## **RATTERY ENVIRONMENT GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 1[st] May 2022 - 30[th] April 2023** 

This was a very busy year, with consolidation of work on existing areas, plus two new initiatives. 

## **a) Rattery Nature Reserve** 

Discussions were held with Devon County Council with regard to creating a nature reserve in the heart of Rattery, with a permissive path for local residents’ access. Ecological reports were commissioned by the REG, working together with Parklife. 

## **b) Bidwell Brook Partnership (BBP)** 

Rattery Environment Group was the key founding member of this new partnership, which aims to improve the environment along the valley of the Bidwell Brook. The BBP has the formal support of Rattery and Dartington Parish Councils. 

Nearly 40 volunteers from Rattery and Dartington had stepped forward to become Citizen Science Investigators. An email and website had been set up by DH. Excellent communication links had been established with local officers from the Environment Agency, the Westcountry Rivers Trust and South West Water. 

## **c) ‘Evening for Rattery’** 

An ‘Evening for Rattery’ event held in March was very successful, with good attendance and positive feedback from attenders. The REG display attracted attention from all ages and resulted in two new members signing up. The ‘pop a seed’ vote for REG actions was well-used,  with ‘votes’ being cast as follows: more off-road permissive paths  (65); help create wildlife reserves (54); Bidwell valley wildlife corridor (28); plant more trees/hedges (21). 

## **d) Maintenance of existing sites** 

More trees were planted in the playing field. Maintenance work was carried out on the previously planted trees in the park, and along the Kettlewell Walk permissive path. 

## **e) Other activities** 

**a) REG leaflet:** an update was printed and made available via the village website. 

**b) Fair for South Brent** : REG was represented at this event in July. 

## **c) REG stall at Rattery Annual Show:** this was very successful. 

**d) Presentation about the REG:** was given at a Devon Wildlife Trust online event. 

**e) Mini-beast hunt:** A successful event was run in the churchyard in June. 

Huge thanks are due to everyone who made all of the above actions possible. 



## **Accounts 1/5/22 to 30/4/22** 

|**Income**|||
|---|---|---|
|Grant from SHDC||£2,500|
|**Expenditure**|||
|Plants|£  159.94||
|Hedging|£  297.60||
|Fencing|£1,440.00||
|Total||£1,797.54|
|**Balance in bank account**||£3,206.41|



Kim Howard, Chair