Dear All,
Thank you for attending our launch of the Merrow Pollinator Reserve Project on May 16th, and for your patience in waiting for this follow up. It’s been a busy few weeks for the organisers.
We were really heartened to be packed out for the launch, and very much hope every one of you will stay part of the project. We hope you will share your journey into pollinator and wildlife friendly gardening and will help the group to grow until we have fulfilled the vision of a substantial and connected area for pollinators and other wildlife across our gardens in Merrow and the surrounding areas. We have already heard about some of you working together to swap seeds, ideas and information to help you take the next step! Several of you asked for a copy of Gillian Elsom’s slides listing butterfly larval host plants and food plants for your garden. Please find that attached. Also attached is a document with the typed up notes left on the day. Please take a look to remind yourself of any commitments you made and those made by others.
It is important for the project that this is a self-driven and connected group going forward, so we would like to suggest the following next steps:
1. A follow up group meeting to report back on your progress:
During the meeting the following commitments were made:
We suggest we hold another group session one evening in September to meet and talk about what you have been doing for nature in your gardens. This meeting will also be an opportunity to spend more time discussing how the group would like to operate and what it can collectively achieve.
2. Group trip to RHS Wisley – Hilltop centre
The RHS Wisley community outreach team have kindly offered to host a guided walk around the new Hilltop centre and wildlife garden at Wisley. This is a great opportunity to gather more inspiration and ask your questions about nature friendly gardens. We are looking for a member of this group to take on organising that visit – we can provide the contact.
3. Set up email and What’s App groups.
Preferences were voiced during the meeting for both an email group for more formal communications and a What’s App group which is easier and quicker for sharing media and quick questions to ask for some of you to volunteer to help the group to keep in touch and work effectively together going forward.
Annelize Kidd has kindly offered to set up and administer a googlegroup email.
We are looking for someone who would be willing to set up and maintain a Whats App group.
Please follow the link below to a very short doodle poll and answer just 7 quick yes / no questions to help us organise these things. .
If you have any feedback about the meeting or further ideas for next steps please reply to this email to let us know.
We will be in touch again soon to set dates for the September meeting.
Very warm wishes
Stephen, Peter and Helen
(March 23) MRA Pollinator Project