Rob Jordan/2020Vision
Our local branches near you
Shropshire Wildlife Trust has local branches all around the county. They are at the heart of what we do, working within local communities to spread our message.
Local branches are involved with various activities, such as surveys and practical work parties and often run their own projects. They also organise walks and talks to inspire people about Shropshire's wildlife.
For a full list of local events please visit our whats on pages.
To find out more, or to get in touch with your local branch contact, a full list can be found below. If you join as a member you will be allocated to your local branch and will receive regular updates from them (if you opt in).
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth from High Rock (c) Tim Walter
The Bridgnorth Branch covers a large area of Shropshire from Much Wenlock to Kinlet and Bobbington to Burwarton. It was created to promote the vision and work of SWLT by encouraging residents to learn and understand about their area and local conservation priorities. The River Severn runs right through the area and there are several sites providing local interest.
Talks and Events
The Branch organises presentations by guest speakers during the winter months, which aim to provide insights into specialist natural history subjects. These talks take place at Bridgnorth Methodist Church on the first Monday of the month at 7.30pm. In the summer, evening walks take place monthly to give people an opportunity to enjoy the natural environment. We meet at the walk sites in the Bridgnorth area. See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
The Branch does not have its own nature reserve, so no work parties are held, but Dr Yuille at Pam’s Pools is often looking for volunteers at the Pools. Contact would need to be made with her directly.
Wildlife Sites in the area
- Eardington Nature Reserve - www.fenr.org.uk
- Stanmore Country Park
- Severn Valley Country Park.
Contact
Carol Bickerstaffe
Bridgnorth@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Follow Bridgnorth on Facebook
Explore nature reserves around Bridgnorth
Clun & Bishop's Castle
Clun and BC river monitoring (C) Dave Lewis
Our branch covers the sparsely-populated South West corner of Shropshire: remote peat uplands, ancient hill forts, deep wooded dingles as well as more arable sections. Special features include the River Clun; and the branch is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Our membership is rich in human talent, too: a plethora of enthusiastic and knowledgeable professionals and amateurs, active in promoting the health of the natural world.
Talks and Events
Talks usually take place on the third Wednesday of each month (between September and April) at the Methodist Church, Clun.
Other walks occur in summer months - contact Mary Eminson - Branch Contact below - birds, trees, fungi, Himalayan balsam pulling etc.
See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
River quality testing takes place on the Clun, Kemp and Redlake, times vary. Open invitation to join Dave Lewis at Waterloo Ford, Clun at 10am on second Sunday in each month, when testing (including biochemistry, turbidity and invertebrates) takes place. Testing takes 1-2 hours. Introductions to other testing stations through Dave. dave.lewis54hv@gmail.com
Priority habitat mapping for the Nature Recovery Network takes place in May-July; contact Mary Eminson to learn more.
For other volunteering opportunities we can signpost members to the following groups we work closely with (RSPB, RSVP, Butterfly Conservation, Marches Meadow Group, National Trust and various river groups) and to verges restoration groups in several village communities.
We are committed to a long term plan of better wildlife information and management for biodiversity in the grounds of Clun Castle (English Heritage), and undertake periodic BIoblitzes.
You may also be interested in visiting the Rivers Clun, Kemp and Redlake.
Contact
Mary Eminson
Clunandbc@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Follow them on Facebook
Explore nature reserves around Clun and Bishop's Castle
Ellesmere
Talks and Events
Talks take place on the first Thursday of each month. The branch organises local walks throughout the summer! See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
The branch are also involved with the management of Shropshire WIldlife Trust reserve, Birch Road Pond and regularly hold work parties there. To find out when the next work party is please contact the Branch directly.
Contact
Alex Grant
Ellesmere@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Follow the branch on Facebook
Ludlow
Talks and Events
Ludlow Branch run a number of topical talks and regular walks at local sites throughout the year. Talks take place on the 2nd Thursday of each month at Ludlow Mascall Centre, See event listings for up to date details.
Contact the branch for more details on their branch events and to receive the monthly branch newsletter, which includes activities from other local like minded organisations.
Work Parties
These are available on Whitcliffe Common nature reserve in the heart of Ludlow with the Friends of Whitcliffe Common. Click here to visit their website and to contact them.
Contact
Graham Hubbard
Ludlow@ShropshireWildlifeTrust.org.uk
Follow the branch on social media
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ludlow.swt
Twitter - https://twitter.com/WildlifeBranch
Explore nature reserves near Ludlow
Market Drayton
Quarry Wood (c) Clive Dyer
Market Drayton Branch is a friendly and active branch. We welcome everybody, especially local people, to attend our talks and walks. Our work party volunteers are busy during the winter months on the two reserves we look after in Hinstock.
Our town is surrounded by farmland and a network of footpaths. The Shropshire Union Canal enters Market Drayton through impressive cuttings and a series of locks, a spectacular nature corridor
Talks and Events
Talks take place at the Beacon Community Centre on the third Wednesday of the month in the winter. We have a winter walk in February and two summer walks. See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
Our branch organise work parties at two local sites - Quarry Wood and Old Church Farm, Hinstock. Work parties alternate between the two sites on the second Saturday of each month between 10.30am and 3.00pm. Please contact us if you would like to find out more.
We also carry out monthly litter picks at Walkmill Meadows, as well as occasional other activities – mainly clearing fallen trees that are on the paths. We would be interested in hearing from local people who would like to join us.
