Category: Sustainable Warminster

Thursday 26th February 2026

Agenda
Sustainable Warminster General Meeting, Wednesday, 11 March 2026, 7pm

Warminster Civic Centre, BA12 8LB

1. Welcome

2. Membership Update – Chris Walford

3. Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising – Amy Darbyshire/Rebecca Krzyzosiak

4. Update on Wildflowers, Amy Darbyshire

5. Update on Rivers and Waterways, Iain Perkins

6. Committee roles: Treasurer and Secretary, All

o   We are seeking a new Treasurer to join the Committee. More details can be found on Wiltshire Together: Volunteer Treasurer: Sustainable Warminster – Wiltshire Together

o   Additionally, we are looking for a new Secretary to join the Committee. More details can be found on Wiltshire Together: Secretary Role, Sustainable Warminster – Wiltshire Together

7. Treasurer’s report 

8. AOB

Toad patrol update – All

Two to sign on the bank account – Helen Martin

Recent communication from local businesses/organisations – All

Update on future events – All

We are also pleased to be collaborating with Warminster Town Council again this year, for an annual community litter pick, as part of the Great British Spring Clean on Saturday, 14 March from 10am to 12-noon. All equipment will be provided, and all volunteers will receive a free hot drink after the litter pick.
To sign up or suggest an area that needs cleaning, please email: admin@warminster-tc.gov.uk or phone 01985 214847. Attached is a flyer with more information. 

Best wishes, Rebecca and Amy.

Tuesday 16th December 2025

Sustainable Warminster
Diary dates for January and February 2026

Dear members,

We hope you are well and looking forward to slightly longer days as we approach the winter solstice and the New Year.

Please see below some Dates for your Diary for January and February 2026. Following these events, we’ve also included some recent news items you may find of interest:

Friday, 16 January 2026, 7:30pm, Green Drinks at The Wellbeing Hub, 36 High Street, Warminster, BA12 0AF
Join us for an informal gathering to chat about the coming year or simply catch up with friends. New attendees are always welcome!

Friday, 20 February 2026, 7:30pm, Green Drinks at The Wellbeing Hub, 36 High Street, Warminster, BA12 0AF

Join us for an informal gathering to chat about our work or connect with other members.

Saturday, 28 February, 2-4pm, Toad Party, at Warminster Park Lakeside Centre, Weymouth St, Warminster BA12 9NP

Toadally delicious cakes, and activities for children. Free entry – though donations at the door are welcome. Get to know more about toads, frogs, newts and tadpoles. More information coming soon! 

Swap Shop starting this January at The Wellbeing Hub, Warminster

If you have something you no longer need but it’s still in great condition, bring it along to this new initiative at The Wellbeing Hub.

You can:

Swap useful items

Enjoy a warm drink and a chat

Meet new people

Save money and reduce waste

Every Wednesday from 3 – 5pm.

For more information, see their Facebook page: The Wellbeing Hub Warminster 

Congratulations to long-standing Sustainable Warminster member Jennie Gilling, who received the Civic Green Award for her commitment and work with the Community Orchard. Read more about Jennie’s nomination here: Civic Awards celebrate outstanding local people – Warminster Journal

Keep up-to-date with our regular column in the Warminster Journal. Here are some of our latest articles:

A canvas for connection – Warminster Journal

Autumn adventures: discovering nature with young explorers in Warminster – Warminster Journal

Wonderful water voles at Grovelands – Warminster Journal

Household Recycling Centre opening times over the holiday season

All Wiltshire recycling centres will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Garden waste collections will pause from 22 December 2025 to 2 January 2026. Find out more here: Locations and opening times – Wiltshire Council

If you have good quality items like Christmas trees and gifts, you can donate them to charities. Wiltshire Council provides more information here: Christmas waste donations and collections – Wiltshire Council

Plans to improve waste and recycling services in Wiltshire 

Wiltshire Council plans to gather public feedback in early 2026 on the proposal to change household waste collections from every two weeks to every three weeks, starting in 2027. They plan to reduce food waste and plastic bag use from the black bin to enhance recycling efforts. Read more here: Agreement made on proposals to cut costs and improve the sustainability of waste and recycling services – Wiltshire Council

Imber New Year open days, Monday, 29 December 2025 to Thursday, 1 January 2026
The village and St Giles Church will be open to visitors between 11am and 4pm.  Light refreshments will be available. More information can be found here: Imber New Year Open Days – Warminster Town Council

Monday, 12 January 2026, 10am – 2pm, Wessex Water community drop-in, Warminster Library, Three Horseshoes Walk, Warminster, BA11 9BT

Wessex Water is back in Warminster for in-person water-related queries and questions residents may have.

