Volunteering opportunity – Wildlife Watch leaders and helpers needed!

An announcement from the Leics and Rutland wildlife trust…

Wildlife Watch Leaders & Helpers required.

Do you have an interest in the environment; enjoy working with young people and being outside? If so we’re looking for you!

We are looking for volunteers to lead and help run our existing junior club – Wildlife Watch groups in Leicestershire and Rutland. Wildlife Watch is the junior club of the Wildlife Trusts for children aged 5 – 12 years to encourage them to take an interest in the natural world and their local wildlife. This is your chance to help inspire the next generation of environmentalists!

Aylestone Meadows campaign update

A quick update on the campaign to preserve Aylestone Meadows in response to a proposed football development…

• Around 500 people attended a walk on Aylestone Meadows today (Sunday 13th March) and saw the site of the proposed development.
• The report on the proposal for consideration by the city council can be viewed here: http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=3783&T=10
• There is to be a protest outside the Town Hall, where the planning meeting to decide upon the application will be held on Monday 21 March. (Please reply with details of when if you know them!)

New e-petition for campaign to preserve Aylestone Meadows

See below for a link to a petition for the campaign to preserve Aylestone Meadows.

http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=17

February 28th: An event in Melbourne to learn about and appreciate Bees!

An event organised by a neighbouring Transition initiative, Melbourne Area Transition…

Beautiful Bees, Vital to Life

Monday 28th February at 7.30pm: Melbourne Liberal Club, 50 Derby Road, Melbourne, DE73 8FE

Come and find out all about bees, beekeeping, honey and why bees are so important to us all. We’d love to welcome you if you know nothing about bees – if you would like to keep bees- or if you have space for hives but don’t want to keep the bees yourself.

www.melbournetransition.org

February 10th: Leicester DocFilm Club presents… Baraka

A treat coming up at Phoenix Square…  Leicester DocFilm club are showing Baraka (1992) on Thursday 10th Feb 6pm, showing life on earth in all its glory. The film is free. Some info on the film here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baraka_%28film%29

To hear about future Leicester Documentary Club events, look here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=127408867327657#!/group.php?gid=104523019580511

Request for support for campaign to protect Aylestone Meadows

See below a message from the Aylestone Meadows Appreciation Society, requesting support for their campaign to prevent a football development on the meadows…

This development is still being pursued by the City Council. It is now intended to put the planning application before the Development and Control Committee on 21st March. You can view the relevant documents on line on the Council’s website (http://www.facebook.com/l/7c4bbN2Lk5yIcyQ3U8pK8J5EBSw;leicester.gov.uk/planningdatabase – click on application no. 20090772 and then click on the 2nd pdf document at the bottom). You can go and have a look at the plans at Saffron Housing Office.

We want people to ask/demand in the strongest possible terms that the council holds a local consultation at an easy to get to venue, with full plans and details of the planning application proposal AND the proposed compensation land.We do not think this constitutes adequate public consultation.

Funding available for Big Tree Plant in urban areas in UK

The Big Tree Plant is a campaign to encourage people and communities to plant more trees in England’s towns, cities and neighbourhoods. It is a partnership bringing together national tree-planting organisations and local groups working with Defra and the Forestry Commission to plant trees throughout England.

Anybody can get involved by planting and caring for trees to help make neighbourhoods more attractive, healthy places to live.

More info is available here: http://thebigtreeplant.direct.gov.uk/index.html

August 15th and 18th: family events at the Ecohouse

Two announcements for upcoming events at the Ecohouse…

August 15th: Discover the bugs that have made the EcoHouse Garden their Home

Come and visit the EcoHouse garden on Sunday August 15th for the annual
Ugly Bug Hunt.

This event is a regular favorite in the calendar, and is a chance to
explore the garden and discover and identify some of the many fascinating
creatures that live there, from centipedes and millipedes to slugs and
snails

The event is free, and starts at 2:30 in the afternoon.

August 18th: Learn how to make practical use of your old tetra paks and plastic bags at
a craft session at the EcoHouse.

The EcoHouse on Western Park is hosting a free craft session on August 18th
running from 2:00 pm to 4:pm.

We will use recycled tetra paks to make wallets and to weave placemats.

We will also be having communal activities where we will be weaving plastic
bags through chicken wire and also creating mosaics, the results will then
be displayed in the EcoHouse.

Come along and join in, and see what creative things can be made from your
old juice cartons and plastic bags. It is also an opportunity to relax in
the garden and have a cup of fair-trade tea or coffee.

Visit the EcoHouse and see how to improve your quality of life and
environmental impact through a wide range of practical and affordable
solutions, particularly in the areas of energy efficiency, the use of
renewable technologies and your own food production.

Bioblitz in Watermead park: 30th-31st May

News of a fun biodiversity event taking place at the end of May…