Wildlife sites in the area
- Old Church Farm. Owned by Woodland Trust managed by SWT. A small reserve with a pool, wet meadow and woodland birds. You may need wellingtons to explore it in winter. Leave Hinstock on A529. Entrance on left Barley Meadow, TF92TL
- Walkmill Meadows. Walk along part of the River Tern and through woodland. Look out for a variety of birds including grey wagtails and an elusive kingfisher. www.discovermarketdrayton.co.uk
- Wollerton Wetlands. Wander through the wetland vegetation and on sunny summer days, watch a variety of dragonflies in and around the pools. Wollerton, (between Market Drayton and Hodnet) Pass Wollerton Village Hall TF93NB on your left. Take the first right and then the footpath on your left. At the end of the path, cross the field diagonally to the footbridge.
- Fordhall Farm. Meander along the walking routes that take you through the field along the river and through the trees. A wonderful place for a picnic. Cafe and toilets available. Closed Mondays. www.fordhallfarm.com Off the A54 between Market Drayton and Tern Hill
- Prees Heath Common Reserve. A Butterfly Conservation Site. Visit in June and the beginning of July to see silver studded blue butterflies. www.butterfly-conservation.org
Contact
Clive Dyer
Marketdrayton@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Follow them on Facebook
Explore nature reserves around Market Drayton
Newport
Talks and Events
Talks take place at Church Aston Church Hall on the second Tuesday of each month at 7.30pm. See event listings for up to date details.
Contact
Stephen Jaggs
Newport@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Follow them on Facebook.
Oswestry
Talks and Events
A variety of talks take place at the Methodist Church Hall usually on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm. Plus the group are very active in holding events throughout the year for all the family. See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
Oswestry Hills (Saturday) - The group are actively involved with managing this nature reserves on the 1st Saturday of April and September and more frequently the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month from October to March. Many of the species-rich habitats of the Oswestry hills are flower-rich grasslands and keeping areas clear of scrub is one of the main activities of volunteers. Other tasks include pond clearance, removing fallen trees and raking up meadows after the hay is cut.
Llynclys Quarry (Monday) - Up until March 2023 local volunteers will be going into the working quarry at Llynclys to help the developing areas of species rich limestone grassland to improve. Some of these attractive fields reclaimed from quarrying many years ago are currently being discussed for lease to Shropshire Wildlife Trust. Generally this will be 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month.
Contact the branch for further details for any of the above.
Contact
David Hardwick
Oswestry@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Tel: 07791 459196
Follow the branch on Facebook
Explore nature reserves around the Oswestry Hills
Shrewsbury
Talks and Events
The Branch holds regular monthly events: Outdoor nature and biodiversity themed walks from April to October, Indoor talks at the Cut in Shrewsbury from November to March. See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
Burnside Meadows, Reabrook Local Nature Reserve, Shrewsbury Town Council - The Branch, in collaboration with Shrewsbury Town Council and the SWT reserves team, supports work parties at Burnside Meadows. The work parties meet on Sunday mornings, averaging a couple of Sundays a month. We are currently establishing a crab apple and damson orchard at the site.
A4u, Shropshire Autism Hub, Louise House, Shrewsbury - The Branch supports seasonal nature walks for clients of the Hub.
Belle Vue Tree Planting Group (BVTPG) is affiliated to the Branch.
Contact
Janet Pitt-Lewis
Strettons
Talks and Events
A variety of indoor talks take place usually at the Mayfair Community Centre on a Monday three times ,a year. Plus walks and/or outdoor events are generally scheduled in the summer or autumn. See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
Strettons Branch do not hold their own work parties, but join with other groups in the area to work on the two Local Nature Reserves (Rectory Wood & Field and Coppice Leasowes) and wildlife sites e.g. Cudwell Meadow and High Leasowes.
Contact
Strettons@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Other groups we work with:
Nature in the Strettons
On 28th February 2023 a new initiative “Nature in the Strettons” was launched. The aim is to make finding all the many different groups involved with nature and wildlife in the Church Stretton area easier. See the Nature in the Strettons website which coordinates news and events and provides links to the websites of the different groups and organisations involved, plus wildlife sites and activities in the Strettons.
As part of this initiative a Nature in the Strettons exhibition of photographs highlighting the threatened species and habitats in the Strettons area was on display at a number of locations in the area.
Stretton Area Community Wildlife Group
The main work of this groups is surveying and monitoring locally threatened species and habitats. Results are provided to Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Natural England and Shropshire Council. Annual reports are published (see www.shropscwgs.org.uk/strettons-area-wildlife-group
Explore nature reserves around the Strettons
Whitchurch
Talks and Events
The Branch holds regular events throughout the year. See event listings for up to date details.
Work Parties
- Greenfields Local Nature Reserve working parties are normally on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month: 9.30 am - 12.30 pm. Please check with the branch for any changes. Visit the Greenfields LNR Facebook page.
Wildlife sites near Whitchurch
- Whitchurch is well known for being at the centre of a significant local water vole population. One place you might see these iconic creatures is in the brook under the footbridge between White Lion Meadow car park and the swimming pool.
- Greenfields Local Nature Reserve This SWT reserve on the western edge of town near the Llangollen Canal is managed by the Whitchurch Branch. Read more
- Melverley Meadows [SWT Reserve] is about 3 miles south east just outside the village of Ash. Read more
- Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve, home of the BogLIFE project to restore the Marches Mosses, is only a few miles to the south west of town. Read more
- Prees Heath Common, Butterfly Conservation's reserve for the silver-studded blue butterfly is just 2 miles to the south. Read more
- Prees Heath East - a small site on the edge of common. Read more
- Brown Moss [Shropshire Council countryside site] lies a mile to the south east. Read more
Contact:
Malcolm Monie
Whitchurch@ShropshireWildlifeTrust.org.uk
Facebook: Whitchurch Branch, Shropshire Wildlife trust @SWTWhitchurch
