Season’s greetings

December 2023

Dear Supporter,

As the year draws to a close, we’d like to write to say thank you for your support this year.

 

Volunteers

2023 has been a memorable year for Banstead Commons Conservators.  Earlier this year, we launched our new website and more recently introduced our volunteer task programme on the Commons.  A small but dedicated team of volunteers has already joined us over the last couple of months and we hope that as the news spreads and friendships form more people will sign up in the New Year.  We’ve hosted six corporate volunteer groups and the difference they’ve made removing woody scrub from a compartment of lowland heath habitat has been incredible – many hands make light work!  Working together with the Downlands Partnership, we inducted a team of twenty-four volunteer livestock monitors who are assisting us with welfare checks on the livestock that are grazing the Commons this winter.  We have loved receiving regular updates and photographs from them on WhatsApp groups.

Public engagement

The following on our social media pages continues to grow and regular posts help to connect people to the green spaces found on their doorstep.  They promote community health and wellbeing by making sites accessible and people can learn more about the habitats and wildlife that can be found on the Commons.  Special thankyous should be extended to our wildlife monitors for collecting valuable data and the visitors who kindly share their amazing photographs for our use so that we’re able to post regularly with exciting news for followers to enjoy. If you don’t already, please follow us on social media for regular news and events – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. 

 

Thankyous

We’d also like to use this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the support given by the landowners, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and their Local Councillors and Officers who continue to support us both financially and practically.  We wouldn’t be able to continue our work without the support of the local community and, whilst we can’t list everyone, we would also like to acknowledge the financial and/or practical support given by a few notable organisations: The Downlands Trust, Surrey Hills Society, Leatherhead Youth Project, Surrey County Council Countryside Team, London and South West Surrey Branch of Butterfly Conservation, Farming in Protected Landscapes, Newt Conservation Partnership and the fabulous local Resident Associations who kindly help with the promotion of our work through their newsletters and websites.