Janey Wall praises Wild Amersham’s efforts at Amersham Hospital, including orchids!
Orchids are quietly blooming in the grounds of Amersham Hospital. They’ve sprung up on what was, until two years ago, tended lawn.
Now, thanks to Wild Amersham, the hospital is restoring native wildflower meadows on sloped areas. The move has triggered an explosion of species, some familiar, others arcane, many with fascinating folkloric associations. Bee orchids are the star attraction, named after their stunning bee-like velvety pattern, designed to lure in males to try to mate and pollinate the flower. Inches away: a pyramidal orchid. How did they get there, you may ask. As volunteer Marieke Bosman explained on a wildflower walk, the orchids’ seeds are tiny and can be carried far by wind. No human hand was involved; the orchids self-seeded.
The Chilterns’ chalky ground is also key. Described as the “rainforest of Europe”, lowland chalk grassland – if left untouched – is one of the continent’s most diverse plant communities, hosting up to 40 species per square metre. A botanist last year counted 140 species across the new patches of wildflower meadow at Amersham Hospital.
The most prolific species this year is the oxeye daisy, which is flourishing waist-high on a slope near the hospital’s new heat pump. Other species include the delicate harebell, clover and aromatic wild strawberries. There’s the curiously named ribwort plantain (not related to bananas), ploughman’s spikenard and cut-leaved cranesbill.
Soak up some sun & defrazzle at the Rest & Refresh Pop-Up Café at Lindengate Gardens
Experience Peace and Purpose at Lindengate Mental Health Garden
The Lindengate mental health garden in Wendover offers a calming and restorative escape for people of all ages. Nestled beside the Blue Diamond Garden Centre, this six-acre haven is nurtured by over 130 passionate volunteers aged between 13 and 90. The garden is more than just a peaceful space — it’s a place of community, care, and connection.
Rest & Refresh: Music, Culture and Nature
From June to September, Lindengate invites you to its monthly Rest & Refresh café — an open event combining free garden access, light refreshments, and local live entertainment. On 19th July, enjoy bluegrass and folk with the Old Time Pickers. On 16th August, delight in the tradition of Cracklewick Morris Dancers, followed by the melodic Star Fluters on 20th September.
Supporting Mental Wellbeing Through Nature
Lindengate specialises in social therapeutic horticulture, helping individuals manage anxiety, stress, depression, and grief through nature-based support. Weekly group sessions are small and welcoming, offering a safe and structured setting to relax and heal.
For those living with dementia or memory loss, the Memory Pathways programme runs every Friday morning. This inclusive initiative also supports carers, giving everyone involved a gentle, grounding experience.
Whether you visit for a wellbeing programme, a community event, or a quiet walk among the trees, Lindengate mental health garden is a space for everyone. Here, nature nurtures — and visitors leave feeling restored.
For full info about these, and volunteering, please click here.
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Thames Basin Heaths Partnership Heath Week events run from July 28th to August 3rd & they hope to see you there!
Discover the Magic of Heath Week 2025 with Thames Basin Heaths Partnership
Thames Basin Heaths Partnership (TBHP) invites you to join Heath Week 2025 from July 28th to August 3rd. This free, week-long celebration is packed with family-friendly activities to help protect the precious heathland across Surrey, Berkshire, and Hampshire.
Explore, Learn, and Protect Heathland Together
Heathland is a rare and beautiful ecosystem that supports unique wildlife like nightjars, rare butterflies, and six native reptile species. During Heath Week, you can:
Discover fascinating heathland wildlife
Take part in interactive quizzes and creative nature crafts
Explore scenic trails and join expert-led walks and talks
Meet the passionate TBHP team and partners dedicated to conservation
If you bring your dog, look out for Heathland Hounds offering free advice, dog treats, and info about new dog-friendly walks.
Heath Week 2025 Event Highlights
Monday, 28 July
Butterflies and Other Things with Wings, Chobham Common, 10am–1:30pm
By joining Heath Week, you help raise awareness of this special habitat. Your involvement supports conservation efforts that protect heathland’s rare wildlife and natural beauty. Whether you’re a nature enthusiast, dog walker, or family looking for outdoor fun, Heath Week offers a wonderful way to connect with nature.
Plan Your Visit
Mark your calendar, bring your family and friends, and get ready to enjoy a week of discovery, fun, and conservation. Learn more about the Thames Basin Heaths Partnership’s work and other year-round events at TBHP’s website.
Please note events are subject to change. Follow the events calendar for up-to-date information here.
Oxfordshire couple Richard and Sian Liwicki, aged 65 and 62 years, have just completed a month-long cycling trip along the longest river in France to raise funds for local charity Wild Oxfordshire
In spite of awful weather they pedalled more than 1,150km along the Loire, climbed a total of 11,200m, carrying all their belongings in paniers.
