Wilding Wimborne Oct 18[th] 2023 – April 5[th] 2025 report
its own. We thank Wimborne War on Waste for the financial and administra@ve support which had enabled the group to establish itself. Wilding Wimborne became a CIO on 18[th] October 2023.
Objec@ves The object of Wilding Wimborne the CIO is:
of the physical and natural environment with the aim of advancing biodiversity in Wimborne and the surrounding area to create and promote bio-diverse habitats for insects and other wildlife.
(2) To advance the educa@on and engagement of the public in biodiversity and the importance of insects and other wildlife in the environment.
Finance
In order to support the CIO we opened a CAF (Chari@es Aid Founda@on) bank account. Wimborne War on Waste transferred £507 of our funds remaining in their account. We now have administra@ve costs such as PLI to address. We were fortunate to be given a £1000 grant from Colehill Burial ground. In addi@on to the grant, we received business and public dona@ons. The total income for the report period was £2047 and expenses £322.
The original aims for the group were set in January 2020 based on the ‘Ac@on for Insects’ report by Professor Dave Goulson. These were reviewed and amended in November 2022 and remain unchanged in for the dura@on of this report.
Aim 1, Awareness and Events
Our aim is to raise awareness of our objec@ves through events. The main events were Earthday and Planet Wimborne Green Fes@val. We also ran events such as Moth trapping, River Dipping, Bird ringing and walks detailed in further objects to follow. We reached all levels of the public from children to older people and feedback was very suppor@ve and posi@ve. As a result we increased our contacts and volunteers. We a_ended events organised by other local groups. Planet Wimborne Networking, the Wimborne gardening club summer show. We created a bookmark showing aims and contact details.
Aim 2 Harmful impact
At each event we showcased alterna@ves to using pes@cides and peat. We produced two leaflets with details of alterna@ve solu@ons. We talked to the public about light pollu@on and the impact on night @me wildlife. We discussed the use of flea treatments on dogs and the impact on the invertebrates when they enter the river. We joined forces with other local groups to raise the issue of the use of toxic chemicals with Wimborne Town Council and they agreed not to use glyphosate on any of the land they owned. We also joined forces to raise the issue with Dorset Council; not as successful but they confirm they will only use it in excep@onal circumstances.
Aim 3 Habitats
Bees. Our solitary Bees bee trail con@nues to be maintained and enhanced. We have had a number of new boxes made and replaced two of the exis@ng once that needed repair. We
have been involved in explaining that solitary bees are very small and don’t s@ng to help support installing the homes.
have been installed around the town with guidance and instruc@ons for the installa@on. We organised a bat walk with support from Dorset Wildlife Trust and were able to iden@fy 6 different species along the river Stour.
Swifs. A new subgroup was created to address the serious decline of Swif in Wimborne. The group undertook surveys of exis@ng nest sites as well as iden@fying poten@al new sites. Volunteers and the local scouts have made next boxes ready for the next season. A swif awareness event was held in Wimborne square.
Aim 4 Flora
encourage people to grow more wildlife friendly flowers and veg. This has proved very successful with people dona@ng seeds and money to enable it to run in future years. We share hints and @ps on growing flowers, fruit and veg at our events which has also proved popular.
Aim 5: Trees
Using the i-Tree Canopy tool the tree coverage for Wimborne is round to be 14%. The Tree group set a target to increase the canopy to closer to 20%. Working with Dorset Council the group have planted over 2000 trees on the local SANGS (suitable alternate natural green space). Apart from the plan@ng in this year, work has been ongoing to maintain and support the trees planted in the previous season.
The second focus of the group was the decline of the black poplar and the team worked to iden@fy the few genuine exis@ng trees in Dorset and grow cukngs. These cukngs having gown to a good size and working with the local land owners are being planted close to the local River Allen. In addi@on we have run several walks. One in Canford School Aboretum and one the history of trees from Colehill to Wimborne. These have been very well a_ended with posi@ve feedback.
Aim 6 People and nature
Along with the events and walks already described we held walks at Stanbridge Mill following the course of the river Allen and the amazing wildlife. We gave talks to serval groups on Wildlife Friendly gardening and how people can encourage wildlife while benefi@ng themselves. These have been very well received and requests to repeat them again have been made.
Aim 7 Rivers
This group is focusing on the local rivers Allen and Stour. Working with Dorset Wildlife trust we have river fly monitors sampling on the Allen and Stour. We also have Water guardians. In addi@on several of the group have signed up to the Earthwatch river tes@ng. We are engaging in other local groups and projects. Wimborne Angling Club and River Allen landscape recovery project for example. With the la_er project we held a very successful talk at the Planet Wimborne Green Fes@val. The event was packed with a very posi@ve and lively ques@on and answers.
Future Plans for 2025 – 2026
We plan to con@nue on our aims and repeat the events that have proved successful. We aim to increase our impact leaflets. We will increase the homes on the bee trail and there is interest in crea@ng a hedgehog group due to the decline in numbers. We will work with Dorset Mammal group on that. The swif group now have plans to site swif boxes following many requests from the local people. The tree group have further plans to support the exis@ng plan@ng and adding some larger trees in areas agreed with Dorset Council. The river group have been invited to a river Allen working group from the Wimborne Minster Town Council. We recognise that to con@nue to be successful we must increase our volunteer base so we will have a focus on that in line with any ac@vi@es we undertake.
| WildingWimborne Accounts 18/10/2023 - 05/04/25 | WildingWimborne Accounts 18/10/2023 - 05/04/25 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Item | £ Out | £ In | |
| 17/11/23 | Table cloth & runner | £73 42 | ||
| OpeningBalance | ||||
| 02.05.24 | Poole & Wimborne woodland burialground | £1 000 00 | ||
| 03.05.24 | Cash donations from recent events | £52 86 | ||
| 15.05.24 | Payment to Summers & Co for Insurance | £152 67 | ||
| 15.05.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 20.05.24 | Cash donations from Seeds | £40 11 | ||
| 30.05.24 | Wessex Water donation for Trees For Wimborne | £400 00 | ||
| 06.06.24 | Payment to Trees for Dorset subscription | £20 00 | ||
| 17.06.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 26.06.24 | Interest from CAF Bank | £0 42 | ||
| 27.06.24 | Swiftgroupdonation | £200 00 | ||
| 08.07.24 | Swiftgroupdonation | £100 00 | ||
| 15.07.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 29.07.24 | Swift stickerspayment to Sam | £20 99 | ||
| 15.08.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 16.09.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 26.09.24 | Interest from CAF Bank | £1 09 | ||
| 15.10.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 15.11.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 16.12.24 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 27.12.24 | Interest from CAF Bank | £1 06 | ||
| 15.01.25 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 20.01.25 | Swiftgroupdonation | £200 00 | ||
| 17.02.25 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 21.02.25 | Online transfer from Wimborne Minster PCC | £50 00 | ||
| 17.03.25 | Monthlyaccount fee CAF Bank | £5 00 | ||
| 26.03.25 | Interest from CAF Bank | £1 13 | ||
| Expenditure | Income | |||
| TOTAL | £322 08 | £2 046 67 | ||
| Breakdown of Income | ||||
| £1 000 00 | Grant | |||
| £1 046 67 | Donation |