About
Join us whenever you can, we do not require any regular commitment to attend. FREE Minibus leaves at 10am from the Corner of Queens Road & Brazen Gate, by the traffic lights and glass canopy next to the big Sainsbury's near Norwich bus station [what3words: single.affair.robe]. There are toilets in the Sainsbury’s, so do go before we go. If you would like a lift from near UEA, please ask. Booking is NOT usually needed - just turn up any day, but to be sure of a place on the minibus for days marked BM below, contact mark.webster@tcv.org.uk / 07740 899 691. See end of this document for more info, including details about who can attend (most people). Sessions run from arrival on site (depends on traffic and travel distance) to 3.15pm on site. If you do not need to get the minibus back, you can leave whenever you need to (just let the leader know). Minibus returns to central Norwich by about 4.00pm.
Please try to make sure you arrive at the meeting points (Sainsburys or on-site) BEFORE the published times as we usually have to get move on promptly. However, if you are lost or running late, please use mobile number 07740 899 691 to contact us on the day.
Well it might be cooling off slightly (or maybe not), but whether it’s El Nino or La Nina, the demands on our time have never been greater, so we really are grateful to have seen so many people join us in recent weeks – the more the merrier!
Cutting and raking continues this month, and about the only up-side of the heatwaves I can think of is that (so far) the hay we need to drag across our sites has been a bit lighter than usual – there’s less of it, and it’s not damp! Beautiful hidden urban meadows that we will be looking after this month include Carrowbreck in Hellesdon, around the fringes of Mousehold, Sloughbottom in Mile Cross, and Queen’s Hills in Costessey. But we will also be returning to finish the creation of a new wildflower area at Old Library Woods (proof of how a well looked-after green space can lift a whole area) and starting on woodland work at Harrisons Plantation on the far eastern side of the city.
Our biggest single project this month will be some new designs of ‘leaky dams’ in the Tas Valley. These are an exciting new way to use natural materials to hold back water within a catchment, retaining wet areas for longer – vital for wildlife if we get another year like this one. For those who built some of the other ones, you’ll notice this time we are working from the bottom upwards. If people have never made a leaky dam before (or even heard of one!) then that’s no problem, no experience is necessary, this is their chance to learn about something that will be seen all over the country in years to come.
- Date
- Site
- Activity
- Site Meeting Point and time (if you are coming by car or bike)
Thurs 1st
Mousehold Heath (Spitalfields)
Forget the sun in his jealous sky, as we walk in (Spital)Fields of Gold to manage this wildflower area.
Car park in front of Zak's Mousehold Diner halfway up Gurney Road opposite the bandstand, Norwich, NR1 4HW. [ what3words: sobs.deeply.charm ] Arriving at approx 10.15am. WC next to Zak’s PT
Fri 2nd
Old Library Woods
Turning the Page? Continuing with preparing for the new wildflower area.
Rosary Road at junction of Chalk Hill Road, Norwich, NR1 1SL. [what3words address: them.pack.play ] Arriving approx 10.15am. WC in Train Station (2 mins walk)
Mon 5th
Carrowbreck Meadow
Time’s Carrow: time to move forward with cutting and raking the meadows here.
Meadow behind Carrowbreck House, Carrowbreck Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5FA. [ what3words: scar.dash.defend ] Arriving approx 10.20am. WC in building on site PT
Tues 6th
Harrisons & Cottage Plantation
Captain’s Log: we will be Trek-ing across the woodland spaces tidying and creating habitat piles.
Cottage Plantation car park, Blue Boar Lane (near Salhouse Road end), Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8RZ. [what3words: less.hungry.fakes ] Arriving approx 10.20am. WC in Tesco or Lidl, Blue Boar Lane (5-10 mins walk)
Wed 7th
Cringleford Willow Centre
Raking The Grade. Meadow management – but don’t worry, there’s no exams!
Willow Centre car park, junction of Dragonfly Lane and Willowcraft Way, Cringleford, Norwich, NR4 7JG. [ what3words address: glaze.again.edges ] Arriving at ~ 10.15am WC on site at Willow Centre.
