News

The future's looking brighter for a Hawkinge environment group after it was given a £500 grant.

Hawkinge Environment Group (HEdGe) a local group of volunteers has recently been awarded the money from the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV)

Chair of HEdGe , Pat Blank, said:  “We are delighted to have been awarded this grant as it will help us move forward with our strategic plans to help improve and maintain the local environment.

"We are very fortunate in Hawkinge to be surrounded with beautiful natural landscapes including ancient woodland and ponds”.

Steve Walker, founder member said Pat Blank did a great job in securing the grant which will enable HEdGe to initiate valuable wildlife surveys in and around Hawkinge as well as cover the costs of training courses for some of its members.

"We have already initiated several volunteer activities around the village including ‘litterpicks’ in Reinden Wood, hedgelaying and coppicing.

"Our group has carried out work to improve Public Rights of Way, Footpaths and bridleways as well as contributed to the Hawkinge Parish Plan, now adopted by the Parish Council” says Steve.

More recently HEdGe has carried out research on a piece of land donated to the village and known as Frank & Betty’s Field. Local residents were encouraged to volunteer to help improve the biodiversity of the site and attend a ‘Moth spotting & Bat detecting’ evening.

"It was a great success with many mums and dads bringing along the kids not only to enjoy a family activity but to learn something about the local wildlife habitat” adds Steve.

HEdGe, plans to design a booklet which will bring all the findings from the wildlife surveys together, and include a local map showing country walks, pathways and ancient trees sites.

If you would like to know more about the work of HEdGe or to become a member contact:

Steve Walker

Secretary to HEdGe

C/O White Cliffs Countryside Project First Floor,

42 nwall Street

Dover, Kent , CT16 1JP

Telephone: 01304 241806 Mob: 07899 758748

Email:  walker@whitecliffscountryside.org.uk