Easter at RSPB Sandwell Valley

Wanted

 Property for sale or to let for Sandwell’s local wildlife.

We have lots of two legged, four legged, feathered, furry, and scaly friends that are all looking for accommodation.

Can you help us?  We are looking for enthusiastic landlords, who are willing to let out a bit of their green space with bug hotels, nest boxes, and wildflower patches, to house our wonderful creatures and help wildlife in the Midlands.

Eleanor Bentall (www.rspb-images.com)

Join us at RSPB Sandwell Valley on Bank holiday Monday 28 March between 11 am and 3 pm and take part in the ‘Give Sandwell Nature A Home’ project.

Our new wildlife garden will be open for everyone to come and explore. See examples of all the homes you could create for nature; have a go at mini projects to help wildlife; make lots of fun builds to take home; meet our wildlife gardening experts, who will be on hand with free advice and the top tips on how to help wildlife in your garden.

Pledge your promise to create a residence for wildlife in your own green space and increase the size of our reserve.

No matter whether you have a few flowerpots, a balcony or a big garden, we’ve got activities to suit you and help Give Sandwell Nature a Home!

Eleanor Bentall (www.rspb-images.com)

Butterflies, Bugs and Easter Eggs

But that's not all! Over Easter families will be able to take part in our egg-shellent Butterflies, Bugs and Easter Egg Event. Egg trails, scavenger hunts and a whole host of fun nature activities are taking place every open day during the Easter school holidays.

Trails will be available between 10 am - 4 pm Wednesday - Sunday from Friday 25 March - Sunday 10 April.

Trails cost £2 per child, no need to book!

Eleanor Bentall (www.rspb-images.com)

Wild Wedensdays

This year every Wednesday in school holidays we will be holding our Wild Wednesday Nature days, from Easter.

Each week there will be a different theme to the day including guided pond dipping, den building, natural scavenger hunts and many more hands-on activities.

Bring a picnic, and enjoy our natural playground across the reserve.

RSPB Members - £4 per child
Non-Members - £5 per child

Eleanor Bentall (www.rspb-images.com)

For more information on any of our upcoming events email alex.sharrod@rspb.org.uk or call Nature's Reach on 0121 357 7395

Keep up to date with the latest goings on at RSPB Sandwell Valley by liking our Facebook page HERE and following us on Twitter HERE.

A Day in the Life of... Andy White, Visitor Centre Volunteer

To celebrate how brilliant our volunteers are and give you a behind the scenes peek of life at RSPB Sandwell Valley, we're starting a series of blogs written by our volunteers about them and their roles at Sandwell.

First up is Andy White, who you'll find in the visitor centre on Wednesday afternoons. Andy's a cracking member of the team and his enthusiasm for wildlife is infectious so make sure you say 'hello' if you pop in and see him...

I suppose I was always destined to spend more time on Sandwell Valley once I had retired. After all, my ancestors were shepherds here 200 years ago, and for the past 60 years I have almost always lived right on the edge of this green oasis at the centre of our bustling conurbation.

As a child, my friends and I would roam the valley on summer days, building dens and playing Akee-123, only returning home for food. Latterly, as a parent, I have brought up a family enjoying all that the valley has to offer in respect of its history, recreation and most importantly its wildlife.

Therefore, when I finally decided to retire a couple of years ago, and I needed to fill my days, I needed to look no further than over the road to Sandwell Valley.  Initially, I just spent more time walking, running or cycling. It’s perfect for that.  But actually I felt I wanted to be more involved and became concerned over protecting the valley for its people and its wildlife.  So it was that I started to volunteer at the RSPB.

Currently I volunteer at Nature's Reach Visitor Centre for a half day each week. When it’s quiet, I get to spend a lot of time watching the many different birds on the bird feeders just outside of the window.  But when it’s busy I really enjoy talking about the valley and birds with the visitors who come in for information, a cup of tea or a warm-up on cold days.

I have seen huge changes in the valley over my life time, from the degraded scrubland and industrial landscape of the 1960’s, to the beautiful managed reserve we see today, and although I know it well I am still discovering something new each time I visit.  It’s a fantastic place and I’m proud to be a part of it.

Andy

Andy White, Visitor Centre Volunteer

Thank you Andy! If you like the sound of welcoming visitors to the centre, and spending some time chatting with other nature enthusiasts, we have a vacancy for this role on Saturdays and Sundays. To find our more information and to apply please get in touch with alex.sharrod@rspb.org.uk or call the office on 0121 357 7395. 

Jenny, Connecting People and Nature Intern