Practical Conservation Taster Session

On Sunday the 9th August we held a Practical Conservation Taster Session as part of the Brecks Outdoor Festival. The hot sunny weather did not put off the new volunteers wanting to get outdoors and get dirty while helping nature.

Brecks Outdoor Festival and HLF Logos

The new volunteers along with a few LOHP regulars soon got stuck in removing saplings coming up in the fen, an important job. If left the saplings would dry out the fen and eventually turn it into woodland, losing all the specialist fenland plants.

Volunteers clearing saplings from the fen, with Thelnetham Windmill in the background © Ellie Beach

Volunteer working hard © Ellie Beach

Thank you to everyone who came along to help out on Sunday, you all did an amazing job. Perhaps spurred on by the lovely cakes at tea break. If anyone else fancies having a go at practical conservation then get in touch, tasks are varied, you get to learn new skills and meet interesting people and eat cakes! what more can you ask for. To find out more Contact Us.

Fancy doing something else outdoors? The Brecks Outdoor Festival 2026 continues until 23rd August - so visit their website and find out more https://brecks.org/festival-schedule/

Countryside Champion Award

We were invited to attend Diss Museum's Opening Day on Saturday 14th March. There was a parade with everyone dressed in 1926’s costumes, there were singers and speeches to mark the 100 year anniversary.

Palgrave Players singing about the General Strike

Gislingham Variety Group singing 1920's tunes

It also marked a century of championing Norfolk's countryside by Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). A trustee from CPRE Norfolk presented certificates of recognition to local environmental volunteer groups, celebrating some of the local people who work so hard to protect and care for Norfolk's landscapes and wildlife.

LOHP was one of the groups and we were given a 'Countryside Champion Award', in recognition of: Championing the Little Ouse headwaters – protecting fragile river habitats and helping communities understand, value and safeguard the landscape. The certificate said 'Thank you for looking after where the river begins, it matters more than most people realise'.

LOHP's Conservation Manager Ellie Beach receiving certificate from Trustee of CPRE

LOHP's Conservation Manager with certificate

Countryside Champion Award

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/6f333c_7ab9da7e5423412f84ebe3f93cca2500/480p/mp4/file.mp4

CPRE Trustee giving award to LOHP

Finding New Species

As signs of Spring start to appear we are forever noticing new species. Over on our new reserve Prince Freddy's Meadows we have just found Water Violet appearing in the old river channel.

Water Violet growing in old river channel © Nick Lingwood

There is also a really old Wild Pear growing on the reserve.

Wild Pear Tree © Nick Lingwood

We are planning on running another guided walk around the reserve in the near future. If you were previously booked onto the last walk and could not make it we will be in touch when we have a new date. If you would like to express an interest in coming on the next walk then please get in touch via Contact Us page.

Its not too late to donate and help us restore Prince Freddy's Meadows. You can do this in a range of ways from donating via our JustGiving page, via our donate page on the website, by cheque and even bank transfer (Contact Us for more details) - see attached for more details of how to donate.

Thank you for your continued support

How you can help us restore Prince Freddy's Meadows.pdf

Download PDF • 144KB

LOHP Donate by Cheque 2025.pdf

Download PDF • 172KB