SVP’s summer activities will beat boredom!
Stroud’s community and conservation charity Stroud Valleys Project (SVP) has a busy timetable of family-friendly events coming up this summer.
On Friday 5 August, the SVP team are joining forces with Cotswold Canals Connected, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and Stroudwater Navigation Archive Charity for Stories from a Field.
During the day, events and activities will each reveal a different aspect of the field, which has World War 2 heritage as well as being a home for wildlife. Activities will include willow weaving, a scavenger hunt, and mammal skull identification. The event is completely free, and refreshments will be available all day from Fromebridge Mill pub.
To book a place, please register at https://ccc-storiesfromafield.eventbrite.co.uk and select your time slot.
Then on Sunday 7 August, Stroud Nature’s Steve Roberts will be asking Do You Have the Bug? This mini safari, hosted with partners the National Trust, will roam over Rodborough Common and discover mini beasts such as crickets, beetles and grasshoppers.
And the fun continues on Monday 8 August, when Graham Ellis from Dursley Welcomes Walkers leads a guided Geocache in Hermitage Woods. Download the app and team up to discover the hidden ‘treasure’ along the way – children go FREE with a paying adult!
Next, find out the slippery truth about any local eels in Eel Tales on Sunday 21 August. Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s Laura Weldon will reveal the amazing lifecycle of the eel – and will be conducting DNA testing to see if we have any eels in Stroud’s own waterways. SVP oversaw the construction of an eel pass on the River Frome last year.
One of SVP’s most popular events will round up the summer – a Bat Walk takes place on Friday 26 August, giving people the chance to use bat detectors to track down these shy and fascinating mammals. Swift booking is advised, as SVP’s Bat Walks tend to fill up quickly.
There are also a couple of events coming up that are aimed at adults. On Wednesday 10 August, carers and the people they care for are invited to try ‘katakanus’ as guests of Cotswold Boatmobility. The katakanus are close to the water, making it easy to see the wildlife along the canal and banks. If you’d like to take part, email fred@stroudvalleysproject.org. Fred runs fortnightly Carers in Nature sessions, supporting carers and the people for whom they care to get out and about in nature.
Finally, if you still harbour memories of Aiden Turner’s infamous scything scene from Poldark, you might wish to try your hand at this traditional rural skill for yourself. SVP are running a one-day Scything Workshop using the lightweight Austrian-style scythe on Friday 19 August, at a cost of £40 per person.
You can book online at stroudvalleysproject.org – just go to Events to pay and reserve your place.