Thurs 8th
Harrisons & Cottage Plantation
Branching out. Rhododendron control and creating dead-wood habitats.
Cottage Plantation car park, Blue Boar Lane (near Salhouse Road end), Sprowston, Norwich, NR7 8RZ. [what3words: less.hungry.fakes ] Arriving approx 10.20am. WC in Tesco or Lidl, Blue Boar Lane (5-10 mins walk)
Fri 9th
Carrowbreck Meadow
Shoot That Poison Carrow? Nothing toxic here, just grass and wildflowers for us to work with.
Meadow behind Carrowbreck House, Carrowbreck Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5FA. [ what3words: scar.dash.defend ] Arriving approx 10.20am. WC in building on site PT
Mon 12th
Tibenham (Tas Valley)
Beavering away. Creating ‘leaky dams’ to hold back water and retain wetland habitats.
Bunwell Village Hall car park, The Turnpike, Norwich NR16 1SW. [ what3words: houseboat.starfish.research ] (OS Grid Ref : TM 127 927). Arriving approx 10.30am
Tues 13th
Bure Valley Path NEW SITE
The Bure Necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife, come join us creating a new wildflower area.
Bure Valley Railway car park, Aylsham Station, Norwich Road, Aylsham, NR11 6BW. [ what3words: pats.talents.refuse ] Arriving at approx 10.35am. WC in station buildings. PT
Wed 14th Tibenham (Tas Valley)
The Dammed, United. Working together to create river pools.
Bunwell Village Hall car park, The Turnpike, Norwich NR16 1SW. [ what3words: houseboat.starfish.research ] (OS Grid Ref : TM 127 927). Arriving approx 10.30am
Thurs 15th
Carrowbreck Meadow
Goodbye Carrowbreck Road. When are you going to come down here and help with the cutting and raking?
Meadow behind Carrowbreck House, Carrowbreck Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5FA. [ what3words: scar.dash.defend ] Arriving approx 10.20am. WC in building on site PT
Fri 16th
Tibenham (Tas Valley)
Hold Back The River. Lonely water, won’t you let us wander down the Tas Valley to improve the wetlands?
Bunwell Village Hall car park, The Turnpike, Norwich NR16 1SW. [ what3words: houseboat.starfish.research ] (OS Grid Ref : TM 127 927). Arriving approx 10.30am
Mon 19th
Tibenham (Tas Valley)
River not Deep enough, build leaky dams High! Managing the stream flow for wildlife.
Bunwell Village Hall car park, The Turnpike, Norwich NR16 1SW. [ what3words: houseboat.starfish.research ] (OS Grid Ref : TM 127 927). Arriving approx 10.30am
Tues 20th
Tibenham (Tas Valley) River Of Dreams. In the middle of the day we will we walking whilst awake to improve the Tas valley wetlands.
Bunwell Village Hall car park, The Turnpike, Norwich NR16 1SW. [ what3words: houseboat.starfish.research ] (OS Grid Ref : TM 127 927). Arriving approx 10.30am
Wed 21st Cantley Pond
You Cantley Touch This. Nothing can be better than dead-hedging and pond restoration!
Strumpshaw Fen RSPB car park, Low Road, NR13 4HS. (OS Grid Ref TG 341 066) [ what3words address: sounding.motive.lifeboats ] Arriving approx 10.30am.
Thurs 22nd
Tibenham (Tas Valley)
A River Runs Through It – the Tas Valley that is. Creating ‘leaky dams’
Bunwell Village Hall car park, The Turnpike, Norwich NR16 1SW. [ what3words: houseboat.starfish.research ] (OS Grid Ref : TM 127 927). Arriving approx 10.30am
Fri 23rd
Sloughbottom Meadow
From top to (Slough)bottom. Working above the water channel to improve path access along the hedgeline.
Far (southern) end of Burnet Road, Sweet Briar Road Industrial Estate, Mile Cross, Norwich, NR3 2BD. [ what3words: candle.racing.ranked ] Arriving at approx 10.15am WC in Sloughbottom park, or at Shell Garage (15 mins walk) PT
Mon 26th
Cantley Pond
You Cantley be serious! Nothing too heavy here, it’s dead-hedging and removing reeds from the pond.
