Stanmore Country Park volunteers celebrate success and Green Flag award
Volunteers at Stanmore Country Park are celebrating a major milestone, marking 11 years since the group began and securing their seventh consecutive Green Flag Community Award.
The Friends of Stanmore Country Park (FoS), a dedicated and friendly group, meet regularly to conserve, support, and promote this special corner of Shropshire.
The park, which covers 40 hectares of the former RAF Bridgnorth site, has been managed since 2013 by Shropshire Council in partnership with FoS. It offers a rich, mixed mosaic of woodland, open grassland, and ponds, supporting a wide variety of wildlife, from small mammals and reptiles to raptors.
A Decade of Dedication
Reflecting on their achievements since 2013, volunteer Karen highlighted the significant conservation work undertaken by the group.
“We've achieved so much since 2013, including sowing and maintaining wild flower areas, planting community orchards, native poplar trees and disease-resistant elms, clearing of selected spaces allowing trees more room to grow and letting more light in at ground level, installing bird and bat boxes, maintaining paths, fences, stiles and benches, creation of a flower garden and planting native rambling roses for HM Queen's Platinum Jubilee.”
All their work is carried out under the guidance of Shropshire Council rangers and adheres to an established ecological plan aimed at encouraging greater biodiversity.
In addition to habitat conservation, talented green woodworker Anthony Hammond has created a gorgeous trail of sculptures using wood sourced from the park. These include a popular representation of a Hawker Hurricane for children to play on and a King Charles III Coronation Throne.
The Call for More Hands
The group is grateful for generous grants received from organisations like Severn Trent Water, Veolia, the Co-op, Tesco, and Worfield and Rudge Parish Council. However, the FoS always welcomes new volunteers.
The volunteers shared many reasons for giving their time: from protecting the green space for the next generation and supporting the local community, to enjoying the physical and mental health benefits of spending time in nature and learning from the rangers.
“I volunteer to make sure our community has a place where wildlife and people can both thrive,” said one volunteer. Another noted, “This is just one small way we can all tackle the perceived impacts of climate change.”
FoS holds two volunteer days per month: always on the second Friday and then a Saturday or Sunday towards the end of the month. Volunteers are welcome to give as much or as little time as they can manage.
This winter, the focus will be on tree management to create further glades on the Hobbins side of the park, as well as bulb planting.
Interested individuals can meet the group at the car park at 10 am.
