2017

Saturday May 27 - August 31 Summer long programme of events - walks, talks, exhibitions, workshops, school and community projects throughout the Stroud District. Stroud Festival of Nature, Stratford Park, Sunday 9 July. A big FREE family event.

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Stroud has a main rail link to Cheltenham, Swindon and London. It is ten minutes from Junction 13 of the M5 Motorway, forty minutes from Bristol, twenty from Gloucester. Stroud Tourist Information Centre is to be found in the centre of the town at Stroud Subscription Rooms, GL5 1AE. Tel 01453 760999.

2 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature Stroud Nature 2017 Stroud Nature 2017 brings together a host of local and regional wildlife and environmental organisations groups and individuals, to provide a summer long programme of events and activities for the public, for schools and various community groups. Many of these organisations are members of the Stroud Nature Forum. This meets throughout the year, to share ideas and promote networking and collaborative projects. Stroud Nature 2017 highlights and celebrates some of the work these organisations are involved in, through a mix of site visits, open days, walks, workshops, exhibitions and our annual festival - the Stroud Festival of Nature. This leaflet provides an overview of Stroud Nature 2017. More details on individual events can be obtained by following the relevant web site, email and telephone links provided here.

We are grateful for the support of -

Grateful thanks to Deb Roberts, Joel Roberts and Steve Roberts for the use of their photographic images. www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 3 Stroud Nature 2017 - highlights Connections | Ruskin Mill Field Centre | Sat/Sun May 27/28 Stroud Nature 2017 begins over the May Bank Holiday at Ruskin Mill Field Centre and adjacent Gables Farm above Nailsworth. The centre and farm cater for younger people with special educational needs on a 70 acre byodynamic farm with pigs, cattle, hens, vegetables and farm shop. The family event is entitled ‘Connections’. Under this banner, participating organisations can look at all kinds of natural connections and relationships, including our own with the natural world around us, providing guided walks, workshops, arts and crafts, storytelling and talks. Gorillas, Elephants and Badgers | Subscription Rooms | Friday June 2 This year, we welcome Ian Redmond OBE to the stage at the Subscription Rooms, Stroud, for a talk called Gorillas, Elephants and Badgers. As a field biologist, conservationist and writer, Ian has travelled the world to study wildlife. Now based in Stroud, his career began studying and protecting gorillas with Dian Fossey in Rwanda (where he also guided David Attenborough for those wonderful scenes with a family of gorillas in Life on Earth). He has advised on more than 100 documentaries as well as the movie Gorillas in the Mist. In 2001 he founded the UN Great Apes Survival Partnership and is now an Ambassador for the Convention on Migratory Species and Chairman of the Ape Alliance Twitter@4apes. Ian stresses the importance of primates and elephants - #GardenersoftheForest#GardenersoftheForest - in preventing dangerous climate change and now inspires people to care using virtual reality via www.vEcotourism.org. He will be telling stories and sharing his thoughts with the audience, and will then be joined by the heads of some local and regional wildlife organisations for a discussion on connections between global and local issues. Capel’s Mill Open Day | Capel’s Mill | Sat June 22 Stroud Valleys Project are joined by a number of other organisations to celebrate this special site right on the edge of town. A gateway to the countryside, where river, canal, woodland and wildflower meadow provide a variety of wildlife habitats.

Stroud Nature Forum Round about the beginning of November every year, the Stroud Nature Forum meets for the first time to review events of the previous summer. This is used to inform how we take plans forward for the following year. The forum meets three or four more times over the winter and spring months, developing it’s ideas, leading to a list of potential events and venues. The membership of the forum is not fixed, there are no fees, there is no obligation to attend, there are no benefits, other than the chance to share ideas with like minded people in like minded organisations. To develop networking opportunities and take these forward as joint collaborative projects . Anyone who attends a meeting becomes a member.

