MONDAY COMMUNITY CONSERVATION DAYS
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Monday 24th February
This week's Volunteer Conservation Day showcased teamwork and dedication. Volunteers, staff, and students from Harrow Way and Andover College worked on important tasks to improve and maintain the site.
Annette and Annabel checked and repaired the deer fencing and carried out a full perimeter fencing check. Meanwhile, Henry, Paul, Stephen, and Sam repaired two damaged areas to protect local wildlife. Simone, Liz, Sarah, Doreen, Liang, and Lucas continued trimming and managing the Hazel Circle. Over at the new office site, John and Ben made progress on the roof construction. Wendy kept the team energized by providing tea and refreshments.
Our visiting Andover College students also had a unique experience combining conservation volunteering with artistic reflection in nature. Under the guidance of Izzi, Jo, and Natalia, they began working on individual art pieces inspired by the landscape, which will be part of an exciting exhibition in four weeks' time.
A huge thanks you to the Harrow Way students for their help with bundling hazel trimmings, ''beating up'' (replacing failed tree saplings), and cleaning tools. Their efforts kept everything running smoothly.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/blog-list/diggingit2
Want to get involved, email abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk
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HALF-TERM ACTIVITIES WITH AMANDA
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Over the half-term, Andover Trees United volunteers, Matt and Natalia joined forces with Amanda from Merry-Go-Round Storytelling to bring the magic of stories and nature together in a fun-filled day for local children. The event took place in the heart of the woods, offering youngsters an engaging mix of storytelling, crafting, and outdoor games.
With two magical storytelling sessions, creative crafts, and plenty of outdoor fun, it was a day to remember! We hope everyone who joined us had a wonderful time in nature. Events like these highlight the importance of outdoor learning and creative play, reinforcing the value of community spaces like those managed by Andover Trees United.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/news-list/half-term-activities
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Abbey and Wendy had a fantastic time at the Wellbeing Event at the Salto Centre in Charlton, hosted by the Charlton Village Community Association!
It was such a lovely event, and we truly enjoyed meeting and chatting with all the wonderful people who attended and contributed. A huge thank you to the organisers for having us – it was a pleasure to be part of such a positive and inspiring day!
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We had a fantastic day at our Plant-for-the-Planet Academy in February.
We had the privilege of working with an amazing group of young people who brought so much energy and enthusiasm to the fight for climate justice. By the end of the day, they became official Climate Justice Ambassadors, ready to spread the message and take action! A huge well done to Sophie and Lily, our experienced Ambassadors, who did a brilliant job hosting the event.
A big thank you to stannahlifts for sponsoring the event and to hildonwater for keeping our young changemakers hydrated throughout the day. We can’t wait to do it all again in a few weeks!
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On the 5th February 2025, a dedicated team of 14 employees from Gestra participated in a corporate volunteering day at Harmony Woods, collaborating with Andover Trees United (ATU). This initiative aligns with Gestra's and ATU’s commitment to sustainability and community engagement. The volunteers planted 40 crab apple trees along the Right of Way path at the eastern end of Harmony Woods.
Gestra's participation in this event underscores the impactful role that corporate groups can play in community-based environmental initiatives. The collective efforts of organisations continue to foster environmental stewardship and strengthen community bonds. ATU would also like to thank its regular volunteers that help make these events possible.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/news-list/gestra-volunteer-day
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Exciting News from the HBIC Forum! On the 22nd February, Katie (Ecology Intern for 2024) and Abbey (Nature and Community Officer) attended the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre (HBIC) Forum at Littleton Millennium Memorial Hall. The event was a wonderful opportunity to learn about projects and ideas shaping conservation efforts across Hampshire.
One of the highlights of the forum was having the honour of a spot on the programme for Katie, to present an update on our Nature in Harmony project. Katie delivered a fantastic presentation, offering attendees an insightful overview of the research, methods, and key findings from this year's survey. A huge well done to Katie for her excellent presentation and for representing the Nature in Harmony project so well!
We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in such an inspiring event and look forward to continuing our work in biodiversity research and conservation.
Read more here: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/news-list/hbic-2025
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12th Mar- Andover Food Partnership Workshop
18th Mar- Nature in Harmony 2024 report presentation - Andover Guild Hall
25-28 Mar- Little x Little Global Giving Match Funding Event
18th May- Andover Gardening Fair
23rd May - Auction of promises
7th June- Have a grow volunteer week (2nd - 8th June)
20th July - Carnival 2025
Weekly Conservation Days
Every Monday, 10:00 - 1:00
Harmony Woods or Allotment
Monthly Community Conservation Days:
Sat 8th March - Tree Planting - Vigo Road Allotments
Email abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk for more information.
