Friends of Lyme Brook

Volunteers create Wi

Sally Aldridge, Chair of Friends of Lyme Brook

Walkers, joggers and cyclists were surprised to see members of Friends of Lyme Brook wielding old fashioned scythes and meadow rakes in the Lyme Valley Parkway at the end of summer.

The activity was part of a long term project funded by Severn Trent Community Fund to create a wild flower meadow in the parkway near the banks of the Brook using traditional mowing methods.

Sally Aldridge, Chair of the Friends, commented: “We want to encourage native plants and flowers to grow in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. This will attract more birds and wildlife to the area, increase diversity and enhance the environment in this much loved community facility.”

Friends of Lyme Brook was formed two years ago to monitor, protect and improve the quality of the Lyme Brook and its environs. The Brook which flows through the length of Newcastle before joining the River Trent at Trentham is central to the Town’s sense of wellbeing, particularly in these current difficult times when it has provided much needed green space and recreational area.

Sally continued: “The Brook is a wonderful amenity, but it is at risk from pollution, development and littering. Having the group monitoring the quality of the water on a

Wild Flower Meadow

regular basis protects it from these threats and preserves it for future generations.”

The group and the meadow creation project have been enthusiastically supported by the Borough Council Community Office and Severn Trent.

The start of the programme to create the meadow was delayed due to Covid. The Friends were trained how to use traditional scythes to mow the waist high grass and nettles so that native species of plants can set seed and grow.

As well as monitoring water quality, the Friends organise wildlife and bird walks, litter picking and “balsam bashing” (removing Himalayan Balsam from the banks of the Brook before the seeds spread and suppress native plants growing.)

New members are welcome.

More information regarding the Friend’s activities can be found on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/64646264 5543567/?ref=bookmarks and can be contacted at FriendsofLymeBrook@gmail.com

Wild flowers in the Parkway

Lyme Valley Parkway in spring