The couple planned the trip and organised all the logistics themselves. Richard says: “We had cycled the Rhine before so we knew what we needed to pack, and how to organise and navigate all the stages in this long trip. We trained for weeks. What we had not planned for was the wettest September in France in 25 years. We cycled through two icy storms and faced strong headwinds in the mountains. We regularly got wet so getting dry for the next day was an added challenge. However, we knew we could not stop and the French locals were incredibly helpful and kind. Motorists are used to a vibrant cycling culture in France.”
Sian who has been a supporter of Wild Oxfordshire for many years adds: “We wanted to really spend time getting to know this beautiful part of France and travel sustainability. We used public transport to get to the start and for our return journey. We wanted to raise funds for nature in Oxfordshire because we knew it would spur us on during this challenging trip. We were even more determined when we heard that Butterfly Emergency in September.
“Cycling is our way of experiencing and celebrating nature up close. We wrote a wildlife and travel blog along the way, and it was inevitable that we would make comparisons between our county along the Thames, and the Loire countryside.
“Our friends and family have been very encouraging and we are over half way to hitting our target of £7,000. We have just got to get around to telling everyone that we made it!”
Camilla Burrow, Cheif Executive Wild Oxfordshire, says: “As a long-term supporter of Wild Oxfordshire, we’re so delighted and grateful for Sian and Richard’s fundraising efforts. The funds will contribute towards our work enabling more people to take action for nature across Oxfordshire. Our sincere thanks to all those already contributing to nature’s recovery, and we look forward to working with even more people in the future.”
You’re all invited to create your own autumn fundraising challenge to help Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) restore our wondrous nature.
BBOWT’s Big Wild Walk aims to be the biggest yet to encourage wildlife lovers to raise money and help restore nature across its three counties.
Supporters can create their own challenge, whether a trek through town or a long-distance hike in the countryside, in any way that suits them. The funds raised will support wildlife recovery and contribute to BBOWT’s mission to see 30% of land well managed for nature by 2030.
Image: Zsuzsanna Bird
Image: Laura Snell
This autumn BBOWT is encouraging participants to nominate friends and family to get involved too, with #NominateForNature. A digital fundraising pack will support everyone by providing a sponsorship sheet, distance-tracking form and social media posts.
The Big Wild Walk takes place across from Monday, 21st October, to Sunday, 3rd November. It’s half-term for schools and a great time for all ages to enjoy the great outdoors. Sign-up at Big Wild Walk.
Liz Shearer, community engagement director at BBOWT, said: “This challenge is the perfect chance to plan your autumn adventure and take it at your own pace! I love nothing more than putting my boots on and exploring the outdoors, and there are some wonderful place across our counties to do this, including more than 80 nature reserves.
“While you’re on your walk, you can listen out for wintering birds and spot mushrooms growing among the trees, all against the orange, bronze and red autumn backdrop. It’s also a great opportunity to raise money for The Wildlife Trusts, including BBOWT, to help us create more nature everywhere, for everyone. What are you waiting for?”
Rhiane Fatinikun, founder of Black Girls Hike and ambassador for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Dip your toes into the outdoors this autumn, and join me, as well as thousands of others, to experience the joy that nature can bring. Supporting children, families, and individuals to get outside is a cause which is so close to my heart, as well as an incredible opportunity to raise money for a WILDlife-changing charity. Sign up today to get involved with The Big Wild Walk!”
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has opened its annual nature photography competition for 2024 with new categories and prizes
Nature lovers of all ages are being invited to submit their best shots of animals, plants, people and scenery at BBOWT nature reserves and in the community.
This year the vote is also being thrown open to the public, with a new ‘People’s Choice Award’. There’s also an extra category for mobile phone photography.
This year’s top prizes include a high-spec birdbox camera, an exclusive wildlife photography masterclass with GG Wildlife Experiences and all winners will have the chance to see their photos featured in the Trust’s 2025 wildlife calendar. There are also bundles of nature books for younger entrants to win for their schools.
Rachel Levis, BBOWT’s Head of Events, said: “We’re thrilled to launch our photography competition again this year. It’s always such a treat to see so many amazing photos of wonderful wildlife taken on our patch. This year we have introduced a People’s Choice Award, which is a great way of getting our supporters involved with the very tricky judging decisions.
“The mobile phone has opened up nature photography to almost everyone, so we’re please to include a new category for that this year. Anyone from a six-year-old with a phone to a professional photographer with all the kit can enter – so why not send us your best shot?”
