Our director Liz Postlethwaite established this grassroots project working to maintain and improve Springwater Park, a well used and well loved park in Whitefield, Bury in 2017.
A key milestone for the group was the park officialy designated as a local nature reserve in September 2023 – the first to be declared in the town for over twenty years.
Standing where the River Roch and River Irwell meet the park was home to three factories until the 1950s. Since then nature has reclaimed the site and it has become a haven for wildlife in a largely suburban area of North Manchester.
The group runs regular work groups in the park and is open to all.
We have developed a range of different projects / interventions as part of the group.
Springwater Secrets: monthly creative workshops, designed for adventurous children aged 5 and upwards, exploring the secrets of Springwater Park and learning more about the flora and fauna that inhabits our park
Mud and Culture: a child led outdoor group which supports participants to explore and enjoy a range of outdoor spaces using the Permaculture Ethics as a foundation for exploration.
Developing a Woodland Community Space: a project to create an accessible and welcoming community space which now serves as a focal point for community events and as a work focus as the group develops.
Record and Ramble – monthly walks observing and recording the different plants and animals that make their home in the nature reserve. To date there have been 491 observations, and 243 species recorded.