Connecting People With Nature
Groundwork is helping people connect with nature. Take a look at our FREE upcoming events and click for more information.
- Weekly Wellies in the Woods group sessions for pre-schoolers at Gresley Wood in Swadlincote
- Gardening & DIY Course at Little Walled Garden in Nottingham, Tuesday 8th & Friday 11th July
- Invasive species removal at Minorca Woodland, Swepstone, Thursday 10th July
- Guided Walk: Damselflies & Dragonflies at Branston Water Park, Sunday 27th July
- Butterfly surveys at Minorca Woodland, Swepstone
Are you looking for volunteering opportunities? We’d love to welcome you! You’ll find there are plenty of ways you can get involved and contribute to what we do around the East Midlands. Each person that supports us, positively impacts their community.
FREE Wellies in the Woods in Swadlincote group
Wellies in the Woods are play sessions for children of pre-school age.
They combine play with education and creativity.
Children and their grown-ups will be able to make new friends and get creative, exploring nature and creatures great and small!
Each session includes story time, with activities built around the story. It’s a lot of fun, and we look forward to meeting you!
Open to people living in South Derbyshire only.
An adult must accompany children, and we advise you to dress for the weather and bring a drink.
Location: Gresley Wood, Swadlincote. Meeting place: Albert Village Lake car park, DE11 8HG
July group – 8 sessions: running until 25th July. You can still join!
Choose your preferred day and time: Tuesday 10 – 11:30am or 1 – 2:30pm, Friday 10 – 11:30am or 1 – 2:30pm.
August start – 8 sessions: running from 15 August until 3rd October.
Every Friday, 10am – 11:30am
Invasive species removal at Minorca Woodland, Swepstone
We look after the beautiful Minorca Woods near Swadlincote, performing regular habitat management tasks.
The area has become overrun with invasive Himalayan Basam, which smothers our native wildlife and grows up to 7ft!
Can you help us on one or both days to remove these invasive plants and restore balance in the woodlands?
Date: Thursdays 10 July 2025
Time: 10am – 1pm
Location: Minorca Woodlands, Swepstone, Swadlincote
Free parking on National Forest land opposite Measham Lodge, Gallows Lane, Measham, DE12 7HA
We can use all the (wo)manpower we can get!
FREE Gardening & DIY course
This course is made up of two days, covering gardening and DIY.
Gardening
Learn about soil preparation, composting, seed planting, organic pest control, crop rotation, water conservation, and more.
DIY Skills
Learn how to build garden beds, basic sheds and compost bins, install rain barrels, and make minor repairs on fences and other allotment structures.
These free courses are for Nottinghamshire residents (aged 19+) who are unemployed, working part-time, or on a low income.
Tuesday 8th & Friday 11th July, 9am – 3pm
Location: The Little Walled Garden, St Martin’s Road in Bilborough, NG8 3AR
FREE Guided Walk: Damselflies & Dragonflies in Branston
Local expert Tony Slater will be your guide on this peaceful amble where we will mostly stand and observe – this is not an intense walk.
Learn to identify damselflies and dragonflies and learn all about these magnificent creatures that are over 300 million years old!
Everyone is welcome, all children must be accompanied by an adult. Please note to dress for the weather and bring a drink if it’s hot.
Date: Sunday 27th July 2025
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Location: Branston Water Park, Lichfield Rd, Branston, Burton upon Trent, DE14 3HD
Parking: Free parking, access via A38 heading northbound between Barton under Needwood and Branston, just follow the brown tourist signs.
Funded by The National Forest.
Butterfly surveys at Minorca Woodland, Swepstone
We are setting up a new butterfly transect at Minorca Woodland in Swepstone (near Swadlincote) and need local volunteers to help us record the butterflies we spot on a regular basis.
This space is owned by National Forest and was formally a colliery. Monitoring the biodiversity of the site is key to measuring the impact of the restoration project – click here to find out more about the site.
This project will link into the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme – one of the most important resources for understanding changes in insect populations.
We have planned the route and found a green hairstreak butterfly, which is not common in the area, so it’s promising to be a very interesting exercise!
We will provide training, including tips on identification.
Surveys will take place every four weeks, with dates and times yet to be confirmed but you can already sign up!
Nature activities
We know the value of people coming together in the great outdoors.
Being in green spaces has been shown to have positive impacts on the mental health and well-being of people of all ages. Our aim is to provide a supportive environment that encourages socialising, while also giving people the chance to escape the stress of everyday life and connect with nature.
Groundwork Five Counties is committed to maintaining and preserving our green spaces, ensuring they are open and accessible to everyone. Our experienced land maintenance team works hard to keep the spaces so you can enjoy them to the fullest.
Wellies in the Woods
Our Wellies in the Woods play sessions give families the opportunity to get physically active, get to know nature and improve their mental wellbeing in beautiful green spaces.
From organised walking festivals to regular walking groups and activities like play sessions in natural spaces, Wellies in the Woods is unique and exciting.
Wellies in the Woods’ activities are open and accessible to everyone. They provide the perfect opportunity to get out of the house, meet new people and enjoy the great outdoors.
Fun and friendly
These FREE sessions help pre-school children explore and experience just how fun nature can be!
During each session we will have a variety of activities, from scavenger hunts to crafts. These activities help children develop their fine motor skills, as well as improve social, communication, and literacy skills.
Through Wellies, children and grown-ups will gain lots of ideas for free or low-cost activities to replicate at home or your local green spaces.
Here’s what some of our attendees said:
“The activities were really good for little kids, fun and simple!”
“We want to do more activities outdoors; we have learned how easy it can be to do this.”
“Great enthusiasm for nature and learning and having fun. We really enjoyed it! “
“It’s like a lovely little adventure for them.”
For more information about our many outdoor events, or to become a volunteer, email us on environment@groundworknottingham.org.uk
Make sure to follow us on social media!
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Instagram
