Save the date!

‘What’s going on eco-wise over the summer?’ we hear you cry. Well, fear not, here’s the line up…

JULY
13	Swift Walk | Thurs 13th July, 7.30pm | Starting from Park Hill Recreation Ground (OX5 2DA) – Join us for a wildlife walk in the village to see swifts. Starting with an introduction to these special birds, and then a gentle walk stopping at key nesting sites. In partnership with the Cherwell swift project. To book your place sign up here.
14	The Big Butterfly Count | Fri 14th July – Sun 6th Aug – Join in with this national initiative documenting the number of our fluttering friends! Download the app or visit the website for more info.
15	Park Hill Monthly Garden Open Day | Sat 15 Jul, 10am – 12pm| Park Hill Recreation Ground (OX5 2DA) – Come and muck in with other volunteers as we maintain and enrich this community green space and Harvest@Home project!
22	Wild Kidlington’s Green Lane @ Kidlington Gala Day | Sat 22nd July, 11am-3pm | Exeter Hall & Close (OA5 1AB) – Come along to this free community fun day with all sorts of fun activities for all ages. While there check out Wild Kidlington’s ‘Green Lane’ with interactive stalls showcasing the work of community groups geared to ecological issues and encouraging biodiversity.
AUGUST
2	Kidlington Gardening Society Talk | Weds 2nd August, 7.30pm | Exeter Hall, small hall (OA5 1AB)  – Guest speaker Philip Aubrey will be talking on the topic of ‘House and Conservatory Plants’. More info here!
19	Park Hill Monthly Garden Open Day | Sat 19 Aug, 10am – 12pm| Park Hill Recreation Ground Garden Open Day (OX5 2DA) – Come and muck in with other volunteers as we maintain and enrich this community green space and Harvest@Home project!
27	Big Hay Rake | Sun 28th Aug 2022, 10am-12pm | St Mary’s Fields, Church Lane (OX5 2BB) – The annual hay rake on St Mary’s fields is a popular community event. After the grass in the meadows has been mown, it is essential to rake up the cuttings to encourage the wild flowers next spring. Some rakes provided, but if you have one please bring it! All ages welcome! Meet in the car park behind St Mary’s Church
September
1	Andy’s Bat Walks | Details TBC – Back by popular demand Andy P, St Mary’s Field Nature Reserve Group and Wild Kidlington will be hosting a number of bat walks around the village on Friday evenings from 8.30pm. A short talk and Q&A is followed by an expedition to go track some down with bat detectors! Details TBC – keep an eye out for more info and sign up via KEG’s facebook page here.
2	St Mary’s Fields Work Party | Sat 2nd Sep, 10am-12pm | St Mary’s carpark (OX52AZ) – Join the team of volunteers working on some late Summer tasks to encourage nature. Also enjoy a well-earned slice of Julia or Rosie’s homemade cake at half time!
6	Kidlington Gardening Society Talk | Weds 6th Sep, 7.30pm | Exeter Hall, small hall (OA5 1AB)  – Speaker Paul Barney will be talking on the topic of ‘Rare and Unusual Edibles’. More info here!
7	KEG Meeting | Thurs 7th Sep, 1pm | Exeter Hall, small hall (OA5 1AB) – Join representatives of different local eco groups and enthusiasts to connect, communicate and collaborate.
16	Park Hill Monthly Garden Open Day | Sat 16th Sep, 10am – 12pm| Park Hill Recreation Ground (OX5 2DA) – Come and muck in with other volunteers as we maintain and enrich this community green space and Harvest@Home project!

Local Eco News

Some headlines since the last update…

Kidlington Swift Walks – As part of the Cherwell Swift Project and the national Swift Awareness Week (1st-9th July) there were a number of fantastic walks over the last couple of weeks. Each began with a talk giving an introduction to these astonishing birds, before observing the aeronautical antics of these wonderful birds and visiting some of their nesting sites in the village. Swifts are sadly an endangered species, and we are very fortunate to have a thriving swift population in Kidlington. A growing number of swift enthusiasts in our village are having swift boxes fitted. If you get this in time – the last of the walks is actually tonight (Thurs 13th at 7.30pm – due to postponement due to bad weather). To book your last minute place sign up here.

An Emerging KEG Strategy – Over the last few months KEG has been learning from, and looking into, the work of Thame Green Living, and taken up their kind offer of letting us pinch their framework to shape up our own strategic vision for our village. The framework involves 5 areas:

→ Green = Open spaces, wildlife conservation & biodiversity

→ Blue =  Water – our streams and rivers – and protection from flooding

→ Grey = Our air and atmosphere and the effect on air quality and global warming

→ Red = Alternative (non-fossil fuel) energy including electric vehicles

→ Orange = Waste avoidance & management, recycling & circular economy

Having mapped current activities and initiatives in Kidlington we recognise that we’re already pretty strong in green (thanks to the ‘Wild Kidlington’ partnership) and orange (thanks to the work of the Cherwell Collective). We need to build on these strengths, but also address the gaps – namely the blue, grey and red.

We’re looking for people in our community who have the time, passion and stickability to help transform our village in the coming years. Could you potentially help us protect and enhance our nature corridors and waterways? Or craft plans to reduce traffic and air pollution? Or help develop an action plan for alternative energy in our village? We need creative leaders, organisers & team builders, careful thinkers & researchers, proactive doers & activists to help us begin to carve out a path to transformation in the coming years. Could you be one of them? If so, please get in touch via kidlingtonecogroup@gmail.com, come along to our next KEG meeting, or give Phil a ring (07845283952) for an exploratory chat!

If you have any local eco news or events to feed in to our next monthly digest please email: kidlingtonecogroup@gmail.com

Our next KEG meeting is on Thurs 7th Sep, 1pm @ Exeter Hall (in the small hall). All welcome!