MONDAY VOLUNTEER CONSERVATION DAYS
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MONDAY 28TH APRIL 2025 AT HARMONY WOODS
Last week’s volunteer conservation day at Harmony woods was fantastic. Thank you to our amazing team: Doreen, Wendy, Liang, Liz, Simone, Sam, Annabel, Stephen, Paul, Natalia, and the brilliant staff and students from Harrow Way.
It was a busy day completing lots of important jobs. Doreen cleaned signs and collected palings, while Liang, Simone, and Annabel worked on Nature’s Calendar with help from Harrow Way students. Stephen, Sam, and Paul repositioned a new storage cupboard for the cabin, and Wendy & Natalia even did an interview with That’s TV! Everyone enjoyed a well-earned tea break, and later, Natalia led a pond survey.
Huge thanks to everyone for their energy and enthusiasm!
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/blog-list/diggingit2
Want to get involved please contact: michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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APRIL'S COMMUNITY CONSERVATION DAY
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SATURDAY 12TH APRIL AT VIGO ROAD ALLOTMENT
This month’s Community Conservation Day at the Vigo Road allotment was a great success, with a fantastic group of volunteers helping us welcome wildflower season. We planted a mix of wildflower seeds, weeded the patio area, and cleaned pots—essential tasks to keep the allotment thriving and kick off this year’s wildflower growing. The children also got creative making flower prints. A big thank you to everyone who joined us!
We’re already looking forward to the next Community Conservation Day on Saturday 10th May — hope to see you there!
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/blog-list/diggingit2
Want to get involved please contact: michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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NATURE EXPLORERS: EASTER TRADITIONAL CRAFTS
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Over half term, we held a brilliant Traditional Easter Egg Decorating Workshop with local artist Jolanta Rolt, who introduced families to a centuries-old Lithuanian craft. Children used spring flowers and woodland plants, along with onion skins and red cabbage, to create stunning naturally dyed eggs. While the eggs simmered, the day continued with an Easter Egg Hunt led by Matt, Natalia, and Hebe, followed by nature-themed games and well-earned hot cross buns.
Huge thanks to Jolanta for sharing this meaningful tradition, to our dedicated volunteers for supporting the event, and to everyone who took part and made it so special.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/news-list/easter-traditional-crafts
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NATURE EXPLORERS: BUG HOTELS
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On Wednesday 16th April, Matt and Natalia welcomed a small group of young nature lovers to Harmony Woods for a magical bug hotel building session.
The day began with a scavenger hunt for natural materials—feathers, twigs, leaves, daisies, and more. After a delicious refreshment break, we gathered for Natalia’s enchanting retelling of Stick Man, with Matt giving an Oscar-worthy performance of the beloved character. Then it was time to build bug hotels using bamboo and the treasures we’d gathered, creating fantastic shelters for insects to support biodiversity at Harmony woods.
Organisers thanked all the families who joined, with special appreciation for Matt and Natalia, leading the session solo for the first time. Their creativity and care made the event a real success.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/news-list/2025/4/22/children-build-bug-hotels-in-harmony-woods-during-wholesome-easter-workshop
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A huge thank you to everyone who collected our Wildflower Seed Kits! Your participation is helping us begin the wildflower season as well as also supporting pollinators and benefiting our local ecosystems. We look forward to the rest of the wildflower growing season! Please join us for May's community conservation day where we will be pricking out seeds that will later bloom in the new meadow at Harmony Woods. More information in upcoming events!
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A huge thank you to everyone who came along to our first Wild Harmony event at Harmony Woods! It was a wonderful way to start this year’s citizen science events. We spotted some amazing species on our biodiversity walk – including a yellowhammer, skylarks, and a green-winged orchid. Afterwards, we spent some peaceful time nature journalling – it was lovely to observe and reflect on the species we’d seen through art and observation.
Looking forward to the next Wild Harmony event on the 17th May where we will be identifying trees in Spring.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/blog-list/2025/4/22/wild-harmony-2025
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Thank you to Roger and Ben for expertly removing the old portacabin and installing our brand new one – it fits Into the landscape beautifully. This upgrade marks another step forward for the project, proudly funded by the Rural England Prosperity Fund through Test Valley Borough Council. Stay tuned for more updates!
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10th May- May’s Community Conservation Day
17th May- Wild Harmony- Identifying Trees in Spring
18th May- Andover Gardening Fair
23rd May - Auction of promises
27th & 29th - May Nature Explorers
7th June- Give it a Grow
14th June- June’s Community Conservation Day & Give it a Grow
21st June- Wild Harmony- Identifying & Surveying Common Wildflowers
22nd June- Wellbeing Fair
23rd June- 6th July- In Search of the Ditch - Between the Barrows 2025
12th July- July’s Community Conservation Day
19th July- Wild Harmony
20th July- Carnival
1st, 8th, 15th & 22nd August - Four Fun Fridays
12th August - August's Community Conservation Day
16th August - Wild Harmony
Weekly Conservation Days
Every Monday, 10:00 - 1:00
Harmony Woods or Allotment
Email michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk for more information.
