Here is some important information about what is coming up soon in our area;

MuW Village Fete, Saturday, 13 July, 2-5 pm, on the Village Green.

Our Biodiversity Monitoring and Action Group (BMAG) will have a stand on the edge of the main arena.  We will: 

…remind you of what we have done since November, 2023 

…seek your view on priorities for projects which have emerged during that period; and,

…encourage you to give practical help, however small, to a number of ongoing projects or to get new projects into action. 

These include developing Milton’s new wildlife area called Sarah’s Meadow (which now belongs to the parish); tree planting and hedgerow restoration; mapping of wildlife habitats and our vital green spaces; farm visits and supporting ‘regenerative’ farming;  becoming a Citizen Scientist and testing water quality; birding walks; counting butterflies as part of the national Big Butterfly Count; erecting nesting boxes for birds and insects; education of children and young people; and help with social media and publicity.  

If everybody helped just a little, we could achieve so much more!

Urgently, we should mention the national Big Butterfly Count which takes place July 12 – August 4.  Butterflies are an extremely sensitive indicator of a healthy environment and ecosystem.  They are in trouble – and so are we!  Recording is very easy; you need only15 minutes and you do not need to be a butterfly expert – the butterfly conservation website provides a useful guide to the species you are likely to see. 

Can you spare 15 minutes in over two weeks?    The website is

https://butterfly-conservation.org/

Two other ‘environmental’ projects will be closeby at the Milton Fete; the  ‘Sustainable Wychwoods Action Group (SWAG)’ and ‘Wild About the Wychwoods’.  They have a number of exciting projects with similar overall aims and we are working closely with them.  

‘Wild about the Wychwoods’ has an event on Tuesday 16 th July, New Beaconsfield Hall, 7-9 pm with a showing of an excellent film by the Evenlode Catchment Partnership, ‘Beneath the Surface’ – ‘both shocking and hopeful’.  

Following on from this, they are running a Citizen Scientist Training Session from 10-12 on Saturday 27 July in Shipton.  Email Sam at Fresh Water Watch for further details  – sfrith@earthwatch.org.uk

Please see posters for both events attached below.

SWAG’s forthcoming activities include the next Repair Cafe on 8th September – a very successful initiative which on this occasion will also include a swap of surplus homegrown fruit and vegetables.  See their valuable website for further details and the winning photos of their recent wildlife photography competition, The Great Outdoors, now displayed in Milton library; 

sustainablewychwoods@gmail.com

Please support us; we need wildlife and wildlife desperately needs us.

At least, come by and have a chat!

We very much look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Elaine Brittan, and  

Cllr Pat Ward