Philips Park was once the grand gardens of Philips Park Hall, a stately home on the border of Prestwich and Whitefield in Bury. Formal gardens were surrounded by ancient semi-natural woodland dotted with ponds and a network of pathways.

Now owned by Bury Council, their parks team and a number of community groups have been working hard to look after Philips Park – an important urban greenspace providing access to nature for many people. Lancashire Wildlife Trust gets involved too, running important Nature & Wellbeing sessions in Philips Park and supporting regular volunteering, but additional funding from the National Highways Network for Nature scheme has allowed even more essential conservation work to take place.

150m of hedgerows have been rejuvenated using the ancient art of hedgelaying, with additional hedgerow trees being planted or existing trees coppiced. This will create thick healthy hedges that provide food, shelter and a safe means of moving around for lots of species including hedgehogs, newts, bats and a plethora of birds and invertebrates. As we have lost 50 per cent of our hedgerows since World War II, and of those remaining around 60 per cent are in poor condition, this work is simply vital for supporting our precious wildlife.

Whilst this work is focussing on nature, people are very much at the heart of the project. The woodland restoration plug plants have been grown on site by the local Incredible Edible group who have an allotment at Philips Park. At least one volunteering session is held per week, with many of the volunteers being trained up in skills such as hedgelaying and licensed invasive species control. There will also be lots of family events held so that everyone can get involved in some balsam bashing or other activities that will both make a difference and allow attendees to really connect with nature.