Local Nature Action Plan
Bradley Stoke Town Council in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council and local community groups has recognised the importance of taking steps to address the ecological crisis our world is facing. A Local Nature Action Plan has been drawn up in order for us to take the necessary steps to stop the decline of biodiversity.
Please click the following link to download the updated Local Nature Action Plan (Word) which was originally adopted at the Full Council meeting on 16th November 2022.
Visit the South Gloucestershire Council website for further details about Climate and nature emergency community engagement.
Bradley Stoke Community School, Willow Brook and Bradley Stoke Town Council
Community & Biodiversity Initiative – Bug Hotels
Download: Bug Hotel Case Study (PDF)
Free Garden Trees/Hedges & Wildflower Seeds Event
Help fight climate change. Be part of the solution and plant a tree to help nature.
Following on from the successful event in January 2023, the 2024 event took place on Saturday 27th January 2024 at the Jubilee Centre and was once again a successful event with much positive feedback received. More than 60 local residents collected trees/shrubs/hedges and marked their planting locations on the map (see completed map below).
This year, we also gave away free packets of wildflower seeds to be planted in residents gardens.
This event was supported by Bradley Stoke Zero Carbon Community Group, Bradley Stoke in Bloom and South Gloucestershire Council, who were all on hand to give expert advice.
Tree Planting Information (Word)
Photos taken at the Free Tree Event
Trees planted in Bradley Stoke
Become a Hedgehog Hero
Help make Bradley Stoke a Hedgehog friendly town by creating hedgehog highways in the town.
At the Hedgehog Heroes event on Saturday 17th June (organised by Bradley Stoke Town Council, Bradley Stoke in Bloom and Bradley Stoke Zero Carbon Community Group), hedgehog archways were given to residents of Bradley Stoke who will be installing them in their gardens to create holes in their own fence or gates to enable hedgehog to access their gardens. Hedgehog holes are typically 13cm holes and are installed in garden fences, walls and gates to enable hedgehogs to safely access gardens. These hedgehog holes or 'highways' will help form a garden network of places for hedgehogs to find food, shelter and even other prickly pals, ensuring that they do not have to cross busy roads. Once the archway is installed, the residents then plot the location at the BIG Hedgehog Map website.
The Hedgehog Heroes initiative is being led by South Gloucestershire Council in an effort to help halt the severe decline in the species over the last 20 years, and will enable South Gloucestershire to become a hedgehog friendly zone. It is working with more than 15 town and parish councils in South Gloucestershire to encourage people in the area to create a target of 3000 'hedgehog holes'. There are both urban and rural hedgehogs, those in built up areas seem to be showing signs of stabilising and it is hoped this project will mean the more rural populations can recover. In the past, Bradley Stoke Town Council has given grant funding to Hedgehog Rescue in Yate who help care for injured hedgehogs and have worked in the community for more than 20 years raising awareness of hedgehog welfare. Hedgehog rescue often take in injured or underweight hedgehogs found in Bradley Stoke.
The Hedgehog Walk
How does it work
Sign-up: Head over to our website and sign-up for the Timmy Time Hedgehog Walk. It's as easy as a walk in the park, promise!
Pick a character: Your students can choose their character from Aardman Animation's Timmy Time to complete the walk with. Hopefully, it's not too hard to choose!
Pledge your classroom: Set a goal with your students to complete the 3-mile Hedgehog Walk.
Spread the word: Invite other classes or even ask parents to get involved. The more, the merrier!
Fundraise: Before you begin your epic adventure, invite your school's community to donate to help nature everywhere. (Remember our Wild Fundraising Pack to help you achieve your goal target.)
Time to start: On the 16th of October, lace up your shoes, gather your little nature enthusiasts and embark on a wild adventure.
Celebrate: After your achievement, share your story, snapshots of breathtaking views, and maybe even a celebratory dance move or two on social media using #BigWildWalk.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up and help us save 30% of land and sea by 2030.
What to do if you find a sick or injured hedgehog?
If you have found a sick, injured or distressed hedgehog in our area and need help or advice please call a local hedgehog rescue or a local vet.
Hedgehog Rescue Yate: 07971 663009
Chipping Sodbury Hedgehog Rescue: 07476216158
Download the attached poster (Word) for handy tips on what to do if you've found a hedgehog that you feel may need a helping hand.
Colouring Competition
To celebrate Bradley Stoke Town Council's Hedgehog Heroes initiative, we held a colouring competition. Thank you to Pets at Home for the prizes. All participants received a certificate and the First Place prize in both categories was a hedgehog house and bag of hedgehog food (donated by Pets at Home) plus a colourful knitted Hedgehog. Second place received a bag of hedgehog food and a knitted hedgehog.
Hedgehog Heroes Initiative for Schools
Bradley Stoke Town Council is donating a Hedgehog Heroes sign to each school in the town and hope that it will be placed in a prominent location so that the local community can see that your school is playing their part in becoming a Hedgehog Hero. Your school might like to construct a hedgehog hotel or feeding station on the school grounds as well as finding out what hedgehogs like to eat and drink.
Hedgehog Heroes
Hedgehog Awareness Week 2023 Tuesday 2 – Monday 8 May
Hedgehog Awareness Week is a national campaign where people across the country are encouraged to make space for our favourite prickly pal, hedgehogs, in their gardens. Hedgehog Awareness Week is supported by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (PTES). These organisations are working nationally to help one of our favourite mammals survive into the future.
Download: Social media toolkit for Hedgehog Awareness Week 2023 (PDF)