4 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature Schools and Other Community Groups Throughout June and July, Stroud Nature will be providing a busy programme of workshops and activities for schools, working with its partner organisation, Creative Sustainabiity CIC. Activities for Primary Schools Over 150 primary school children will have a ‘Meet the Experts’ day in the Museum and Arboretum in June, to hear about Stroud based experts’ work, roles in conservation and discovery. They’ll get up close to bees, moths, birds and plants, explore earth history and processes, examine bacteria and fungi and we’ll give teachers a follow up resource pack too. To book a day for your school from 14th-16th and 20tht-23rd June call Ann Taylor at the Museum on 01453 763394. Nature Ambassador Passports and Awards All Stroud’s amazing experts - plus Hawks and Owls! - will be at the Stroud Nature Festival on July 10th and children can pick up a Nature Ambassador Passport to record their ideas and findings, collecting experts’ stamps towards a Nature Ambassador award. Find out more on the day from Creative Sustainability’s Nature Ambassador Booth in the Arboretum! In partnership with the Museum in the Park. Community Engagement We’ve been working with local community groups and organisations to plan their perfect day out in nature - Hawk walks, green wood whittling, bushcraft, art and photography walks, camping under the stars, to name but a few amazing things groups will be doing this Summer and Autumn. To find out if your community group qualifies for a brilliant day out in nature call Anna Bonallack at Creative Sustainability on 01452 770177. Funded by Big Lottery and Freemasons. Greening Days for Secondary Schools We are working with schools in Stroud to give them all an outdoor makeover, improving the environment around their schools for wildlife. There will be workshops in low tech sustainable technology, eco-systems and sustainable habitats, leaving a legacy for future teaching and learning outside. If you think your secondary school could do with an eco-boost give Creative Sustainability a call on 01452 770177. If you are teacher, governor or parent of a school which you feel, would be interested in being part of Stroud Nature 2017, please get in touch.

