young people "We were very impressed by your imagination and hard work. You really engaged with the people who live near the park, and you've carried the concept through to a very pleasing result. You should be very proud of what you've achieved"

New play equipment for Lilliput Park

Dodington Parish Council is about to replace the wooden play equipment at Lilliput Park with something much more modern. The final choice of equipment was made by local children who answered the Parish Council’s survey. The equipment has been paid for by developers through the New Homes Bonus scheme. It is anticipated that the installation will take place 17-18 July.

New play equipment for Lilliput Park

The old play equipment for 8 to 13 year olds at Lilliput Park is falling apart due to the wood rotting. It's been there for many years, and now Dodington Parish Council is planning to replace it with modern equipment.

The Parish Council has just been awarded £20,000 for this project by the Frome Vale Area Forum, financed by the New Homes Bonus. A big thank you is due to all our local councillors who supported this!

The Parish Council is consulting local children and residents near the Park about the exact equipment to put there. There are two designs, both modern and imaginative, and the Council would like the children to have the main say. The consultation closes on 19 March.

If you want to know more about the project please contact Cllr Paul Hulbert on paul.hulbert@gmail.com or telephone 01454 315851.