Paddington Meadows

R10PaddingtonMeadows.pdf (carbonlandscape.org.uk)

Paddington Meadows is a historic riverside meadow in Warrington. This volunteer-led work has reinstated the original riverside path and improved the meadows.

Achievements:

• 7ha meadow restored

• 480 miles of path improvements  
• Augmented Reality Trail of local wildlife
• 1 management plan co-produced with the New Cut Heritage and Ecology Group.
• Up to 12 regular volunteers increasing to 25 for larger events
•  Over 6000 volunteer hours carried out
• 3 bioblitzes

Our team of dependable, hardworking volunteers undertook work parties, wildlife surveys and public events, very ably supported by Steve Ormerod and Jenny Griggs from the Project Team. Thankfully the Carbon Landscape’s engagement throughout this project meant that we were able to revive the New Cut Group and continue to carry out all the incredible work being completed. In particular, hedge laying, reed bed maintenance, citizen science and willow weaving workshops were of enormous importance!

We have expanded in so many directions, with work parties every week, wildlife surveys every month, dragonfly surveys from May to September and annual butterfly surveys. A special mention for the courses run by Steve Atkins, Tony Parker and Dave Winnard.

“Let’s face it If it wasn’t for the Carbon Landscape my life would be boring and my house would be nicely decorated”.

The Landscape Champions programme has been really useful in sharing ideas and visiting other ‘patches’. Joining with neighbouring communities to share activities and training workshops have helped bond the CL wider community.

Into the future

The number of people, and their dogs, using Paddington Meadows has increased many-fold partly because of the pandemic. We communicate with the 483 Facebook members and there is a lot of interaction e.g. “we never knew we ever had hobby visiting...”

“Members of the Group meet socially. It been a really worthwhile and rewarding experience and we’ve made lots of new friends.”

The new wildflower meadow will be a legacy, as the flowers seeded are largely indigenous perennials. The improvements in biodiversity created by the new meadow, especially in invertebrates and hence forward potentially to the bird and mammal life, is something we are really looking forward to.