Brighton park ranger volunteers celebrate 10'th birthday in Stanmer Park

CityParks Ranger Volunteers, formed in 2011 by Neil Doyle, were joined by Councillor Amy Heley to celebrate the landmark at Stanmer Park.

Discussing how the group started, Mr Doyle said: “After years of working in our parks with various ‘friends of’ groups, residents’ associations and external conservation organisations. I began to think about setting up our own group.

“I started collecting email addresses and the CityParks Ranger Volunteers were born.”

The volunteers work in parks and nature reserves all over the city, meeting every Wednesday and Friday to work on a variety of projects.

Mr Doyle said: “We go wherever we are needed, making visual improvements, creating and maintaining wildlife habitats and doing all those jobs that wouldn’t get done without the help of volunteers.”

The last 18 months has been challenging for CityPark. Lockdown rules have restricted the group to only meeting in teams of six up until May 17, meaning at least six sessions per week to fit everyone in.

Now, the group are back meeting twice a week and working on various projects in the city, including coppicing trees in Starmer Park to provide a sustainable source of timber.

The CityPark rangers use this natural material for other projects around the city, which have recently included hedge laying at Dyke Road Park and an ornamental fence in Palmiera Square.

Councillor Amy Heley, chair of the environment, transport and sustainability committee said of her time with the group: “It was lovely to spend time working with this fantastic group of volunteers, who do such a great job helping to protect and enhance our parks and countryside.”

To find out more about theCityParks Volunteer Rangers and to sign up email [email protected]