Events

Wirral Countryside Volunteer Events

WCV’s programme of events is the result of a group meeting which is usually held every three months. WCV do have the usual officers, a chairperson, an honorary secretary, a treasurer and a membership secretary; but all meetings are open to any members who wish to be present, and all are invited to play a part in deciding what we are taking on as tasks.

What to Bring

We are often asked, by volunteers, what to bring along to WCV events? As a general rule, wear suitable clothing and footwear for working outdoors in all weathers. Bring refreshments as well - drink and food for breaks and lunchtimes.

What's in it for you? Fresh air, exercise, discover some new talents, learn some natural history, meet - and spend time - with like-minded people.

Last update: 20th March 2025

COVID 19 UPDATE

At Wirral Countryside Volunteers (WCV) we need to ensure the safety and wellbeing of volunteers and organisers alike

Continuing the need to protect each other from the risk of COVID infection, we would still ask everybody to take the following precautions:

Do not join a task if you are suffering from Covid, or think you may be
If within 4 days of taking part in a task you have confirmation that you have contracted Covid please do notify the person leading the task
Please do continue to book in for a task via the links on specific events

Date	Event Description	Location	Booking Link
2025 Wirral Countryside Volunteers 40th Year
March
Tuesday 25th Start time:09:30	Corporate Workday: Volunteers wanted to lead/mentor WSP staff who have volunteers to spend a day working at the Butterfly Park	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road Bebington	WSP Corp Workday: Ticket Tailor booking link
April
Sunday 13th Start time: 09:30	New ferry Butterfly Park workday: Preparation for NFBP opening day	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	April NFBP Workday: Ticket Tailor booking link
Saturday 26th Start time: 09:30	Spring walk around the ancient woods and woodland admiring the spring flowers. Upper Dibbinsdale, Tom's Paddock, Foxes Wood and Thornton Wood	Meet on Thornton Common Road where the road crosses the M53	Spring Walk 2025: Ticket tailor booking link
May
Sunday 4th Start time: 09:30	Grand Opening at New Ferry Butterfly Park. Volunteers needed to support the Open Day activities	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	NFBP Grand Opening: Ticket Tailor booking link
Thursday 8th Start time: 19:30	A tool maintenance evening. A chance to refurbish and sharpen the tools used for maintaining the park - a good social evening too.	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	Tool maint at NFBP: Ticket Tailor booking link
Thursday 15th Start time 19:30 (21:00 for the social)	Cutting the centre of the ride and hedge weeding, followed by a social at the Seven Stars in Thornton Hough	Thornton Common, Thornton Common Road. Park in the car park of Wirral Rugby Club	Thornton Common: Ticket Tailor booking link
Saturday 17th Start time:10:00	Cool Heswall: Once again WCV will have a stall at the annual Cool Heswall event. No booking needed, just come along and support this event	Hill House Gardens, Heswall (the gardens are behind Heswall Hall). Motor access and parking via Mount Ave, CH60 0AF
Monday 19th Start time: 18:30	Group meal (18;30) followed by meeting (shortly after 19:30) to discuss plans and activities for WCV	Three Stags, Church Rd, Bebington. CH63 3EA	Group mean and meeting: Ticket Tailor booking link
JUNE
Thurs 5th Thurs 12th Thurs 19th Thurs 26th Start time: 19:30	Removal of Himalayan Balsam and clearing brambles from the coppice entrance	Thornton Wood. Meet on Thornton Common Road where the bridge crosses the M53	Thornton Wood Balsam removal: Ticket Tailor booking link
JULY
Friday 4th Start time:09:30	Volunteers needed: Preparations for our day at Poulton Hall supporting the annual Poulton Hall Gardens Open day. A busy day collecting gazebo's and transporting them to Poulton Hall. Cutting material at NFBP to take to the hall to build a 'mock hedge' for visitors to have a go at hedge laying - and plenty more prep work.	Meet at New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	Poulton Hall prep: Ticket Tailor booking link
