We’ve recently received a micro grant which has enabled us to work with groups in Willenhall, and we’ve been encouraging people to engage with the nature on their doorsteps in a creative way.
The first workshop we led was with a group of Girl Guides and Rangers who were asked to create poems during a Summer evening walk around The Willenhall Memorial Park, before making beautiful origami envelopes from seeded paper to display their words – creating ‘plantable’ poetry messages for friends and family.
Our second activity also took place in the park. This time a walking group were invited to take part in a birdy quiz, contribute lines to a group poem about the benefits of being out in nature, before creating tiny nature poems of their own for display in miniature zines.
One of our workshops was open to all, and for this one, as well as a nature focus there was also a heritage element. On Saturday the 1st August 2026 a bunch of would-be creative writers explored the nature that exists in Willenhall town centre via a wander around historic Wood Street Cemetery, and a mindful moment or two in a community garden, before finally heading for a cuppa and poetry writing time amongst the potted plants and buddleia in the courtyard of Willenhall’s oldest building, The Bell. Participants in this workshop were treated to a tour of the building in a bonus activity. Their guides were the highly knowledgeable Wendy Evans and Ralph Jackson. A great time was had by all.
A support group for adults who meet at CHART in Gomer Street also benefitted from an activity. Cards were designed and created using honesty seed casings, and people talked about their connections to nature as they got creative.
We love working with our local community.
The micro grant that PPP received was part of The Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust’s new initiative ‘Walsall Community Nature Network’ which has been set up to empower grassroots organisations and community groups in Walsall to deliver small-scale, community-led activities that connect people to nature and capture local voices about how residents value, use, and wish to shape their natural spaces. The initiative has happened thanks to funding received through the Purple Horizons Nature Recovery Project partnership from a donation made by Axil Integrated Services Ltd, a total of £16,000 has been awarded. The other 8 organisations, apart from PPP, who have received grants are Caldmore Community Garden, Trekkers UK, Walsall for All, Aaina Community Hub, RicNic, Lifegate Outreach Centre, Mosaic: Neuro-Inclusive, and Wild Ways West Midlands.
If you want to find out more about the trust and the wonderful work that they do then head to their website www.bbcwildlife.org.uk/