Categories: • Children (ages 6-11) – in any of the categories. • Teens (ages 12-17) – in any of the categories. • Birds • Mammals • Butterflies & other insects • Our nature reserves • Urban nature • Taking action for nature • Mobile phone photography
Examples of last year’s winners/ runners up:
Photographs for most categories must be taken on BBOWT reserves, and all must be taken in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire or Oxfordshire. The closing dates for entries is Monday, 26th August. Entries received by Sunday, 28th July, will also be considered for the People’s Choice Award.
Steve Gozdz of competition sponsor GG Wildlife Experiences added: “Wildlife photography can require patience but can be very rewarding – spending time in nature and capturing ‘that moment’ with a bird, mammal or insect can turn a glimpse in time into a real memory that can be savoured and shared with others. You never know when those ‘moments’ will occur, take your camera wherever you go and be aware of the beauty in nature around you.”
In need of gardening inspiration? Visit Stonesfield open gardens and pick up some tips
Enjoy the glory of nine open gardens in Stonesfield on Sunday, 23rd June, including some which have never been open to the public before.
Organised by Stonesfield Gardening Club, a number of gardens are opening in aid of local charities. There are a variety including a mix of flower beds with a productive vegetable garden including soft fruits and apple trees. The lawns are slowly being left to become meadows.
A garden for wildlife where you are asked to pause a while, maybe sit for a few minutes, smell the roses, listen to the bird song and the waterfall. Stepped gardens with shrub and herbaceous borders, wildflower orchard, fruit cages and kitchen garden and a peaceful, work in progress garden, full of labours of love from lockdown learnings. Come for the view not the gardening knowledge.
Entry is £6 per person, cash only (accompanied children under 16 free). Tickets and maps will be available from St James Centre, High Street, Stonesfield OX29 8PU where teas and plants are also on sale. Gardens are open 2pm-5.30pm, last tickets at 5pm.
Limited car parking will be available in Stonesfield Primary School opposite St James Centre.
Join Greener Henley and friends for Great Big Green Week and find out how together we can tackle climate change and bring nature and wildlife back to its full glory
The UK’s biggest celebration of community action to protect the planet is back, showing that people everywhere are wanting to help create a better tomorrow.
Greener Henley have organised a week of events for local residents to enjoy, bringing people together to celebrate, and get involved in, what’s happening in and around Henley for climate and nature.
From 8th to 16th June, we’ll have walks, talks, film, art sessions, gallery exhibitions, poetry, and a sustainability workshop for local businesses. Our Nature Discovery Day, down by the River at Mill Meadows, kicks off the week and includes something for everyone, with nature-focused activities for all ages. We’ll have conservation groups and local experts on hand to explore and discuss everything from butterflies and birds to fungi and river water quality, plus a wildlife photography session. Collect your free native wildflower seeds and take part in our Nature Squared campaign, helping Henley get closer to our total of 500m2 of plants for pollinators.
Why not bring a picnic, join the wildflower walk, butterfly sweep, or bug hunt and make a day of it. Pop into the River and Rowing Museum’s Kirkham Gallery to see work from our local students for our Schools Environment Science Challenge on the theme of ‘Pollution’, alongside artworks from the wonderful waterside arts & ecology project that is The Beautiful Blue. In the afternoon you can, let your creativity and love of nature entwine at The Gardening Drawing Club, a family friendly art and gardening session at Henley Library.
Our guest speaker, Professor Chris Merchant talks ‘climate’ on the evening of 10th June at the Town Hall Council Chamber, at ‘In Our Hands: Our Climate Future’. Find out about the key science that makes climate change a formidable challenge, and how ingenuity and determination can meet the Net-Zero target.
Kate Oldridge, Greener Henley’s Chair said: “GBGW is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together to stand up for nature and fight climate change. There are a whole host of activities in Henley for everyone across the community to get involved in. We can all do something to help, whether that means taking part in our Nature Squared campaign by planting seeds for pollinators, continuing the conversation about something you discover at GBGW, or asking our local decision makers to support action on climate and nature. Let’s make this the biggest and boldest GBGW so far – come out, get involved, take action.”
Events currently planned to take place during Henley’s Great Big Green Week include:
Saturday 8th: Nature Discovery Day, 10am-2pm, Mill Meadows – participants include Henley Toad Patrol, Upper Thames Butterfly Conservation Group, BBOWT, Henley Car Club, chalk stream volunteers and many more.
Saturday 8th: Plant vs beef taste test: Which burger’s best? 12-2pm, outside Pavilion Foods.
Sunday 9th: Green screen: Elephant Mother, plus panel discussion, 2-5pm, Regal Picturehouse. Ticketed.
