Connecting People With Nature
Groundwork is helping people connect with nature. Take a look at our FREE upcoming events and click for more information.
- Volunteering at Cheapside Green Community Hub in Worksop
- Wellies in the Woods – The Tiger Who Came to Tea play group in Swadlincote, Saturday 31st May
- Weekly Wellies in the Woods group sessions for pre-schoolers at Albert Village Lake in Swadlincote, starting 3rd June
- Gardening & DIY course at Little Walled Garden Hub in Nottingham, 2 groups in June
- Guided Walk: Wildlife & Wildflowers at Donisthorpe Woodland Park, Saturday 14th June
- Butterfly surveys at Minorca Woodland, Swepstone
Volunteering roles at Cheapside Community Hub (Worksop)
We have four volunteering roles at our Cheapside Green Community Hub in Worksop, to help us look after the site and organise events for the whole community to enjoy!
Click on the roles to find out more:
DIY/Handyperson Volunteers
Sustainable Gardening Volunteers
Social Cooking Volunteers
Social Media Marketing Volunteers
You will be part of a passionate, dynamic team – with travel expenses paid. To have a chat about these roles, contact our Environment Coach Thomas: 0784 2431 852 / thomas.hollier@groundworknottingham.org.uk
Address: Entrance via metal gate next to 109 Cheapside, Worksop, S80 2JD
FREE Wellies in the Woods in Swadlincote – one-off session
On Saturday 31st May we are hosting a very special one-off play session at Princess Diana Memorial Woodland in Albert Village, Swadlincote!
We will be reading The Tiger Who Came to Tea with activities that tie in with the book, including:
- finding the tiger’s footprints
- making your own tiger mask
- making a bed for the tiger to sleep in
- going on a bug hunt
- and more!
Date: Saturday 31st May 2025
Time: 10am – 12pm
Location: Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Woodland, Occupation Road, Albert Village, Swadlincote, DE11 8HD
Meeting location: Albert Village Lake Car Park, free parking available
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.
Blocks of 8 sessions, choose your preferred day and time: Tuesday 10 – 11:30am or 1 – 2:30pm, Friday 10 – 11:30am or 1 – 2:30pm.
Block 5 Tuesday 3rd June – Friday 25th July 2025
Address: Albert Village Lake, Occupation Road, Albert Village, DE11 8HA.
FREE Gardening & DIY course – 2 days
The course is made up of two days, covering gardening and DIY. Learn the basics on the first day, with more in-depth training on the second day.
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.
Choose your preferred dates(must be able to attend both days of the same week)
Tuesday 10th & Thursday 12th June, 9am – 3pm
Thursday 24th & Thursday 26th June, 9am – 3pm
Address: The Little Walled Garden, St Martin’s Road in Bilborough, NG8 3AR
FREE Guided Walk: Wildlife & Wildflowers in Donisthorpe
Learn about the various wonderful wildflowers at Donisthorpe Woodland Park and all the wildlife there.
Local expert Beverley Rhodes will be your guide on this peaceful amble.
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: Saturday 14th June 2025
Time: 2pm – 4pm
Location: Donisthorpe Woodland Park, Church Street, Donisthorpe, North West Leicestershire, DE12 7RH
Free parking is available at the car park, this will also be our meeting point.
This walk is in collaboration with The National Forest and Leicestershire County Council.
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!
Contact our Environment Trainer Marion:
07801 122494 / marion.farrell@groundworknottingham.org.uk
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
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