Saturday 5th Start time: 09:30	Volunteers needed to support the annual Poulton Hall Gardens open day which WCV support. Activities include preparing and serving cream teas, staffing the WCV stand, scything instruction, hedge laying instruction, car park attending and general all round help	Meet at Poulton Hall, specific details will be provided to all volunteers.	Poulton Hall Gardens: Ticket Tailor booking link
Saturday 12th Start time: 09:30	A leisurely 30/40mile cycle ride along mainly quiet lanes , around Cheshire, taking in many interesting places with stops at tea shops along the way.	Meeting point is Hooton Station, Hooton, Ellesmere Port CH66 7NF	Annual Cycle Ride: Ticket Tailor booking link
Thursday 17th Start Time 19:30	A tool maintenance evening. A chance to refurbish and sharpen the tools used for maintaining the park - a good social evening too.	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	Tool Maint. at NFBP: Ticket Tailor booking link
Sunday 20th Start Time: 09:30 (BBQ from 14:00)	Scything and general maintenance followed by BBQ to celebrate 40 years of Wirral Countryside Volunteers. Parking at NFBP will be limited to Disabled Parking only as the park is open to the public.	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	Scything and maintenance: Ticket Tailor booking link
AUGUST
Saturday 2nd Start time: 14:00	Celebrating New Ferry Butterfly Park's 30th year. Bring along a food contribution to share	Windsor Close Community Centre	30 years of NFBP: Ticket Tailor booking link
Saturday 16th Start time: 09:30	Scything the woodland glade and other maintenance activities. At 15:00 there will be the unveiling the recently installed lectern display case (made possible by a legacy from the late Eric Jackson) inside the entrance to Thornton Common, a walk around the common and pond dipping	Thornton Common, Thornton Common Road. Parking is Wirral Rugby Club car park	Scything and unveiling: Ticket Tailor booking link
SEPTEMBER
Sunday 14th Start time: 11:00	Final day of the 2025 season for New Ferry Butterfly Park. Volunteer activities including scything the second part of the BBQ meadow and in Charlies Field. At 16:00, there will be a 'bring a contribution to share' closing BBQ. As with all NFBP Open Days, parking on site will be limited to Disabled Parking only.	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	NFBP Closing day and BBQ: Ticket Tailor booking link
Sunday 21st Start time: 09:00	Shocklach Hedge Laying Society: Shocklach Hedgelaying Competition - Cheshire style. Open and Novice classes, prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each class. £5.00 entry fee	By kind permission of Mr & Mrs Jones: Moore Farm, Tilston Road, Shocklach, Cheshire	More information and entry form available from Andy Brown brown.a.j@me.com
OCTOBER
Saturday 4th	National Hedge Laying Society event: The annual National Hedge Laying Competition. More detail will be available of the HNLS wesbite	Waddesdon Manor, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0JH	https://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/national-competition-2025/
Sunday 12th Start time: 09:30	New Ferry Butterfly Park workday: Hedge laying, turf removal and other maintenance tasks. Additionally there will be the annual 'Apple Day' and volunteers will help with collecting apples.	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	October workday at NFBP: Ticket Tailor link
NOVEMBER
Sunday 9th Start time: 09:30	New Ferry Butterfly Park workday: Hedge laying, turf removal and other maintenance tasks	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	November workday at NFBP: Ticket Tailor link
DECEMBER
Saturday 13th Start Time: 19:30	Pot luck buffet at Paul and Philippa's in Bebington	Paul and Philippa's - details to follow	Pot Luck Buffet: Ticket Tailor booking link
Sunday 14th Start time: 09:30	New Ferry Butterfly Park workday: Hedge laying, turf removal and other maintenance tasks	New Ferry Butterfly Park, Howell Road, Bebington	December workday at NFBP: Ticket Tailor link

From its beginnings WCV have held weekend tasks; much more recently these weekend tasks have been supported and extended by the “Intrepid Midweekers”, who have their own programme of tasks (though this often links to the main programme). Events are briefly described in the table below.

All events are fully assessed and the necessary Risk Assessments are completed and made available to all. All events are supported by the required support mechanisms, First Aiders, etc

COVID 19 UPDATE

Date

Event Description

Location

Booking Link