www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 5 May Events Saturday May 27 (May Bank Holiday) Connections at Ruskin Mill Field Centre 10.00am – 4.00pm | Open Day - Field Centre and Gables Farm Join us on the beautiful and biodynamic Gables Farm for a wonderful day of craft, land and ecological based activities. Take part in farm and woodland walks, meet the animals, and experience a variety of traditional crafts. Deliciously priced BBQ lunch and new biodynamic farm shop open. Suitable for all ages and all are welcome. FREE Sunday May 28 Walking the Landscape 11.00am – 1.00pm | Join us for a nearly circular walk through different landscapes that our bees and other insects pollinate. Meet at the Tipputs Inn car park and please wear appropriate footwear. Suitable for all ages and all are welcome. Start at Gables Farm. FREE Wednesday May 31 Water Vole Photography for Families 10.00am – 12.30pm | Kingswood & Nind, Wotton-under-Edge Join professional wildlife photographer Iain Green for a practical and enjoyable family friendly morning, photographing water voles and other river wildlife – learning how the whole family can take great shots of nature. £40 per child (one adult comes free). Age: 8+. Please Pre-book at: www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017 June Friday June 2 Gorillas, Elephants and Badgers 7.30pm | Subscription Rooms Talk by Ian Redmond OBE, international naturalist and campaigner .(see highlights). £8.00 and £6.00 Saturday June 3 Seedling Swap 10.30am – 1.00pm | Do you have any spare or unwanted seedlings? Give them a good home through the Stroud Valleys Project’s seedling swap/sale. Bring along any seedlings that you have spare and exchange them for others. Both vegetable and flower varieties welcome. Even if you don’t have any seedlings to swap, you can still take some for a donation. It’s a great way to meet other gardeners and to share advice and knowledge. Suitability for different groups - email: [email protected] or call 01453 753358. 6 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature Sunday June 4 Orchids of Slad Course 9.30am – 12.30pm / 4pm | Swifts Hill Slad Valley is well known for rare orchids such as fly and frog orchid. John Spencer of The Hardy Orchid Society leads an exploration of orchid identification on Swift’s Hill, covering the remarkable relationships between orchids and their pollinators. Half day £25 / Full day £45 . www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017/ Saturday June 10 Orchid Walk, 6.00pm – 800pm | Edge Common The walk will start with a short introduction from Paul Griffiths (grazier of the common) about the history of the common, what wildflowers and orchids may be seen and a brief intro into the grazing and management of the common for the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly. Booking essential £5 per adult. Suitability for different groups - No dogs, some steep inclines. Email - [email protected] Sunday June 11 Open day at Yew Tree Farm 9.30am – 3.00pm | Thrupp Mark Russell, the owner of the farm invites you to join him and other member organisations and individuals from the Stroud Forum in an exploration of the farm’s habitats and wildlife, including meadow, orchard, garden and pond. 9.30am -11.00am | We are opening up moth traps that were set the night before. We had 100 different species last year. 10.00am | Insect art activities with Steve Roberts of Stroud Nature 10.30am start and 11.30 am start | Get down among the grasses and identify the different species with help from Stroud Wildlife Survey group 11.00am | Conversations with nature: creating a space within ourselves in which we allow nature to speak 12.00pm | Identify today’s butterflies with an expert, walk the land and discuss how to help the different species. 2.00 pm| Orchard bounty - planning and maintaining for produce and nature. The local community have planted 90 trees to provide fruit options over a long season (walk and talk) 3.00pm | Tea, coffee and cakes all day, in aid of charity. You are welcome to bring a picnic. There is limited street parking (please park sensitively) or park at Stroud Brewery. Wheel chair access is good for the moth event, but the rest of the land is difficult. See website for maps and directions. www.-butterflies.org.uk. www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 7 Sat/Sunday June 10/11 Hidden Gardens and Sculpture of Rodborough ??am – ??pm | Rodborough Come along and support this fantastic event which helps to raise funds for Stroud Valleys Project. Get inspired by the gardens and then purchase gardening products from our eco shop stall. Join us on a tour of one of the gardens to find out what makes a wildlife friendly garden. £5. Suitability for different groups - Family, not suitable for people with limited mobility. www.rodboroughrealgardens.co.uk Saturday June 17 Summer Nature Walk 9.00am – 4.00pm | Old Cemetery, Bisley Road, Stroud GL5 1HG The Old Cemetery is Stroud’s only notified Local Nature Reserve, boasting a wonderful mix of unimproved limestone grassland and trees on a south facing slope. Enjoy a guided walk around the old cemetery with Matt, one of our rangers, who will share his knowledge and passion for the wildflowers, insects, birds and possibly reptiles that may be encountered. You can stick to the sometimes-steep tarmac paths, but if you wish to see wildlife up close, please be aware that the ground off the paths is steep and uneven. Please wear suitable clothing for the weather. No dogs please on this occasion. For further details contact Stroud Town Council on 01453 762817. Saturday June 17 Butterflies at Prinknash Abbey 11.30am – 4.30pm | Prinknash Abbey The Butterfly Nectar Garden at Prinknash is part of the walled garden owned by the monks at Prinknash Abbey. Members of the Butterfly Conservation will be on hand to answer questions about butterflies, moths and plants.There will be a display of live moths too. Free garden entry. There is a large car park and a café. See website for maps and directions. Tricia Atkinson on 01242-512584 www.gloucestershire-butterflies.org.uk. Saturday June 17 Children’s Day at Stroud Farmers’ Market Come along & try our FREE family activities including our Taster’s Passport where you can have a go at tasting lots of delicious food. Email [email protected] www.stroudvalleysproject.org Saturday June 17 Rodborough Common Walk 2.00pm – 4.00pm | Rodborough Common Join us for a walk on Rodborough Common and find out more about this Special Area of Conservation. We’ll take a gentle stroll across the common with the National Trust Ranger and learn more about the rare species that can be found there and the ways in which this important grassland habitat is being conserved. Suitability for different groups: Suitable for adults and children over 10 yrs. Call 01453 753358 or email: [email protected] www.stroudvalleysproject.org FREE booking advisable. 8 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature Sunday June 18 Grassland Ecology Course 9.30am – 12.30/4.00pm | Gloucester and Stroud Colin Studholme, GWT’s Director of Conservation, looks at the ecology of lowland grasslands. Visit a neutral grassland and limestone grassland at Painswick Beacon and other sites to look at soil, age, grazing, nutrient levels and compare species diversity through surveying. Half day £25 / Full day £45. www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017

