STOKE HOLY CROSS JUBILEE MEADOW
The Swifts are back. Find out more about our new community project "Helping our Swifts"
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What's being said about the Meadow
The Spring 2023 issue of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust's Tern magazine featured the Claylands Project and had a full page article about the Meadow
We continue to feature news and articles in the monthly local church magazine Free for All with several front page mentions
Our regular updates on the Residents Facebook site have generated some really nice comments.
Here are just a few of the generous comments following our announcement in June 2023 that the Meadow Makers had won the Norfolk Biodiversity Awards 2023 for "Spaces for Nature"
"...you are an amazing group of dedicated people, who go out in all weathers and are passionate about developing this space for the community. So happy for you all"
"This is amazing, a great testament to the hard work you have put in, congratulations!"
"I have watched this from the start as it backs onto my house you have all worked so hard in all weather's and have done such a fantastic job.. congratulations to all involved so well deserved."
"Congratulations to all involved! It really is lovely there what you’ve achieved and much appreciated"
Previous comments have included:
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"We are so grateful that you have been able to save Mollies tree from the plant pot in our garden and it looks so healthy and wonderful! What a treat for us as a family! Thank you thank you! She loves running through from the park to show all of her friends where it is and hopefully will do for many years to come!" (re an update on the Meadow, May 2023)
"It’s a lovely addition to the meadow and we look forward to revisiting over the year to check on the hotel inhabitants. Thanks to all for a lovely experience" (re Bugingham Palace event, May 2023)
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"Fantastic efforts though and (thumbs up) for the beautiful outcome" (re Phase 2, May 2023)
"Thank you so much for all the hard work and commitment to the project. So looking forward to the outcome" and "Well done for all the hard work that’s been done" (re Log seats, April 2023
"It’s beginning to look pretty good!!" (re Update on progress, Feb 2023
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"Great website. Thank you" (re Website launch, Nov 2022
Feedback from our wildlife events in May 2023 included
“Fantastic dawn chorus walk. My 1st time at Jubilee Meadow. More walks please! Insects, birds, wild flowers, more birds. Thank you”
And Sam had this to say about our Bugingham Palace event:
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"Thanks for a great afternoon, when we got home Jasper wanted to make a bug hotel in our garden too, much smaller!"
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.... and here's what they made at home - isn't it brilliant!
When asked for comments on their experience with the project our team of Meadow Makers had the following to say:
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"- we wanted to help with something we think is a fantastic and worthwhile project ,
- a great opportunity to connect with people from the village who we’ve never known before
- a chance to pick up new skills and knowledge , not least learning to love “weeds”
- an outdoor gym
- chance to make a small but positive contribution towards the fight back for nature
- the downside is having to be patient and realise it’s going to take a lot of time to fulfil the vision
- I’ve enjoyed making new friends in the village and working with them
- I’ve been so impressed by everyone’s enthusiasm and wide range of skills and expertise within group
- it’s been fun and I’ve made new friends
- I’ve loved being together with everyone working to create a vision
- I’ve loved all the ideas that come together when we are talking
- the snacks and refreshments have been great
- the progression and how we all work along side each other. Using our various skills as a friendly group. How lovely the meadow is looking now "
Have your say about the Meadow
Get involved
We'd love you to join us - we are the Jubilee Meadow Makers, a friendly and informal group of volunteers who are helping create and manage the Meadow with the support of the Parish Council
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If you would like to know more or get involved then please email Jubilee Meadow Makers at shxmeadowmakers@yahoo.com or just come along to a working party - dates are advertised here on our Events page, on the Stoke Holy Cross Residents Facebook page and on Parish Council notice boards
It’s going to take a lot of raking, digging, weeding & planting to establish and maintain the Meadow so please give us a hand. However it’s not all hard labour and there are plenty of ways you can get involved from helping with surveys to publicising the project and any advice, help and support is welcome
We are looking to make more bird boxes so if you have any spare wood you don’t need, please let us know
And why not help us build a network of wildlife friendly spaces in the village by creating space in your garden or other patch?
... and a big thank you
We'd like to say a big thank you to all the people and organisations who have helped and supported us so far in the project, they include
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Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) and all the staff who have given advice, encouragement and support especially Gemma Walker (Senior Community and Nature Officer), Sue Grime (formerly Claylands Community Engagement Officer), Ben Newton (Wilder Landscapes Advisor) and Helen Baczkowska (Conservation Officer)
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Also to NWT for providing green hay, wildflower seeds and saplings, to Norfolk Rivers Trust who funded NWT's latest project to supply additional green hay and seed, to The Woodland Trust for providing hedge and tree saplings and to High Ash Farm for supplying wildflower seeds to start planting the Meadow
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The Geoffrey Watling Charity who awarded a grant which has been used for providing benches and seeds for the Meadow
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South Norfolk Council for it's 'Go For It Grant' which allowed us to provide notices and educational signs
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Dominic Gwilliam-Bell for kindly donating and installing nest boxes and everyone else who has generously provided bird boxes and other wildlife homes and materials, seeds and plants and not least, chocolate biscuits to help keep the energy levels up
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All the people who have given their time and effort to create, manage and promote the Meadow including all the Jubilee Meadow Makers volunteers, John Shreeve , John Fairweather and Jeff Smith for their help with digging, Mike Beckett (care-taker), Dan Wickham (Clerk to Stoke Holy Cross Parish Council) and all the Parish Councillors who have helped and supported our endeavours
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and not least Gill Jinkerson and Lee Cozens for the vision and making it happen​
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Website created by Dave Jones with content provided by Jubilee Meadow Makers