The Friends

Who we are

The Friends of Bramcote Ridge is an award winning community action group, dedicated to the protection, conservation and enhancement of sizeable area of former farmland, situated approximately 6km to the west of Nottingham (England), in between the residential areas of Wollaton and Bramcote Hills.

The group was established in April 1999, and adopted its formal constitution at the first Annual General Meeting on 1st November 1999. It currently has over 50 members; many of which are actively involved in the on-going practical management of the site.

We are affiliated to the Bramcote Hills Community Association and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, are members of the 'Friends of Greenwood Community Forum' and are part of the British Isles Nature Reserves Web Ring (for more information on these organisations, see our Links page).

Click Here for more information about Bramcote Ridge.

What We Do

We work in partnership with the owners of the land, Broxtowe Borough Council, and aim to operate a policy of sensible and sensitive management, in order to balance the needs of nature conservation with amenity usage for, and by, the local community: both by direct management of the site and by raising awareness within the local community, especially amongst site users.

Since the launch we've tried to hold reqular meetings, but since the loss of the Rosegrower (Public House) on Sandringham Drive, these have tended to be of a more ad-hoc nature. These meetings are used to bring members up to date with any recent or future events, and serve as a discussion forum so that any ideas or concerns can be aired. We also use the opportunity to increase our knowledge and understanding of nature, conservation and local history by inviting a varied range of guest speakers.

Working to site management plans prepared by one of our members, we organise a full and varied programme of regular practical work sessions on the site. These normally take place one Sunday a month, starting at 10.30am and last for approximately 2-3hours. If you would like to see what projects we've done in the past click here or when we'll be undertaking future work sessions, click here

Although we have been active since early 1999, we have already had a significant impact on the site, which has led numerous memorable highpoints in the group's history.

• 2005 - Browtowe Borough Council made a Declaration that created two Local Nature Reserves on the Ridge, namely Alexandrina Plantation LNR and Sandy Lane Open Space LNR
• 2009 - Due to the hard work put in by the Friends and their partners, the two sites were awarded the prestigious Green Pennant Award.
• 2010 - Another successful application sees the Friends of Bramcote Ridge winning a Green Pennant Award for a second year.
• 2011 - The Friends win a Green Flag Community Award (formerly Green Pennant) making this our third one in as many years!!!).
• 2012 - Another successful year sees the Friends winning yet another Green Flag Community Award - our fourth consecutive award!
• 2013 - Saw us winning our fifth consecutive Green Flag Community Award
• 2014 - We won another Green Flag Community Award - our sixth on the trot
• 2015 - Saw us collecting our seventh consecutive Green Flag Community Award
• 2016 - Another successful year, with the Friends being awarded our 8th Green Flag Community Award
• 2017 - We were awarded our 9th consecutive Green Flag Community Award
• 2018 - Our 10th Green Flgg Community Award marks a decade of excellence
• 2019 - Yet another successful year sees the Friends winning a Green Flag Community Award again - our eleventh consecutive award!
• 2020 - Saw us winning our twelfth consecutive Green Flag Community Award
• 2021 - Another Green Flag Community Award - our 13th
• 2022 - We won another Green Flag Community Award - our 14th on the trot
• 2023 - Another successful year, with the Friends being awarded our 15th consecutive Green Flag Community Award

Many of our projects are ongoing, but some of our notable achievements to-date include:-

• Securing funding for the installation of a 500m wheelchair friendly path from the top of Sandy Lane to the summit viewpoint.
• General improvements to several paths throughout the site, including surfacing and drainage work, and installing steps on steeper eroded sections
• Installation of two interpretation panels, several benches and dog litter bins across the site
• The creation of 4 seperate wildflower areas
• Securing funding for a section of hedgerow to be professionally laid and an area of bracken to be cleared, so that lowland heath can be (re)established
• Making, installing and maintaining approx 30 bird boxes across the sites

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This is only a small selection of what we are doing, for more details of our various management projects throughout the site, see The Ridge, Flora and/or Fauna pages

All our meetings and events are open to anyone who would like to come along and meet us. Please see the Blog & News section for details of all our meetings and events,

If you are unable to attend, but would like to know more about any aspect to our group or Bramcote Ridge, please feel free to contact us from this Web Site by Clicking Here

Constitution

Aims & Objectives

The aim of the Friends of Bramcote Ridge is to study, make known, conserve and protect the Ridge as a generally accessible place of natural beauty and biodiversity, without detracting from its attractive semi-wild state.

We will seek to realise this aim through monitoring of the site, regular meetings and a programme of study and management.

The group will cooperate with the owners of the land and take into account the needs and wishes of the local community. Its activities will be subject to legal restraints and local by-laws.

The Group will be affiliated to the Bramcote Hills Community Association.

Membership

Membership of the group will be open to anyone who subscribes to its declared aims and pays the annual subscription.

Committee

The group will be managed by a committee consisting of a Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and two to four other members, with the power to co-opt up to two further members.

The committee will meet at least twice a year, minutes being taken.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual general meeting will take place in November each year, with a quorum of ten members. The agenda, to be circulated to members, at least three weeks beforehand, will include:

• Reports from the officers, including an audited Treasurer's report.
• Election of committee.
• The amount of subscription for the forthcoming year.
• Any changes to the constitution.
• Any motion submitted to the secretary in writing, with names of the proposer and seconder.
• Any other business.

Adopted 1st November 1999, (last revised 6th November 2017)