Strumpshaw Fen RSPB car park, Low Road, NR13 4HS. (OS Grid Ref TG 341 066) [ what3words address: sounding.motive.lifeboats ] Arriving approx 10.30am.
Tues 27th
Mousehold Heath (Valley Drive)
Happy Valley Drive. No drama here, just happily managing the grassland habitats.
Car park in front of Zak's Mousehold Diner halfway up Gurney Road opposite the bandstand, Norwich, NR1 4HW. [ what3words: sobs.deeply.charm ] Arriving at approx 10.15am. WC next to Zak’s PT
Wed 28th
Reedham Woodland Walk
A scallop of voles? Cutting back scallop-shaped sections of brambles to create habitats for small mammals and other wildlife.
Reedham Village Hall car park, 5 Pottle's Ln, Reedham, Norwich NR13 3HL. [ what3words: marathons.stove.landed ] (OS grid ref: TG 415 024). Arriving ~ 10.40am WC by Ship Inn (5 mins walk) PT
Thurs 29th
Queens Hills Community Parkland COS
The Queens of Country. Here You Come Again down to Costessey, in your Coats Of Many Colours. This could be a Dolly good day to join us for cutting and raking the meadows!
By the small waterworks on Alfred Munnings Road, between Longwater Shopping Centre and Queen's Hills housing estate, Costessey, Norwich: nearest postcode NR8 5EY, OS grid reference TG 153 117 [ what3words address: lows.science.remarking ] Arriving approx 10.25am. WC at Sainsburys (15 mins walk) PT
Fri 30th
Mousehold Heath
Love Is Like A Butterfly, so we will be showing the butterflies some love by cutting back gorse to create more open habitats for them.
Car park in front of Zak's Mousehold Diner halfway up Gurney Road opposite the bandstand, Norwich, NR1 4HW. [ what3words: sobs.deeply.charm ] Arriving at approx 10.15am. WC next to Zak’s PT
BOOKING There is usually enough space for everyone on the minibus if we are working in or near Norwich, but for some longer trips the minibus might get full, if you wish you can email or text Mark (details below) to be sure of a place on the bus – this is especially advised on days marked BM above. If you would find it helpful to ask us anything before coming on a project for the first time, please do contact us - see below. Otherwise, if you are over 18 and don’t have any unspent convictions for serious crimes, you can just turn up and join in. If you are 16 or 17 you will need a parent or guardian to sign our permission form before you can get started - please contact us if you need one. If you have unspent convictions for sexual or violent offences, you will not be able to volunteer with TCV (please contact us for a confidential chat if you need to check if this applies to you).
MEETING POINTS If you would like a map, or directions to the site, please contact us. FREE Minibus transport is available from outside stated pick-up points only, returning to the same place at the end of the session. We do our best to keep to time, but due to traffic etc, timings are approximate.
WE PROVIDE All tools and protective equipment are provided, please bring your own refreshments (drinks and a packed lunch) for the day, unless a task is marked L above, when lunch is provided from a nearby shop or takeaway. If a site has indoor toilets available nearby this is indicated on the programme by ‘WC’ in the ‘Site Meeting Point’ column (if this toilet is more than 5 minutes walk away we will go there by minibus at lunchtime). For other sites a camping toilet is usually available.
PLEASE WEAR Old work clothes, suitable for the weather. If you have them, please bring reasonably sturdy shoes or boots, and rainwear. We provide work gloves and everything else necessary for the task. You are advised to check if your tetanus inoculation is up to date. PT means petrol-powered tools likely to be in use for at least some of the day: there is usually plenty of space so you can keep well away from them, but extra ear defenders are available for you if you want them. All other tasks are expected to be done with hand tools so should generally be quite quiet.
Contact: Mark Webster 07740 899 691 mark.webster@tcv.org.uk www.tcv.org.uk/norfolk TCV, Centrum, Norwich Research Park, NR4 7G
** FREE bus travel for ALL days this month - tickets refunded for all volunteers for any bus journeys to and from either of our meeting points on the day **
When and Where
This event takes place on 30/09/2026 in Norfolk
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