Hi everyone – firstly apologies, its been a while since our last communication, mainly due to a busy summer with family visits etc. This short newsletter is to tell you about some coming events for the Group, some local activities and a couple of important dates for your diary.
Dates for you diary:
Weds 1st Oct Group Meeting and AGM with speaker from Wild Oxfordshire –
Sat 10th Jan 2026 Holloway Hedge Planting –
Holloway Hedgerow
Thanks to the efforts of group volunteers, we had fun in February planting the first 100m of a new 700m hedgerow to create a wildlife corridor along The Holloway.
We’ve just heard that our application for more whips from CPRE and Wild Oxfordshire has been successful, and this good news means we will be able to plant the next 150 meters this coming winter.
100m of new hedgerow planted by Sustainable Harwell volunteers along The Holloway in Feb 2025. Species includes Hawthorn, Hazel, Wild Plum, Crab Apple, Spindle, Wayfaring, Wild Privet, Damson Plum and Wild Pear.
We’re planning to get them all planted after Xmas on Saturday 10th January 2026 but could continue on Sunday 11th if necessary.
Having already done some planting we have a pretty well honed process and we’re also going to buy some dedicated planting spades for this next session which should help make things even easier.
Any advice or offers of help on the day would be much appreciated. So please reserve the date/s in your diary and please email us at Sustainable Harwell to let us know you would like to help out.
On the day please meet at 10:30 at the bottom of The Holloway and be prepared to get a bit muddy and dress appropriately for the weather. Bring sturdy shoes/boots and warm clothes, gloves and a large fork or spade, small fork and trowel, or anything else you think suitable. If anyone has a bulb planting device then please bring that as that might come in handy.
Group meeting, guest speaker and AGM
Weds 1st October at the Village Hall, starting at 7:30 pm.
“Wild Oxfordshire”
by Jessica Bouwer
Hedgerows and Partnerships Project Officer
Wild Oxfordshire are a nature conservation charity based in South Oxfordshire working to create a more natural, resilient, and biodiverse Oxfordshire for the benefit of all!
Come and join us on Weds 1st October to hear Jess talk about the different projects they are involved in including Hedgerow Heroes, the Evenlode Catchment Partnership and Wild Kidlington.
If you are a member of another village group, do please make them aware of this talk, which should be of interest to everybody.
There will be a short AGM for half an hour at the start of the meeting to elect Group Officers and review our accounts. Everyone is welcome so please reserve the date in your diary.
Village residents are installing heat pumps
Some members of Sustainable Harwell have recently decided to replace the gas boilers in their houses, making use of the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which contributes £7500 towards the cost. If you are considering doing the same and would like to speak to them about their experiences, please email us at Sustainable Harwell and we will put you in touch for a chat. For more details about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme from the Energy Saving Trust click here.
New display board at the community orchard
Despite the lack of rain this summer, its good to see the trees at the orchard are bearing fruit.
The Orchard project team are also putting the finishing touches to a Display Board which will be installed at the entrance to the orchard. It will have lots of information about the location of specific tress and the varieties planted. Look out for this soon.
News from Harwell Swifts
Significant swift conservation activities this year include:
- Ran three swift awareness and swift box assembly sessions with Harwell Cubs.
- Ran two swift box making workshops with Shed Oxford.
- Made and installed 15 swift boxes including three large
- boxes for two churches in the area.
- Susan has been on duty for SOS Swifts, Swallows and House Martins – a UK wide social media forum for uniting grounded birds nationwide with the wonderful people who are prepared to feed them up and care for them until they can be released.
- Visited the development at Valley Park, Didcot and confirmed that Taylor Wimpey have installed many swift bricks in the new houses.
- Surveyed a significant colony of swifts in Steventon and another in Manor Road, Didcot.
- Confirmed a significant colony of swifts in Great Western Park in the vicinity of Daniel Shepherd Avenue. These houses were first sold in 2013.
- Visited the Action for Swifts workshop in Norwich to see how swift bricks are made.
- Helped set up the Action for Swifts stand at Global Birdfair in Rutland.
Best wishes
Sustainable Harwell