Wednesday June 21 Large Blue & Wildflowers 10.00am – 12.00pm | Daneway Banks, near Sapperton Learn all about the large blue butterfly, successfully reintroduced to Daneway Banks, it’s fascinating life-cycle, the history, on-going conservation efforts, as well as wildflowers and the ecology of the thriving reserve. 7.50 per person. Age 14+. Pre-book at www. gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017

Friday June 23 Midsummer Brewery Walk 6.30pm – 8.00pm | Join us for a walk around Stroud including Capels Mill and the viaduct, taking in some of the work we have been doing in and around Stroud. Then walk with us along the canal tow path to Stroud Brewery and enjoy a pint when you get there. Price includes a pint or a soft drink. Suitability for different groups. All welcome. £10 adults 5 children. Friends of SVP £8 and £4. Booking essential Email [email protected] www.stroudvalleysproject.org

Saturday June 24 Scything Course 10.00am – 2.00pm | Capel’s Mill Come along, enjoy and learn the art of scything, the traditional way of making hay, with Fred Miller, Stroud Valleys Project Officer. The course designed for the beginner will give people an introduction to the use of the Austrian style scythe, its use, sharpening and maintenance. Suitability for different groups – sorry adults only. Call 01453 753358 or email richard@stroudvalle

Sunday June 25 Open Gardens 2.00pm – 5.00pm | Ozleworth Park, Wotton under Edge An extensive kitchen garden, orchard, tulips, Victorian bath-house, fresco paintings and a water garden, pergola and stunning herbaceous borders created by Jane Fearnley-Whittingstalls. £5.www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017/ www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 9 Sunday June 25 Practical Ecology Course 9.30am – 12.30 /4.00pm | Wotton-under-Edge Predators and prey, pollinators and parasites. Gloucestershire Naturalists’ Society’s David Scott- Langley will cover the concepts governing the natural world, then head into Lower Woods Nature Reserve for practical exploration. Half day £20 / Full day £35. www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017/ July Saturday July 1 - Sunday July 30 Grasslands of the Stroud Valleys | Photographic exhibition by Deborah Roberts Daily | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF A photographic exhibition celebrating the beauty of the wildflower- rich limestone grasslands surrounding Stroud. Photo sequences also document the work of local organisations and community groups to conserve these internationally important habitats. Photographer Deborah Roberts will be available to meet visitors and answer questions between 2pm and 4pm on Sundays 2, 9, 16 & 30 July. www.deborahroberts.biz Saturday July 1 National Meadows (drop-in) Day event 11.00am – 3.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Celebrate National Meadows Day at the launch of Deborah Roberts’ grasslands photography exhibition with activities run by the Cotswolds Conservation Board’s Magnificent Meadows team, including bug hunts and quizzes to test your observational skills. Suitable for both adults and children. Contact Eleanor Reast on 01451 862036 Saturday July 1 Walk around Rough Bank 2.00pm – 4.00pm | Rough Bank Rough Bank lies between Bisley and The Camp and has a fantastic range of butterflies, moths and wildflowers. This walk is organised by Butterfly Conservation, Gloucestershire and is our contribution to the celebration of National Meadows Day 2017. See website for maps and directions. www. gloucestershire-butterflies.org.uk. Call Sue Smith on 01453 882127 Saturday July 8 Improving Habitat for Dippers & Kingfishers 10.00am – 12.00pm | Frome Banks, Stroud Frome Banks supports a wealth of great Gloucestershire wildlife including flashy kingfishers and adorable dippers. Help to tidy up our reserve so they continue to make it their home. FREE. www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017