Monday 10th: ‘In Our Hands: Our Climate Future’ talk on climate change with Q&A, 7-9pm, Town Hall Council Chamber.
Tuesday 11th: Poetry Readings from ‘Tread Gently on the Earth’ poetry competition, 6-7:30pm, Henley Library.
Wednesday 12: Wilding, a special preview screening, plus expert panel, 8-10.15pm, Regal Picturehouse. Ticketed.
Thursday 13th: Greening Your Business seminar & networking event with speakers, 5.30pm-7.30pm, Thames Room, River & Rowing Museum.
Week-long events:
Fun scavenger hunt: Find the letters hidden in crafted flowers in 10 shop windows around town and work out the mystery word.
Henley’s Big Green Road: Choose from eight books that make for interesting reads and start the conversation!
Exhibitions in the Kirkham Gallery, River & Rowing Museum: running alongside each other from 23rd May to 17th June: Pollution: an exhibition of work by local students in response to Greener Henley’s Environmental Science Challenge and The Beautiful Blue: exploring water and our human relationship with it.
Artist & tutor Helen Grimbleby takes much of her inspiration from nature for her artwork from her studio in West Berkshire
Like buses, you wait for ages and then Easter and May bring bank holidays a plenty!
Whilst many bank holidays are centuries old workers’ holidays, May Day Bank Holiday was a late comer in the 1970s. Even so, May celebrations have a long history and are entwined with changes we can witness in nature.
Our distant ancestors lived necessarily in close rhythm with the seasons. The month of May for the Romans brought a festival for Flora, the goddess of flowers, fertility and spring. For the Celts this was the time for summer pastures to open. For Pagans, celebrations were about fertility and new life.
Birds carry this heritage too and sing of new life. The musical dawn chorus peaks around now.
In spring, birds’ hormones change to enlarge the parts of their brains responsible for song. Bird song functions as a declaration of territory and to attract a mate. When the air is cooler in the morning, birdsong carries much further allowing males to broadcast to more females.
Only around 50% of our birds are resident here all year with spring and autumn migration bringing variety which changes according to the time of year. When some birds leave our shores, others return.
Spring migrators have been in decline but if we’re lucky we may still hear the sound of a tuneful cuckoo or the false cuckoo, the unassuming looking blackcap who visited my bird feeder recently.
Swallows and swifts fly elegantly, weaving intricate patterns in the air as they search for insects on the wing. Despite a long migration from Africa, their streamlined bodies are perfectly shaped to execute their aerial manoeuvres which continue until they leave us again in the autumn.
At the this of avian courtship and union, nature braids fine veils for spring brides and white blankets for newborns, dressing her hedgerows in Queen Anne’s Lace, hawthorn blossom and oxeye daisies.
Helen Grimbleby is a West Berks/North Hants based artist who is inspired by the natural world’s changing seasons. After exploring outside, she enjoys writing, illustrating and painting larger landscapes at her home studio (@helengrimblebyart).
The Earth Trust will welcome you on 13th November artists inspired to use nature to ignite passion for people and planet!
Wittenham Clumps, a source of creative inspiration for centuries, is set to ignite the passion of artists once again with the announcement by environmental charity Earth Trust of an exciting new Artist in Residence programme.
Earth Trust is committed to championing access to and engagement with natural green spaces, and is celebrating the role art can play in deepening our understanding of and connection to the natural world. The initiative aims to harness the transformative power of artistic expression to inspire people to address climate change, biodiversity and wellbeing through meaningful interactions with nature. Renowned artists such as Paul Nash have long drawn inspiration from the beauty of Wittenham Clumps, producing a diverse range of artworks that reflect their experiences of this historic landscape. “We’re aiming to ignite a sense of appreciation and understanding of the environment through art,” said Anna Wilson, Head of Experience & Engagement at Earth Trust. “We are excited to be welcoming a new artist who will interact with visitors and create works inspired by our mission and the green spaces of the Wittenham Clumps.”
Earth Trust’s Artist in Residence programme recognises art’s ability to forge renewed bonds between people and the planet, harnessing creativity and wonder to inspire us to build a future where both can flourish. Once in place, the artist will engage visitors through open studios, talks and interactive activities, lead public workshops inviting participation in the creative process and produce a substantial artwork as a lasting legacy to inspire reflection. Artists working in any medium or style are invited to respond to the brief, and Earth Trust welcomes applications from artists at all stages of their artistic careers. The charity is particularly keen to hear from artists who champion inclusivity and appeal to diverse audiences. Earth Trust is hosting an open morning event on Monday 13th November where interested artists can tour Earth Trust’s stunning green spaces and learn more about the residency. For more details, please visit earthtrust.org.uk/artist-in-residence/. Applications close on Sunday 19th November.
