Preserving what we have.

"For me, although we are in Derby, a city with all its amenities, I love the feeling that we are on the edge of it, able to walk into the countryside within a few minutes of leaving home.  Sinfin Moor Park and Local Nature Reserve is one of the best kept secrets in Sinfin – green space with a variety of natural features, including meadows, ponds and woodland. "

Jean Lung

Sinfin Community Project Officer for WildDerby

 

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The Friends of Sinfin Moor Park and Nature Reserve was formed about three years ago by local residents, Jon and Sylvia Eccarius, with the aim of improving and caring for the Park and Nature Reserve, as well as encouraging more people to come and enjoy nature on their doorstep. The group have been greatly supported by Derby City Council’s WildDerby Officer, Beverley Rhodes, who co-ordinated the city’s Wild Week in 2008, which was held in Sinfin on the land around the largest pond, near to the Severn Trent pumping station on the right hand side of the Sinfin Moor Lane.  At that time, the land was a bit of an eyesore – to put it mildly!

Volunteers worked tirelessly to clear the site of litter and debris, filling more than a hundred refuse bags.  Schools and the public enjoyed activities such as bird box making, flower planting, hay raking, pond dipping, installing sign-boards and benches and making homes for frogs and hedgehogs.  The site was transformed and, together with a wide area around the park land, was then officially designated as a Local Nature Reserve, to be protected for future generations.

 

The nature reserve is clearly sign posted and stretching from the right hand corner of Sinfin Moor park, along a path, past ponds and through meadows to the bottom of the Community School. Most of the ponds were dug by hand during projects organised by the Friends group, with the intention of going some way towards restoring the land to its former wetland habitat.

 

Over the past couple of years or so, the Friends have organised events on the Park and Nature Reserve to encourage others to enjoy the outdoors and to help manage and maintain the natural environment.  They have enjoyed dawn chorus walks led by RSPB experts (followed by a welcome breakfast!), guided walks informing us on wildlife and local history and a cycle ride and barbecue.  There have been conservation days for pond digging, ditch and pond clearing, path laying, scrub clearance and hedge making. A monthly Children’s Nature Club is also held where children can enjoy outdoor activities and arts and crafts as well as supporting Wild Days out for children in the summer holidays and school visits.

 

Children’s activities                  

 

There is now an exciting play area on the Park for children of all ages and the nearby Community Centre has been improved by the Neighbourhood Team with the provision of patio doors and shutters.  However, the aim is to see even more improvements by providing a patio with ramps, a garden area and greater access to the building to provide toilet facilities and serve refreshments.

 

We have come a long way, but there is still so much more to do!

 

 

For more information contact:

 

Jean Lung

Sinfin Community Project Officer for WildDerby,

Tel: 01332 764458  or  07506765631

                    

Colin Attenborough, Chair,

Friends of Sinfin Moor Park Local Nature Reserve.

Tel: 01332 763412