10 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature Sunday July 9 Stroud Festival of Nature 2017 11.00am – 5.00pm | Stratford Park Our flagship event, the Stroud Festival of Nature has been running since 2008. It takes place among the trees in the arboretum at the wonderful Stratford Park. Sitting on the edge of Stroud at the entrance to the Painswick Valley, the park contains a sports and Leisure Centre, a museum, an outdoor lido, acres of green space, woodland and lake. In 2016 the event attracted close to 3,000 people and 56 local and regional organisations took part. The atmosphere was superb, as families and children in particular were kept engaged and amused by an amazing array of activities and information. There will be food and drink available, but we also invite people to bring their own picnic. Children are at the centre of Stroud Nature’s project. We are therefore really pleased that, in recognition of this, Stroud Festival, a long established trust responsible for promoting and bringing Arts events and performances to Stroud, have decided that their first dedicated Children’s Festival, will take place on Stroud Festival of Nature weekend. In addition to events on the Friday and Saturday, there will be Children’s Festival’s activities at the Stroud Festival of Nature on the Sunday. The whole day will provide a mix of activities, crafts, workshops, exhibitions, live animals, storytelling and more. What’s more it’s all FREE. Friday July 14 Glow worms walk and talk 7.30pm – 11.00pm | Stroud Denise Gibbons will be giving an illustrated talk about Glow-worms and Fireflies, followed by a walk at nightfall to see our glowing female insects in their local natural habitat. Refreshments will be served after the talk. This event is unfortunately not suitable for children under five. £5. Pre-book essential, call 01453 882127. www.stroudvalleysproject.org. Saturday July 22 Capel’s Mill Open Day 12.00pm – 3.00pm | Capel’s Mill Come and celebrate the summer and wildflowers, we will have activities including a scything demonstration and outdoor activities to join in with. Suitability for different groups. FREE small charge for activities, 01453 753358 or [email protected] www.stroudvalleysproject.org www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 11 Sunday July 23 Butterflies at Prinknash Abbey 11.30am – 4.30pm | Prinknash Abbey | See previous listing for Saturday June 17 Saturday July 24 Scything Course for Beginners 10.00am – 12.00pm | Capel’s Mill, Stroud An introduction to scything, its history and its background, management of grasslands and meadows, how to set up your scythe, sharpening scythes, peening (beating the blade to thin it and make it sharper) correct scything technique. We will focus on lightweight Austrian scythes. Suitability for different groups Adults only, booking essential £30, £25 for Friends of SVP. Call 01453 753358 or email [email protected] Sunday July 22 Butterfly and Moth ID Course 9.30am – 12.30/4.00pm | Wotton-under-Edge Explore the beautiful butterflies and moths of Lower Woods with Peter Hugo and Sue Smith of Butterfly Conservation. Learn to identify and record your finds, hopefully including rarities like white admiral. Half day £25 / Full day £45. www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017/ Saturday July 29 Butterflies at Crickley Hill 2.00pm – 4.00pm | Crickley Hill Visitors Centre (Grid ref SO929163) This is a guided walk to see the many different butterfly species on this site and is linked with the Big Butterfly Count. There will also be moths on display that were caught overnight. There is a large car park but charges apply. See website for maps and directions. www. gloucestershire-butterflies.org.uk. Call Tricia Atkinson on 01242 512584

Friday/Saturday July 28/29 Nature’s Gardeners - workshop 11.00am – 12pm | Bisley Community Composting Site Life in the Soil - Composting for Wildlife workshop. An introduction to, Bisley Community Composting Site and how to make your own Wormery. Children welcome. Wear stout shoes. For location/contacts see www.bisleycommunitycompostscheme.org.uk

