I have been concerned about protecting our planet ever since I was a teenager. First inspired by environmental abuses captured on film by frontline campaign groups in the 1980s, I’ve been committed to protecting our planet, and the creatures with which we share it, ever since. It was this interest and passion that drew me to Minerva – a communications company with a strong track record in environmental issues.

For many years now, study after study has warned of the urgent action necessary to tackle serious threats caused by climate change, deforestation, and intensive agriculture. Whilst I believe government action on a global scale is essential to enable us all to make better choices, I don’t think we can just sit back and wait for that to happen.  We all need to get on and take positive action for ourselves to help safeguard the planet’s already over-stretched resources, before it’s too late.

It was this view that led me to get involved in setting up a new community group in the Hampshire village where I live. Called Sustainable Bourne Valley (SBV), the group was set up in January this year with the aim of mobilising our community to help protect the natural environment and to live more sustainably in Hampshire’s beautiful Bourne Valley.

As well as sharing ideas and tips for local recycling and green living through a Facebook page and website, we’ve created a handy A-Z guide of what to do with a broad range of unwanted items – from cars and electrical goods to batteries and old clothes – which aren’t collected by Basingstoke and Deane Council. In its first month alone, SBV’s Facebook page attracted more than 150 supporters and has provided excellent links to other similar local groups.

In addition to promoting sustainable living, SBV is running its own hands-on projects to create spaces where wildlife can flourish unhindered. The first of these is called Hirst Meadow and our vision is that this haven will become an attractive, eco-friendly, colourful and, eventually, self-sustaining area that can be enjoyed by the whole community. It will also be used to showcase the sort of planting that can be done in any garden or community space to provide much needed habitat for many threatened native species such as bees, butterflies and farmland birds.

The land at Hirst Meadow is owned by St Mary Bourne Parish Council, which has kindly granted us permission to create this eco-friendly community space.

On the upper side of the plot (to the left of the natural path in the photo above) we plan to plant some small trees, like crab apple, rowan and hazel. In amongst the trees, which will host bird and bat boxes, woodland flowers such as bluebells and snowdrops will be planted. To the right of the path, we’re creating a wild flower meadow, adding to the beautiful wild flowers already established there. This side of the path will remain uncut during the summer months to allow the meadow to fully flourish.

In the autumn, we plan to clear some of the brambles at the top of the site to create space for the tree planting. The Woodland Trust has a wonderful scheme that provides free tree packs for schools and communities so SBV is currently applying to the Trust to receive some young trees for planting in November.

We very much hope that the children from St Mary Bourne Primary School will be able to come along and help us plant the trees and, in doing so, will learn more about our project, the importance of taking care of our environment, and how to live more sustainably.

SBV may be a small drop in the ocean as far as saving the planet is concerned, but by working together as a community to support individual efforts, we’re helping to bring about significant, positive changes for the benefit of all.  

For more information about the group visit https://www.hugofox.com/community/sustainable-bourne-valley-15360/home/