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/

2nd LOHP Spring Plant and Craft Fair a great success

LOHP's 2nd Spring Plant and Craft Fair was held on Sunday 12th April at a new venue Lophams Village Hall. The new venue provided a flat field for the outdoor stallholders and with the added benefit of inside space for more stallholders, refreshments and toilets.

LOHP Spring Plant and Craft Fair 2026 - Lophams Village Hall - © Rowena Langston - 12-04-26 i

There were over 14 plant sellers, 23 craft stalls, a couple of information stalls, LOHP's nature table and tombola. Along with refreshments hot and cold, including hot dogs, ice creams, beers and homemade cakes, there was something for everyone.

LOHP Spring Plant and Craft Fair 2026 - Lophams Village Hall - © Rowena Langston - 12-04-26 ii

It stayed dry and the sun even came out. The LOHP donated plant stall was really popular along with the LOHP tombola which was quite a favourite, thanks to all the stallholders for donating prizes.

LOHP Donated Plants Stall - Lophams Village Hall - © Rowena Langston - 12-04-26

The indoor space allowed us to invite more craft stalls who could not be outside and was somewhere for us to provide our own refreshments.......

LOHP Spring Plant and Craft Fair 2026 - inside hall - © Rob Robinson - 12-04-26

..... like the huge variety of homemade cakes on offer.

LOHP Spring Plant and Craft Fair 2026 - LOHP Refreshments - © Rob Robinson - 12-04-26

A huge thank you to all of the LOHP volunteers who helped out not only on the day but with all the preparations before and after the event, and all the stallholders who came along and made the day a great success. Not forgetting the over 500 visitors that joined us - thank you.

All donations raised from the event have gone towards the Prince Freddy's Meadows Appeal.

See you in 2027 for the next one.

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