Heath Week, it’s a family-orientated, free of charge, celebratory week aimed purely at spreading the word about our precious local heaths. In this searing heat, the risk of heathland wildfires is of uppermost concern, and a big part of Heath Week they will be spreading the ‘Be Wildfire Aware’ message. The organisers are working with the Fire & Rescue Services to bring you a Wildfire Roadshow, with fire engines to clamber into and kit to try out – all with an important underlying message.
Sarah Bunce & Nicola Buckland (Communications Officer)s from the Thames Basin Heaths Partnership explain more.
The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area spans over 20 miles of Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire and we would love you to join us in celebrating this fantastic landscape and help us protect it for the future. You can read more about or work on our website at: https://www.tbhpartnership.org.uk/about-us/.
Heath Week 2023 – Monday 24th to Sunday 30th July
We’re running Heath Week again this year with lots of FREE events. So do come and join in the fun, and learn a little about your local heath into the bargain. What’s it all about? Not far from your parish is a precious heather-clad landscape! Perhaps you already know it, but didn’t realise how rare it is? In the last 200 years, we’ve lost around 84% of the heathland we once had and the remaining fragments are super-special. We’d love you to discover it for yourself. There’ll be nature walks, fire engines to clamber into*, arts & crafts, scavenger hunts, our popular Reptile Roadshows, and much more. So join the Thames Basin Heaths Partnership for a FREE activity and discover how wonderful heathland is and why we all need to play our part in protecting it.
Find the full line-up of events and all the details at: www.tbhpartnership.org.uk/heath-week/
*Emergencies permitting
Here’s a taster:
Butterflies & Other Things with Wings – Chobham Common. Butterfly walks and arts & crafts activities are available all day.
Monday 24th July 2023 – 10 am to 3 pm
Wildfire Roadshow – Horsell Common. Meet the folk that fight the fires and see the kit used to tackle wildfires locally.
Monday 24th July 2023 – 11 am to 2 pm
Wildfire Roadshow – Chobham Common. Meet Surrey fire crews and help spread the word about how to #BeWildfireAware.
Tuesday 25th July 2023 – 11 am to 2 pm
Treasure Hunt – Horsell Common. Join in with an interactive trail of heathland discovery.
Tuesday 25th July 2023 – 10 am to 2 pm
Wildfire Roadshow – Wildmoor Heath. Meet Berkshire fire crews and help spread the word about how to #BeWildfireAware.
Wednesday 26th July 2023 – 11 am to 2 pm
Family Nature Day – Yateley Common. Discover the wildlife wonders of Yateley Common.
Wednesday 26th July 2023 – 10 am to 1 pm
Sensory Scavenger Hunt – Lightwater Country Park. Discover Heathland in a different way and get all your senses tingling.
Thursday 27th July 2023 – 11 am to 3 pm
Heath Week Herbivores – Whitmoor Common. Meet the grazing team and hear about the benefits of managing heathland with grazing animals.
Thursday 27th July 2023 – 10 am to 2 pm
Wildfire Roadshow – Whitmoor Common. Meet the folk that fight the fires and learn key outdoor safety tips.
Friday 28th July 2023 – 11 am to 2 pm
Reptile Roadshow – Ockham Common. Meet some of the amazing amphibians and reptiles that inhabit your local heath.
Friday 28th July 2023 – 11 am to 3 pm
Sensory Scavenger Hunt – Horsell Common. Discover Heathland in a different way and get all your senses tingling.
Saturday 29th July 2023 – 11 am to 3 pm
Forestry Finds – Bramshill Plantation. Discover the history of the forest and the birds, reptiles, butterflies, and wildflowers that depend on it.
Saturday 29th July 2023 – 10 am to 3 pm
Reptile Roadshow – Yateley Common. Meet some of the amazing amphibians and reptiles that inhabit your local heath.
Sunday 30th July 2023 – 10 am to 3 pm
More at www.tbhpartnership.org.uk.
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thamesbasinheathspartnership
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/TBHPartnership
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Thames Basin Heaths Partnership
Full program at www.tbhpartnership.org.uk/heath-week/