As we reach the end of this year, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all Sustainable Warminster members. A big thank you to all who have volunteered at our events or supported our initiatives around town. Your commitment continues to make a real difference to our group’s work and to the town we love. We look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead, and we will be in touch again in the New Year with updates on other events planned for the coming year. You can read an overview of the past year here: Chairs Report 2024-2025 – Sustainable Warminster

Take care, Rebecca and Amy
Co-Chairs, Sustainable Warminster

Saturday 25th October 2025

From the Co-Chairs, Sustainable Warminster:

Dear members,

We hope Autumn has treated you well. As we transition into Winter and the darker, longer nights, we send our best wishes.

Please see below some Dates for your Diary in October, November, and December 2025. Following these events, we’ve also included some recent news items you may find of interest:

Thursday, 30 October, 9:30am, Wildflower plug planting session at Fore Street, Warminster.
Help add colour, biodiversity, and pollinator-friendly plants to Fore Street, Warminster. Duration: approx. 3 hours. Please wear suitable outdoor clothing for the weather, gardening gloves, and sturdy footwear for uneven ground. Let us know if you can make it by emailing Amy directly: press@sustainablewarminster.co.uk

Thursday, 30 October, 10:00am – 5:00pm,  Practical Ways of Dealing with a Changing Climate: Sustainability & Resilience Event in Westbury.

Westbury Town Council is hosting a free event at The Laverton in Westbury to help Wiltshire residents understand the small steps they can take to improve the climate for themselves and future generations. 

To take part, please register to ensure a place and get a free lunch: Sustainable, Resilient Westbury – Westbury Town Council

Friday, 31 October, Halloween Food Night at The Wellbeing Hub in Warminster, 6:00-10:00pm, 36 High Street, Warminster, BA12 0AF
Fancy dress optional. More details are in the attached flyer.

Friday, 7 November, 7:30pm, Green Drinks at The Wellbeing Hub, 36 High Street, Warminster, BA12 0AF
Join us for an informal gathering to chat about our work or simply connect. New attendees welcome!

Saturday, 8 November, 1:00-4:00pm, An Afternoon of Sustainability Projects; The Wellbeing Hub, 36 High Street, Warminster, BA12 0AF

This free event will showcase work by Dr Charity Chenga, Iain Perkins, Amy Darbyshire, and Matt Wisdom, who will discuss sustainability projects from Warminster to Africa. More details can be found here: From Warminster to Africa: A showcase of sustainability and conservation projects – Warminster Town Council

Saturday, 15 November, 10:00am – 12:30pm, Bradford on Avon’s Repair Cafe, Wallington Hall, Church Street, Bradford on Avon, BA15 1LN

This event aims to keep household items out of landfill. Bring no more than two items for repair. For general enquiries email: boa@shareandrepair.org.uk For specific questions about what can be repaired, please phone: 07963 878319. Find out more here: (6) BoA Share and Repair | Facebook or in the attached flyer.

Monday, 8 December, 7:30pm, Festive Green Drinks at The Fox & Hounds, 6 Deverill Road, Warminster BA12 9QP
Join us for a festive, informal gathering to chat or connect. Everyone is welcome.

Keep up-to-date with our regular column in the Warminster Journal. Here are some of our latest articles:

Sustainable Warminster: A year in the orchard bears fruit as apple pressing begins – Warminster Journal

Sustainable Warminster: The scary truth about Halloween – Warminster Journal

Did you spot Warminster toad patrol in The Guardian this week? ‘The cars just turn them into mush’: can Britain’s toads be saved from traffic and terrible decline? | Conservation | The Guardian

Wiltshire Council is inviting residents to share their views on plans for a new School Streets trial to create safer, cleaner environments for children.
School Streets temporarily restrict motor vehicle access during school drop-off and pick-up times during the school term. The council will consult from Monday, 3 November to Sunday, 15 December. People’s feedback will help shape the trial. The council expects the project to begin after the Easter holidays in 2026. More information can be found here: Council to launch School Streets trial in five areas of the county – with a consultation to start next month – Wiltshire Council

New air quality planning guidance for developments in Wiltshire adopted by Wiltshire Council.
Wiltshire Council approved new Supplementary Planning Guidance to deliver air quality improvements on 21 October 2025. Developers must show their projects will not worsen air quality. If there is a risk of more pollution, developers must act or provide funding to help reduce pollution. Find out more here: New air quality planning guidance for developments in Wiltshire adopted by Wiltshire Council – Wiltshire Council

Take care,
Rebecca and Amy.
Co-Chairs, Sustainable Warminster.

Sustainable Warminster
Minutes of Annual General Meeting
7pm, 10 September 2025 at Warminster Civic Centre.

Present: Amy Darbyshire (chair), Rebecca Krzyzosiak (note-taker), Helen Martin (treasurer), Jennie Gilling (Committee member), Clare Hancock, Dennis Brett, Marion Barton, Maggie Richens, Max Richens, Chris Walford (membership), Barb Dodd.