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COMMUNITY CONSERVATION DAY
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We are excited to invite you to this Saturday’s Community Conservation Day at Harmony Woods, happening from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
This time, we’ll be planting baby trees, giving them a good spot for the summer so they can be used next year. It’s a fantastic chance to learn how to plant and care for trees, meet like-minded people, and support local conservation efforts. No experience needed—just enthusiasm!
We’d love to know if you can make it, it helps us with refreshment quantities!
Please contact abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk
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NATURE IN HARMONY 2024 REPORT - PRESENTATION
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The Nature in Harmony 2024 report has now been published and is available to read: https://www.andovertrees.org.uk/nature-in-harmony
To highlight the release of the report, and to spread the word about the Nature in Harmony project, our 2024 Intern, Katie, will be presenting this years findings at the Andover Guildhall on Tuesday 18th March.
The event will run from 6:15-9:00 and will include time to socialise and chat after teh presentation has finished.
We would love to see you there!
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ANDOVER FOOD PARTNERSHIP WORKSHOP
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We’re happy to share that we’ll be attending the next AFP (Andover Food Partnership) Workshop on 12th March at Augusta Park Community Centre!
This is a fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate on ways to support our local food community. We’d love to see you there! This will include activities such as workshops and a tour of the Poppy community Garden.
For more information please contact: afp.coordinator@unityonline.org.uk
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LITTLE X LITTLE GLOBAL GIVING MATCH FUNDING EVENT
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ATU's Annual fundraise super and Auction of promises for youth provision in nature will be on Friday 23rd May 2025 at Wherwell Village Hall.
This year, we’re raising funds for Youth Provision in Nature—helping young people connect with the great outdoors. Join us for an evening of fun, fantastic promises up for grabs, and a chance to support a great cause!
We would love to see you there!
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Packed with inspiration and fresh ideas for your garden, the Andover Gardening Fair will be bursting back on to the High Street.
The exhibitors will be offering an array of choice plants and gardening sundries, unique accessories and unusual gifts. Go along to see what you can add to your own garden – or just admire the beautiful plants on show! The Children’s Corner will offer free activities, including face painting, seed planting, games and other craft activities.
Entry for visitors is free. Read more here: https://www.inandover.co.uk/events/andover-gardening-fair-2025/
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Are you ready to dig into a day of fun, connection, and growth? We’re thrilled to launch this year’s Have a Grow festivities, where we will help you to celebrate the beauty of community and growing through intergenerational activities that inspire inclusivity and resilience in your growing spaces.
On Saturday 7th June, we want you to open your growing spaces to show off your vibrant spaces and fill them with laughter, learning, and plenty of green!
Find out more here: https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/haveagrow
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After ATU's success at last year's Carnival, we are excited to participate again this year at the Carnival on July 20th.
But we need YOU to help us make it the best one yet! Whether you’re a creative genius, interested in crafting, or just want to be part of the fun on the day – there’s something for everyone!
Want to get involved? Please email abbey.sadler@andovertree.org.uk
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THE GREEN CARE QUALITY MARK
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We are currently considering applying for the Green Care Quality Mark, a valuable accreditation that demonstrates a commitment to providing safe, professional, and caring green care services. The accreditation costs £100 per year, and we believe it could be a great opportunity and a practical tool to show commitment to high standards. We’re excited to explore this and what it might mean for ATU!
Read more here: https://www.farmgarden.org.uk/services-and-support/quality-assurance
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Our Ecology Intern creates the 'Nature Spot' social media posts to highlight different species that have been seen in the Diamond Woods. The most recent is shown here (click on the image to see it in more detail), and you can see previous ones on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. And if you don't have a social media account, you can still see them on Instagram! Just go to www.instagram.com/andover_trees/
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We’re looking for volunteers over the next few months to help refurbish the woodland site office. Opportunities include:
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Assisting the contractor with refurbishment tasks
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Improving your carpentry skills
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Helping install a wood burner, solar panels, and a green roof
If you're interested, please get in touch — we’d love to see new faces and continue growing our amazing community of volunteers (abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk).
Volunteering with us is a great way to contribute to action against climate change and biodiversity loss, and to make a difference in the local community and we welcome volunteers with many different skills, including:
- General conservation
- IT / tech
- Event organisation and support
- Running creative sessions
- Plant propagation
- Leafleting
- DIY and construction
- Legal advice
- Fundraising
- ... and more! If you have the time, we can use it :-)
We are very happy to arrange volunteering days for corporate groups, particularly during our Schools' Planting Weeks in November / December.
Please get in touch if you can help by emailing abbey.sadler@andovertrees.org.uk. Any specific opportunities will be listed on our Ways To Help webpage as well as in this newsletter.
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www.andovertrees.org.uk
Registered Charity Number: 1167574
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