12 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature August Wednesday August 2 Wild Wednesdays - Family Minibeasting Sessions Three 1 hour sessions 10.00am / 11.00am / 12.00pm | Stroud Families will have a hands-on opportunity to get a closer look at the minibeasts living in meadows and woodland. Suitability for different groups – Not suitable for wheelchairs, aimed at primary school aged children. £2 per child. Pre-book essential, call 01453 753358 or email tamsin@ stroudvalleysproject.org. www.stroudvalleysproject.org. Wednesday August 2 Night Time Nature Safari for Adults 8.30pm – 11.00pm | Siccaridge Wood, Chalford Join Ellen Winter, Stroud Community Wildlife Officer, to discover the wildlife of the woods and the canal on this after dark adventure. Listen out for owls and barking deer, learn to use bat detectors, and enjoy walking by moonlight. £7.50. Age 18+, Pre-book at www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust. co.uk/events/2017 Wednesday August 9 Butterfly Walk on Swells Hill 2.00pm – 4.00pm | Swells Hill This is a guided walk to see butterflies in the area. We hope to see the Chalkhill Blue, an attractive chalk grassland butterfly. Parking is at the roadside. Meet at SO859022. See website for maps and directions. www. gloucestershire-butterflies.org.uk. Call Chris Wiltshire 01453 545509 Wednesday August 9 Wild Wednesdays - Family Pond dipping Sessions Three sessions:10.00am -10.45am / 10.45am -11.30am / 11.30am -12.15am | Families will have a hands-on opportunity to get a closer look at the exciting variety of animals that live in our ponds. Suitability for different groups - Not suitable for wheelchairs, aimed at primary school aged children. £2 per child. Pre-book essential, call 01453 753358 or email [email protected]. www.stroudvalleysproject.org. Wednesday August 9 Great Green Bush Cricket Hunt 6.30pm – 8.30pm | Rodborough Community Hall Join Stroud Nature as we look for the UK’s largest and most dramatic looking bush cricket on Rodborough Common. On the way we will see what other creatures share its grassland and scrub habitat. . Bug pots supplied. Meet at Rodborough Community Hall at 6.30pm. Email [email protected], 01453 753123 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 13 Saturday August 12 Dormouse Ecology Course 9.30am – 4.00pm | Siccaridge Wood, Chalford Covering dormouse ecology, conservation, and a field trip to the longest running dormouse monitoring site in the UK, Siccaridge Wood; Mick Peacey shares his extensive knowledge and the skills needed to become a licensed handler. £100. Pre-book at www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events/2017 Wednesday August 16 Wild Wednesdays - Family Pond dipping Sessions Three sessions | 10.00am -10.45am / 10.45am -11.30am / 11.30am -12.15am Families will have a hands-on opportunity to get a closer look at the exciting variety of animals that live in our ponds. Suitability for different groups - Not suitable for wheelchairs, aimed at primary school aged children. £2 per child. Pre-book essential, call 01453 753358 or email [email protected]. www.stroudvalleysproject.org. Wednesday August 23 Wild Wednesdays - Family Walk 10.00am -1.30pm / 2pm | Stroud Suitability for different groups - Not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs, aimed at primary school aged children. Spend the morning walking from playground to playground with fun activities along the way. NOT SUITABLE FOR PUSHCHAIRS. £2 per child. Booking essential call 01453 753358 or email [email protected]. www. stroudvalleysproject.org. Saturday August 26 Butterflies at Prinknash Abbey 11.30am – 4.30pm | See previous listing for Saturday June 17 Saturday August 30 Butterfly Walk - Pinfarthings 2.00pm – 4.00pm | Pinfarthings This is a guided walk to see butterflies in the area. We hope to see the Adonis Blue which is a really stunning butterfly. Parking is in a roadside park not far from Beaudesert school. Meet at SO853004. See website for maps and directions. www.gloucestershire-butterflies.org.uk. Call Chris Wiltshire on 01453 545509. Events after Stroud Nature 2017 Tuesday September 19 Stroudwater Navigation – a place for nature 7.15pm – 9.00pm | Fromebridge Mill (upstairs room), GL2 7PD Val Kirby will give an illustrated talk about the planned restoration of the Stroudwater Navigation.

