Friends of Foots Cray Meadows One of the obvious delights of living in North Cray is our close proximity to Foots Cray Meadows. The Meadows have evolved from the grounds of Foots Cray Place and North Cray Place estates into today’s public place. They are rich in natural history with the river, woods and meadows providing valuable pockets of nature conservation. Being situated within the suburban sprawl of South East London they are a site of environmental significance as well as an outdoor recreation area. Recognising the importance of their biodiversity and conservation a number of local residents and regular visitors formed the ‘Friends of Foots Cray Mead- ows’ (FFCM) in 2006 as an independent voluntary group dedicated to the Meadows. Its aims and objectives are to: • Work in partnership with Bexley Council to encourage public interest in and the conservation of Foots Cray Meadows; • Protect the wildlife and its habitat within Foots Cray Meadows; • Provide a focus for involvement by the community and users in the open space to volunteer and work with the Council in the conservation of Foots Cray Meadows and its development as a public open space; • Advance the public’s awareness of the open space by promoting Foots Cray Meadows, its plants, wildlife, landscape, sustainability and support- ing appropriate recreational facilities for the benefit of the community groups and the general public; • Develop and deliver information, interpretive material and educational opportunities for Foots Cray Meadows; and • Raise funds for the purposes of achieving the above aims. The group engages with members and the public through its programme of Woodland Management Sessions which encourage families to plant locally- sourced native trees to protect and complement the coppicing in the woodland parts of the Meadows. It is embarking on a project with the charity Froglife to restore the quality of the water habitat and create new amphibian-friendly en- vironments and special events, walks and talks are regularly organised. Through the FFCM partnership with the Council, Bexley Borough’s Parks, Nature & Community Officer and Bexley’s Tree Officer attend committee meetings ensuring that projects and events are co-ordinated and delivered. 9 .