Are you interested in wild plants or would like to learn more about them? As the weather warms and the days get longer we are looking for people to help us.

The National Plant Monitoring Scheme is helping us to understand what is happening to different habitats across the UK and is set to run for a number of years. The Scheme has been running for two survey seasons and over 900 volunteers have signed up and been out surveying. One of the reasons the scheme has enjoyed such good success in attracting volunteers is because of the support of local parish councils. Many of these volunteers are new to plant surveying and have found the scheme accessible, are enjoying taking part and are exploring places to close to them and finding out new things. Volunteers are supported by materials which are sent to them, online resources and free training courses.

Do you enjoy being outside? There are still opportunities to get involved with the scheme as a volunteer. In fact the more volunteers we have the more information is generated allowing us to get an even better understanding of what is happening in the landscape.

Who we are and what we need:

This scheme is a partnership between Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI); JNCC; Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and Plantlife and is backed by the government. Volunteers are recruited and supported to survey 5 plots in a kilometre square close to where they live. The plots will be surveyed twice a year. The kilometre squares to monitor have been identified by stratified random sampling. The plants have been chosen as indicators of the health of individual habitats. There are 3 levels volunteers can participate at depending on confidence and knowledge and support will be provided both through training; web and telephone.

More help please:

 Across Warwickshire there are still 19 squares available to survey.

The live map on the NPMS website shows the squares that are available: http://www.npms.org.uk/square-near-me-public?dynamic-return_all_squares=true

To sign up please visit www.npms.org.uk or for further information please email support@npms.org.uk or phone 01722 342743.

Thank you for your support

Hayley

Hayley New

NPMS Volunteer Coordinator

Direct Dial: 01722 342743

Mobile: 07464 318949

14 Rollestone St, Salisbury, SP1 1DX

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My name is Sarah Coxall and I am the Time Broker for Stratford District Time Bank.  I wanted to reach out to the parish councils in Stratford District to let you know about TImeBanking.  TimeBanking is a reciprocal volunteer scheme that enables its members to bank time using their own skills or strengths and then they can withdraw that time to utilise the skills or strengths of other members.  Time Banking is designed to help reconnect communities and to rebuild that neighbourly support that communities used to have.  Our members can offer or request anything that another person might feel useful.  It can be help with day to day tasks or more specialist skills.  I would welcome the chance to attend your next meeting to tell you more about the Time Bank.  I would also be extremely grateful if you could include something about the Time Bank in your parish magazine if you have one.  The more members we can access in each area of Stratford district the stronger the Time Bank will be.  If you have any questions, then please email me at timebroker@outlook.com or call on 07419373680.

Thank you

Sarah Coxall

Time Broker

Stratford Time Bank