14 www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature Events leading up to Stroud Nature 2017 Friday May 12 | Bat Walk at Museum in the Park 8.30pm - 10 pm Encounter Stroud’s many incredible types of bats with a local expert. We will listen for bats using bat detectors, and will hope to spot some flying. Museum open until late, can explore using torch Suitability for different groups, FREE. Call 01453 753358 or email [email protected]

Saturday May 13 | Marking Day on 11.00 -3.00pm Matthew Oates, Nature, Wildlife Experience and Invertebrates, specialist for the National Trust speaks on the importance of this traditional grazing to the land and it’s link with butterflies and nature. Historical Photography, Butterfly conservation to have moths, road safety with the cattle info, Stroud Valleys Project and more will be present on the day. FREE.

Sat/Sunday May 20/21 | A Slice Through Time 10 am to 4 pm | Saul Junction Lock on the Gloucester to Sharpness Canal, GL2 7LA Family focused event - find out about the history of the lock and the now vanished canal to Framilode. Follow our mystery walk and answer the quiz. Listen to stories. Make up your own stories about how life would have been for you, 200 years ago. Lots of things to do for people of all ages! This event celebrates Canal and River Trust’s restoration of the lock in 2016, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The whole event is a partnership between Canal and River Trust and CCT. There is no charge for this event - Canal & River Trust charge for car parking. In partnership with Canal and River Trust.

Sunday May 28 | National Trust Kite Day on Minchinhampton Common 10.00am-3.00pm Everyone can escape to the wide open spaces of the Common and enjoy some kite flying fun. Kite-making workshop. If you don’t own a kite, National Trust outdoor kites and other products will be available for sale on the day. Free ‘50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 3/4’ scrapbook given out on the day. FREE

Stroud Nature 2017 is organised by Stroud Nature CIC. We are committed to the aims of informing, engaging and empowering people in the care and conservation of the environment around them. Our Directors have experience in Environmental Sustainabilty and Education, Interpretation/ Graphic Design, the Transition movement, Community Projects and the Arts. Working within the Stroud District we look to bring organisations together, providing a forum for networking, leading to collaborative projects. We look to utilise the enormous range of skills, expertise and experience that exists within those organisations, highlighting their work and promoting it in a professional, coordinated way. We are always looking for new ideas and new partners to work with. We are already thinking about Stroud Nature 2018. If you would like to be involved in any way, please get in touch. www.stroudnature.org www.facebook.com/stroudnature www.twitter.com/stroudnature 15

Welcome to Stroud Childrens Festival 7 - 9 July 2017

A New Children’s Festival designed for and with young people and the Young at Heart. Cindy Jefferies, children’s author and curator of last year’s Children’s Book Festival says: “It’s great that we are bringing such excitement to the first Stroud Children’s Festival. If you like nature, stories, being arty or singing your heart out, come along. We’ve put together a programme of activities in conjunction with the Stroud Festival of Nature and the Museum in the Park on Friday 7, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 July in Stratford Park, the Museum in the Park and its ‘secret’ Walled Garden and finishing at the Cotswold Playhouse early Sunday evening. Celebrating both Nature and Literature we’ve got a magical tree, storytelling and storywriting, puppets, art workshops, butterfly hunts, an art exhibition, a children’s choir - and even an opera workshop! We round off the weekend with the return of our favourite world-class opera company OperaUpClose, in a thrilling performance of a special children’s opera called Ulla’s Odyssey. This reworking of Homer’s original story tells how 14-year-old Ulla attempts to become the youngest person to sail the world single-handedly with only her cat for company.

www.stroudfestival.org museuminthepark.org.uk

Friday 7 July Glorious Greeks 6.00pm - 7.30pm | Open House Painswick Inn, Gloucester Street, Stroud GL5 1QG Show and Playshop! Jump on board Odysseus’ ship for a Pandora’s Box of storytelling, theatre, song and buffoonery, puppets, props and participation with Michael Loader from Wild Words, director of Somerset Storyfest. £5 from Star Anise Café 01453 840021