1. Welcome
   The meeting unanimously agreed on the minutes of the previous meeting.
   
2. Chairs’ Report: a review of the year
   Column and comms

• We now have a bi-weekly column in the revived Warminster Journal.
• We’ve introduced improved communications for our members through regular email updates.
  
  Campaigns
  Toad Patrol
• The meeting discussed the ongoing efforts to protect toads crossing roads, including creating leaflets and conducting door-to-door campaigns. The key to helping the community better understand the campaign is through education.
• Where toads were able to mate successfully in the Spring, the babies are now
  migrating back over the road due to the wet/warm weather. More people have joined the Toad Patrol group, as there has been a lot of profiling of toad activity on social media.
• There continue to be challenges with dangerous drivers.
• Amy has arranged an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire about the baby toads
  crossing roads.
  Actions:
• Amy and Rebecca ask the town council if there is a possibility of installing yellow slower lines, speed watch or rumble strips across the carriageway to deter reckless driving and reduce the speed of vehicles using this route.
• Amy to explore whether we can purchase body cameras for Toad Patrollers.
• Amy to provide Clare some leaflets to dispense at the nature reserve car park.

Plan Bee
Pollination Street has been a huge success.
A sub-group is working on a project to expand wildflower planting to identify new areas. There are ongoing challenges in maintaining wildflower meadows, as well as the role of volunteers in this effort.

• Where dogs foul in wildflower meadows, this means the wildflower cuttings are
  compromised, as livestock that consume the cuttings (which farmers want in return for their services) can abort their calves, so farmers are not interested in providing cutting services. Local businesses are charging a substantial amount per cut, making it difficult to maintain these areas.
  
  Actions:
• Amy and Rebecca explore any abandoned flowerbeds in the town to see if any
  can be utilised to grow wildflowers; there are some shaded species which might
  be suitable for such locations.
• Amy and the wildflower sub-group will update the meeting when there is news
  about a meeting with a local housing association where land may be suitable for
  wildflower planting.
  
  Smallbrook Nature Reserve Mural
  Clare provided the update:
• The mural is all finished. It’s been covered with anti-graffiti paint.
• Tanya is working on a board with a key of all the animals which live in the nature reserve, saying what they are.
• A big thanks to all the people who have donated.
• The mural has become a tourist destination for walking groups to visit.
  Actions:
• Clare to write a column for the paper about the finished mural and the animals
  living in the nature reserve.
  
  Rivers and waterways
• Sustainable Warminster is establishing a Rivers and waterways subgroup to monitor and campaign for the health of our local rivers and water systems in and around the town.
• Four people have joined the group now. There are plans for the weekend of 19th-21st September to test local rivers and waterways to coincide with a national water health campaign. Much work is being done quietly behind the scenes for this work.

Actions:
Amy, update the next meeting on the work we are doing with the Wessex Rivers
Trust and water testing.
Amy and Iain consider writing a column update for the local paper about the
health of local rivers.

Collaborations
We continue to work with Warminster Town Council, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the MOD, the Community Orchard, and others, e.g., the Wessex Rivers Trust.

We greatly appreciate the support and funding we have received from various sources.

The meeting discussed the World Clean Up day being led by town councillor Jack Jones on 20th September, starting at 10am.

Events
October 2024 – March 2025: Energy Advice Tea Parties and Warm and Well Energy Advice events, at the Warminster Civic Centre.
April 2025: Warminster’s Great British Spring Clean, town-wide community litter-pick; a collaboration with Warminster Town Council.
An illustrated wildflower talk by Paul Jupp of Meadow in my Garden, at the Warminster Civic Centre.
June 2025: Sustainable Style clothes swap & shop, at The Wellbeing Hub, Warminster.
July 2025: Pollination street celebration.
August 2025: A thank you Cream Tea in the Community Orchard for our Energy Advice Event volunteers.
Imber ‘Buzz Day’ with Plan Bee.

Thank yous
A big thanks to Clare Hancok, who organises the Green Drinks throughout the year.
Amy and Rebecca extended their thanks and gratitude to the Committee. Jennie and Helen have been very supportive and wonderful mentors – so thank you again.

1. Membership Report
   Chris reported a rise in new members: 12 new members since the last AGM.
   
2. Treasurer’s Report
   Maggie Richens agreed to audit the accounts.

The report shows a decrease in the general fund from the last AGM, with donations helping to offset expenses.

Balances as of 31st August 2025:
Current Account £384.54
Savings Account £6924.73
Petty Cash £79.60
Total £7388.87*
*Retrofit £4108.38
*Plan Bee £1546.96
The General Fund is £1733.53, with an overall total of £7388.87
Actions:

• Chris to follow up with Harriet on the reporting requirements for the retrofit
  grant/funding.
  
• The Committee to consider how best to use the remaining funds for the retrofit
  grant/funding.

