Wild at Heart – Healthy Parks Programme

Do you live in or near Aston, Newtown or Nechells ward and are you looking for a fun, rewarding way to enjoy the outdoors, get some exercise, meet new people and give back to your community?

You can join Birmingham’s Park Rangers and help care for your local green spaces:

Whether it’s Community Clean Up litter picks, planting for pollinators, or creating wildlife-friendly areas, your time makes a difference.

Or join a Wild Walks with time to talk and spot wildlife and other points of interest as you exercise together around the park.

Or why not bring the whole family and take part in our free nature-inspired Park Fun! activities—suitable for all ages!

No experience needed – just enthusiasm! Wear suitable outdoor clothing and footwear. Check for cancellation in bad weather. Come along, get stuck in, and help make our parks better for both people and wildlife.

Email Lickey.hub@birmingham.gov.uk for more information.

January Dates For Your Diary

Whether you are looking for children’s activities, guided walks or getting involved caring for your local park there is plenty going on this autumn:

Please note: children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Tuesday 6th January 11am -12pm: Burbury Park – Mindful nature walk. Time to take a deep breath, stretch your legs and clear your head. Join the ranger for a mindful stroll around the park noticing the natural side of winter. Meet by the playground (Newtown B19 2UP).

Wednesday 7th January 11.30 am: Start at Eliot Street POS Nature Walk to Salford Park and back Approx. 3 miles. Meet near notice board Eliot street (Nechells B7 5LX)

Thursday 8th January 11.15 am: Georges Park – Practical Volunteer session: Woodland management. Meet by notice board near the play area. (Lozells B19 1PP)

Friday 9th 11.15 am: Newtown POS – Practical Volunteer session: vegetation management. Meet by the playground (Newtown B19 2YX)

Tuesday 13th January 12.00 – 1.30 pm: Witton Lane Gardens – Community clean up : Meet at Holte Rd Entrance (Aston B6 6QB)

Thursday 15th January 11.15 am: Mount Street Rec – Practical Volunteer session: vegetation management. Meet at Mount St entrance. ( Nechells B7 5QT)

Friday 16th January 11.15 am: Loxton Park – Practical Volunteer session: vegetation management. Meet at notice board entrance from Duddeston Manor Rd (Nechells B7 4JJ)

Monday 19th January 12.00 to 1 pm: Loxton Park – Community clean up. Meet at MUGA (sports court) Nechells B7 4JJ

Wednesday 21st January 11.15 am: Mansfield Green Park – Practical Volunteer session: vegetation management. Meet by the playground (Aston B6 6LE)

Thursday 22nd January 11am to 12pm: Mansfield Green Park – Mindful nature walk. Time to take a deep breath, stretch your legs and clear your head! Join the ranger for a mindful stroll around the park noticing the natural side of winter. Meet by the playground 11am. (Aston B6 6LE)

Friday 23rd January 11.15 am: Mount Street POS Practical Volunteer session: vegetation management. Meet by the playground/ entrance off Mount Street. (Nechells B7 5QT)

Sunday 25th January 1200 – 1.30 pm: Burbury Park – Community clean up. Meet by Play Area ( Newtown B19 2UP).

Tuesday 27th January 11 am – 12.30 pm: Sycamore Road POS – Community clean up of the wooded area Park Road North (Nechells B6 5UJ)

Wednesday 28th January 11.15: Georges Park – Practical Volunteer session: Woodland management. Meet by the playground/ Noticeboard (Lozells B19 1PP)

Thursday 29th January 11 am to 12 pm: Aston Park – Mindful nature walk. Time to take a deep breath, stretch your legs and clear your head! Join the ranger for a mindful stroll around the park noticing the natural side of winter. Meet in front of Aston Hall 11 am. (b6 6JD)

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Birmingham Ranger Service – Wild at Heart Programme

For many years Birmingham’s Park Ranger Service has cared for Birmingham’s countryside and helped to link people to nature through a programme of events, activities and support for community groups across the city.

As part of the ongoing review of Council services, in order to deliver savings in the region of £300m overall across the next two years, the operation and focus of every service with the Council has been under review, and the Ranger Service is no exception to this process. As such changes to how the Ranger Service will operate are now being put into place in order to meet the available budget. In light of the Councils budget pressures, the decision has been taken to reduce the number of Ranger Service personnel in total by removing any vacant posts. They will continue to to carry out Health and Safety inspections across the city’s parks and open spaces in accordance with statutory requirements.

The rest of their time will focus on new, targeted delivery of activities in the wards most in need of action to level up environmental justice scores as per our City of Nature 25 year plan, agreed by BCC Cabinet in February 2022. This includes 46 parks within Bordesley & Highgate, Balsall Heath West, Nechells, Gravelly Hill, Pype Hayes and Castle Vale.

The “Wild at Heart” programme is being delivered as part of a significant, time limited funding contribution from Public Health with defined targets for delivery set out in a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) developed between Public Health and the Ranger Service. Activities being delivered by the Rangers are those that support or deliver nature based interventions to improve health outcomes such as physical activity levels and wellbeing.

In practice what these changes will mean is, the level of support given previously
from the Ranger Service to ‘Friends Of’ groups and community groups in the other parts of the city will be reduced with the reduced workforce and re-focussing of priorities for the next two years whilst the Council returns to a more sustainable financial position.

That said, the Ranger Service will continue to work with the City of Nature Alliance of organisations and other partners to help inform and coordinate the delivery of community
activities and aim to increase participation, volunteering, and appreciation of our
green spaces across the city. The wider Parks team will of course be there to provide advice and support so that existing Friends Groups can continue to make their contributions to their local sites as much as possible. Hopefully in the future they will be able to build on what they have and increase support across the whole city once more.

The Rangers are still based at three sites across the city, Sutton Park , Lickey Hills Country Park and Sheldon Country Park that you can visits to enjoy Birmingham’s countryside and speak to a Ranger to get advice about your local green space.

Connecting with Nature

There are also lots of ways you can enjoy connecting to nature and enjoying Birmingham’s parks and open spaces, here are a few ideas.

Making Mud Animals

In our first video Holly who was based at the Lickey Hills shows you how to make mud animals.

Meeting An Oak Tree

In our second video Ranger Service Manager Steve who is based at the Lickey Hills shows you how to make the most of meeting a tree.

Bug Hunting

In our third video which is from Ex-Ranger Debbie who works from home as Community Facilitator for the FPA project and loves her garden. She shows you how to make the most of a sunny spring day bug hunting in your garden or local park

Nest Box Making

In our fourth video which is from Ex-Ranger Simon who now works as an ecologist for Birmingham City Council. He shows you how to make a selection of nest boxes for your garden and think about what birds you may see or hear in your local park. For more information about making nest boxes and where to put them visit: https://www.nestboxweek.com/

Out and About Bingo

We are very lucky to have other organizations that are also helping bring Birmingham’s parks to people in their homes so they can see more of the green spaces Birmingham has and get ideas of what to do when they can visit them. The Active Wellbeing Society has been live streaming walks around Birmingham’s Parks during lockdown, and while we can’t be Out and About with the Ranger Service at the moment this is a great way to see more of Birmingham and find out about some of the hidden gems around the city.

Check out Sally and Taz’s Out & About Bingo adventure which includes items to look out for: https://www.facebook.com/415201472277094/videos/159333265907654

Or you can visits one of our pilot sites Dawberry Fields Park: https://www.facebook.com/415201472277094/videos/296446511620446

Or another interesting park Manor Farm Park – thinking about how young children can enjoy parks: https://www.facebook.com/415201472277094/videos/871682543316531