How to get involved
Volunteering and events
Community involvement
There are many ways in which residents can help with the upkeep, or to improve, the local area through small interventions, either as individuals or as part of a group. These could include:
- Adopting an existing flower bed within the local area
- Creating a new bed for planting in a communal space
- Rewilding - sowing seed or allowing grass to grow long in grass verges
- Helping with the maintenance of trees - this could be extra watering of newly planted trees or removing invasive weeds from the base of a tree.
- Cutting of grass verges in front of properties.
Should you have an interest in getting involved please contact - greenspacesteam@kingston.gov.uk to discuss what options are available and the support that the Council can give to anyone with an interest in improving the local area.
Volunteerting Opportunities:
Saturday 13th January - Ancient Woodland Management at Coombe Hill Wood - 10am
Come and join the Habitats and Heritage volunteers at this fantastic ancient woodland in North Kingston. The day will focus on clearing invasive species which will enable natural regeneration of the woodland understory.
Location: Coombe Hill Local Nature Reserve (Henley Drive)
What Three Words: https://w3w.co/retire.economies.slower
For more information please email: charlotte@habitatsandheritage.org.uk
Saturday 13 January - Great Fairfield Litter Pick - 2pm
Volunteers will be back for more rubbish-based park fun next weekend – Saturday 13 January, from 2-3pm – with litter pickers to lend out, and sweet treats for participants. Please help them spread the word with your neighbours, school friends or any other local groups so we can make the park as lovely as possible. And if you’re on Twitter please could retweet this post too.
Location: Coombe Hill Local Nature Reserve (Henley Drive)
What Three Words: https://w3w.co/snow.laws.sugar
For more information please contact: sunflowerstreetsra@gmail.com
Sunday 14th January: Family Ride starting at Alexandra Rec Kingston Cycling Campaign
Start and Finish Location: Alexandra Recreation Ground
What Three Words: https://w3w.co/bars.faces.learns
Join the family cycle ride with the Kingston Cycling Campaign.
For more information please email: kingston@lcc.org.uk
Thursday 18th January - Jubilee Square with Good Gym - 7pm
We will be creating a dead hedge from branches and twigs which will help provide a natural barrier that birds can nest in. It is made by staking wooden tree stakes into the ground and backfilling with brash.
Location: Jubilee Square New Malden
What three words: https://w3w.co/damage.bids.duke
More information here: https://www.goodgym.org/v3/sessions/creating-a-dead-hedge
Saturday 20th January - Bird Watching event at Eagle Brewery Wharf with the RSPB - Time 11am - 3pm
Join the local RSPB group at this bird-watching event to celebrate the RSPB Big Bird Watch, it is running between 11 am - 3 pm (drop-in) at Eagle Wharf Brewery.
Location: Eagle Brewery Wharf
What three words: https://w3w.co/intervals.pops.length
Tuesday 23rd - Thursday 25th - Castle Hill and Bonesgate Local Nature Reserve -
Join the Lower Mole volunteers during these three days in late January to help undertake work in to of the borough's nature reserves. The session will see woodland management and the laying of a hedgerow. To get more details on exact meeting locations and timings please email, freya.Prince@surreycc.gov.uk.
Wednesday 24th January - Welcome Back to the Kingston Biovieristy Network! 7pm
The Kingston Biodiversity Network meeting returns taking place as Kingston University. The first speaker for the new series of meetings is Robyn Shaw from The South East Rivers Trust, who will be talking to us about the river restoration project "Enriching Elmbridge Meadows" which is happening in the Berrylands area along the Hogsmill.
Wednesday 24th January - Restoring Edith Gardens Local Nature Reserve with Citizen Zoo - 10am - 2pm
Citizen Zoo is looking for volunteers to come and help restore the Edith Gardens Nature Reserve, and carry out some important work on the great site tucked away in Berrylands. If you would like to come along, RSVP with Digby at digby@citizenzoo.org.
Location: Edith Garden Local Nature Reserve
What three words: https://w3w.co/jars.glitz.being
Kingston is fortunate to have a number of local community groups passionate about biodiversity and protecting and preserving the environment. They include:
- Friends of Fishponds Park
- Friends of Berrylands Nature Reserve
- Friends of Queens Prom
- Friends of Canbury Gardens
- Surbiton Wildlife Group
- Friends of Latchmere Rec
- Friends fo Kingston Road Rec
- Friends of Manor Park
- Friends of Beverley Park
- Friends of Churchfields
- Friends of Huntigate
- Friends of Cromwell Recreation Ground
- Friends of Beeline Way
- Hogsmill Community Garden
- Friends of Victoria Recreation Ground
- Friends of Dickerage Recreation Ground
- Friends of Wood View
- Kingston Environment Centre
- Friends of RAF Chessington
For more information on these groups, you can find out more on Connected Kingston.