Saturday 8 July | Museum in the Park Visit the Wishing Tree 10.00am - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Visit the Wishing Tree created by artist Corinne Hockley and tie your wish onto a branch. FREE, drop in between 10am and 4pm Museum Butterfly Hunt 10.00am - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF See if you can spot some butterflies lost inside the Museum! A fun I-Spy trail for families with young children, created by local illustrator Tracy Spiers. FREE. Workshop with Martha Lightfoot 10.00am - 11.00am | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Make your own stand up creatures and plan their journey. Where will they go? A snippy, snappy family workshop for children aged 5+. £2 per child. To book – call the Museum on 01453 763394. Pop Up Library 11.00am - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Drop in to the Pop Up Library outside the Museum and listen to a story, or read one yourself. If you have your library ticket you can borrow books too! FREE. ‘Bear on a Bike’ with Hannah Shaw 12.00pm - 1.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Children aged 3-7 are invited to join Bear on his journey. Listen to the story and help Hannah make a huge drawing. £2 per child. To book – call the Museum on 01453 763394. www.stroudfestival.org www.museuminthepark.org 3 Saturday 8 July | Museum in the Park Workshop with Linda Newbery 2.00pm - 3.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Hear about some of Linda’s travelling characters, including Lob, the Green Man, and get lots of writing and story making tips from an award winning author in this fun, family workshop. For families with children aged 7+. £2 per child. To book– call the Museum on 01453 763394. Stories with Jamila Gavin 3.00pm - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Listen to Jamila tell the exciting story of The Odyssey and other journeys, with the help of a big map. FREE. Animal Squatters 3.30pm - 5.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF An exhibition of intriguing collaged paintings by Gypsy. What if the animals decided to move home and came to live in our space?. FREE.

Sunday 9 July | Museum in the Park Visit the Wishing Tree 10.00am - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Visit the Wishing Tree in the Museum courtyard and tie your wish onto a branch. FREE. Museum Butterfly Hunt 10.00am - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Museum Butterfly Hunt: Drop in and see if you can spot some butterflies lost inside the Museum! A fun I-Spy trail for families with young children, created by local illustrator Tracy Spiers. FREE. Animal Squatters 10.00pm - 5.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF An exhibition of intriguing collaged paintings by Gypsy. What if the animals decided to move home and came to live in our space?. FREE.

4 www.stroudfestival.org www.museuminthepark.org Sunday 9 July | Museum in the Park Pop Up Library 11.00am - 4.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Drop in to the Pop Up Library outside the Museum and listen to a story, or read one yourself. If you have your library ticket you can borrow books too! FREE. Stroud Festival of Nature 11.00am - 5.00pm | Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Bring a picnic and enjoy a day of discovery in Stratford Park! All welcome. FREE. Stories with Jamila Gavin 11.00am - 12.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF Enchanting tales about the journeys made by people, animals, birds and maybe even butterflies! FREE. OperaUpClose! 2.15pm - 3.00pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF A fun workshop for children aged 7+ with Ulla and her friends in the ‘Secret Garden’ at the Museum. Who knew singing to tell a story would be so much fun £2 on the door or FREE with ticket to the evening show. Workshop lasts 50 minutes. To Book – call the Museum on 01453 763394. Minpins Children’s choir 3.30pm | Museum in the Park, Stratford Park, Stroud GL5 4AF The brilliant Minpins Children’s choir will enchant in the ‘Secret Garden’. All welcome, donations appreciated. Sunday 9 July | Cotswold Playhouse OperaUpClose! 5.00pm | Cotswold Playhouse, Parliament Street, Stroud GL5 1LW Children aged 7+ come join the Opera cast ‘behind the scenes’ at the Playhouse for a fun workshop with Ulla and friends, then take your seats and enjoy the show. £2 on the door or FREE with ticket to the evening show. Workshop lasts 50 minutes. To Book – call the Museum on 01453 763394. OperaUpClose presents ‘Ulla’s Odyssey’ 6.30pm | Cotswold Playhouse, Parliament Street, Stroud GL5 1LW Join Ulla and her cat on a wonderful musical journey! This special show for children and families is not to be missed! Adults £12. Children under 15 £5. Show lasts one hour. Box Office: https://www.cotswoldplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/book-ticket or call 0333 666 3366. www.operaupclose.com/ullasodyssey www.stroudfestival.org www.museuminthepark.org 5