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MAY'S COMMUNITY CONSERVATION DAY
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Saturday 10th May at Vigo Road Allotments, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
This next session in our wildflower project - Disappearing Wildflowers, we’ll be pricking out seeds that will later bloom in the new meadow at Harmony Woods. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, this is a great opportunity to learn, connect with nature, and make a meaningful impact in our community.
Bringing Kids Along? No problem! We’ll have a special crafting activity for children running alongside the seed sowing, so they can join in the fun too.
Contact Michelle Graham michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk to sign up.
FREE event, no experience needed, all equipment provided.
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WILD HARMONY- IDENTIFYING TREES IN SPRING
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We are excited to invite you to this months Wild Harmony session at Harmony Woods happening on the 17th May from 10:30am to 1pm.
This month we will be completing a woodland walk and tree identification session using field guides and different activities!
Please contact michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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The Gruffalo Trail – 27th May
Join us for a magical day of forest fun inspired by The Gruffalo! Start with a whimsical trail walk through the "deep dark wood" where you’ll follow the path of a brave little mouse, spot clues from the story, and maybe even catch a glimpse of the Gruffalo himself (if you're brave enough!). After your woodland wander, head to our craft station to make your very own Gruffalo crown. Perfect for young adventurers and their grown-ups, this day promises imagination, creativity, and a whole lot of fun. Don’t forget to bring your best growl!
For ages: 2 to 6
Timing: 10am - 12pm
Cost: £10 per person
Refreshments will be provided.
Session limited to 10 places.
Freshwater Adventures- 29th May
Get ready to dive into a day of wild, muddy, and magical fun! Join us for Freshwater Adventures, where you'll become a real nature explorer. Grab your nets and trays for an exciting Pond Dip—scoop up slippery newts, zooming water boatmen, and all sorts of wiggly wonders hiding beneath the surface. Then, let your imagination take flight as we head to the craft table to create your own clay creatures, inspired by the pond’s most mysterious residents. Whether you're a mini scientist or a budding artist, this is a day of splashing, sculpting, and searching you won’t want to miss!
For ages: 7 to 11
Timings: 10am - 12pm
Cost: £10 per person
Refreshments will be provided.
Session limited to 10 places.
Please contact michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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ATU's Annual fundraise super and Auction of promises for youth provision in nature will be on Friday 23rd May 2025 at Wherwell Village Hall. This year, we’re raising funds for Youth Provision in Nature—helping young people connect with the great outdoors. Join us for an evening of fun, fantastic promises up for grabs, and a chance to support a great cause! We would love to see you there!
To book your ticket, donate a ‘Promise’ or sponsor this event, please email:
michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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Are you ready to dig into a day of fun, connection, and growth? We’re thrilled to launch this year’s Have a Grow festivities, where we will help you to celebrate the beauty of community and growing through intergenerational activities that inspire inclusivity and resilience in your growing spaces.
On Saturday 7th June, we want you to open your growing spaces to show off your vibrant spaces and fill them with laughter, learning, and plenty of green!
Find out more here: https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/haveagrow
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After ATU's success at last year's Carnival, we are excited to participate again this year at the Carnival on July 20th. But we need YOU to help us make it the best one yet! Whether you’re a creative genius, interested in crafting, or just want to be part of the fun on the day – there’s something for everyone!
Please email michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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SURVEYING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
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Andover Trees United 'Nature in Harmony' programme offers a variety of opportunities tailored to both novices and experts interested in wildlife surveying and community engagement including:
- learn to survey and contribute to data collection, including for national projects such as Nature's Calendar.
- Get involved in Wild Harmony Events - learn and explore nature (for all ages) including walks & talks.
- Get involved in Butterfly Transects - registered with Butterfly Conservation.
If interested, please email: michelle.graham@andovertrees.org.uk
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Our Ecology Intern creates the 'Nature Spot' social media posts to highlight different species that have been seen in the Diamond Woods. The most recent is shown here (click on the image to see it in more detail), and you can see previous ones on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. And if you don't have a social media account, you can still see them on Instagram! Just go to www.instagram.com/andover_trees/
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We’re looking for volunteers over the next few months to help refurbish the woodland site office. Opportunities include:
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Assisting the contractor with refurbishment tasks
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Improving your carpentry skills
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Helping install a wood burner, solar panels, and a green roof
If you're interested, please get in touch — we’d love to see new faces and continue growing our amazing community of volunteers (abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk).
Volunteering with us is a great way to contribute to action against climate change and biodiversity loss, and to make a difference in the local community and we welcome volunteers with many different skills, including:
- General conservation
- IT / tech
- Event organisation and support
- Running creative sessions
- Plant propagation
- Leafleting
- DIY and construction
- Legal advice
- Fundraising
- ... and more! If you have the time, we can use it :-)
We are very happy to arrange volunteering days for corporate groups, particularly during our Schools' Planting Weeks in November / December.
Please get in touch if you can help by emailing abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk. Any specific opportunities will be listed on our Ways To Help webpage as well as in this newsletter.
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www.andovertrees.org.uk
Registered Charity Number: 1167574
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