Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s health and wellbeing volunteer group have been working at the NeuroMuscular Centre in Winsford to help improve the centre’s grounds for wildlife.
The volunteer group have been using the traditional meadow cutting method of scything to cut a wildflower meadow at the centre.
By cutting the meadow this way, they were conserving the wildflowers by helping them to spread their seed for the following year, while making sure important pollinators such as bees and butterflies using the meadow as their home were safe.
“We’re really excited to be working with the NeuroMuscular Centre,” said Catherine de Zwaan, Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s natural futures manager, who leads the volunteering team at the trust.
“There are opportunities for us to support the centre in making areas of their garden more wildlife-friendly, so we will be visiting them a few more times – our volunteers are really enjoying it.”
The natural futures volunteering programme at Cheshire Wildlife Trust started in 2015, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, and has developed a number of dedicated volunteer and training groups over the years.
“The group which has been working at the NeuroMuscular Centre is our wild wellbeing group, which aims to increase volunteers’ feelings of health and wellbeing by providing opportunities to spend time connecting with nature, so this ties in well with the NeuroMuscular Centre’s ethos too.
“Being outdoors in the natural environment is a great way to reduce stress.
“Taking part in a volunteer group is also the perfect way to meet new people and develop friendships for that much needed support that can benefit us all in life,” said Catherine.
The NeuroMuscular Centre provides a range of services and specialist advice to improve the quality of life for adults with muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular conditions across North West England and North Wales.
More on the Cheshire Wildlife Trust
Cheshire Wildlife Trust offers a wide variety of volunteering opportunities across the county.
To find out how to volunteer for Cheshire Wildlife Trust visit: www.cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/volunteering