1. Continuing Roles and Election of Officers
   Everyone in the committee is happy to continue in their roles as they currently are.
   Amy and Rebecca have dual roles. Amy, the press officer and Co-Chair, and Rebecca, the Secretary and Co-Chair. Rebecca also supports Amy with the comms and the Warminster Journal Column.
   We are looking for someone to take over the secretary role. A request to the entire membership has been sent out, but so far, no one has come forward.
   Action:
   Rebecca to advertise the role on dedicated volunteer platforms, e.g., Wiltshire Together and others across Wiltshire.
   
2. AOB

• A sub-group is working on a project to expand wildflower meadows.
• Maggie and Max updated the meeting about the idea of setting up a community
  energy project, similar to NADA in Tisbury, to distribute locally generated renewable
  energy.
  Actions:
• Chris to reach out to the NADA Community Energy group to see if they would be
  interested in giving a talk.
• Jennie to schedule a talk by Steve Tonkin on dark skies, potentially in November.

Wednesday 10th September 2025

Sustainable Warminster
Minutes of Annual General Meeting
7pm, 10 September 2025 at Warminster Civic Centre.

Present: Amy Darbyshire (chair), Rebecca Krzyzosiak (note-taker), Helen Martin (treasurer), Jennie Gilling (Committee member), Clare Hancock, Dennis Brett, Marion Barton, Maggie Richens, Max Richens, Chris Walford (membership), Barb Dodd.

1. Welcome
   The meeting unanimously agreed on the minutes of the previous meeting.
   
2. Chairs’ Report: a review of the year
   Column and comms

• We now have a bi-weekly column in the revived Warminster Journal.
• We’ve introduced improved communications for our members through regular email updates.
  Campaigns
  Toad Patrol
• The meeting discussed the ongoing efforts to protect toads crossing roads, including creating leaflets and conducting door-to-door campaigns. The key to helping the community better understand the campaign is through education.
• Where toads were able to mate successfully in the Spring, the babies are now
  migrating back over the road due to the wet/warm weather. More people have joined the Toad Patrol group, as there has been a lot of profiling of toad activity on social media.
• There continue to be challenges with dangerous drivers.
• Amy has arranged an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire about the baby toads
  crossing roads.
  Actions:
• Amy and Rebecca ask the town council if there is a possibility of installing yellow slower lines, speed watch or rumble strips across the carriageway to deter reckless driving and reduce the speed of vehicles using this route.
• Amy to explore whether we can purchase body cameras for Toad Patrollers.
• Amy to provide Clare some leaflets to dispense at the nature reserve car park.

Plan Bee

• Pollination Street has been a huge success.
• A sub-group is working on a project to expand wildflower planting to identify new areas. There are ongoing challenges in maintaining wildflower meadows, as well as the role of volunteers in this effort.
• Where dogs foul in wildflower meadows, this means the wildflower cuttings are
  compromised, as livestock that consume the cuttings (which farmers want in return for their services) can abort their calves, so farmers are not interested in providing cutting services. Local businesses are charging a substantial amount per cut, making it difficult to maintain these areas.
  Actions:
• Amy and Rebecca explore any abandoned flowerbeds in the town to see if any
  can be utilised to grow wildflowers; there are some shaded species which might
  be suitable for such locations.
• Amy and the wildflower sub-group will update the meeting when there is news
  about a meeting with a local housing association where land may be suitable for
  wildflower planting.
  Smallbrook Nature Reserve Mural
  Clare provided the update:
• The mural is all finished. It’s been covered with anti-graffiti paint.
• Tanya is working on a board with a key of all the animals which live in the nature reserve, saying what they are.
• A big thanks to all the people who have donated.
• The mural has become a tourist destination for walking groups to visit.
  Actions:
• Clare to write a column for the paper about the finished mural and the animals
  living in the nature reserve.
  Rivers and waterways
• Sustainable Warminster is establishing a Rivers and waterways subgroup to monitor and campaign for the health of our local rivers and water systems in and around the town.
• Four people have joined the group now. There are plans for the weekend of 19th-21st September to test local rivers and waterways to coincide with a national water health campaign. Much work is being done quietly behind the scenes for this work.

Actions:

• Amy, update the next meeting on the work we are doing with the Wessex Rivers
  Trust and water testing.
• Amy and Iain consider writing a column update for the local paper about the
  health of local rivers.
  Collaborations
  We continue to work with Warminster Town Council, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the MOD, the Community Orchard, and others, e.g., the Wessex Rivers Trust.
  We greatly appreciate the support and funding we have received from various sources.
  The meeting discussed the World Clean Up day being led by town councillor Jack Jones on 20th September, starting at 10am.
  Events
  October 2024 – March 2025: Energy Advice Tea Parties and Warm and Well Energy Advice events, at the Warminster Civic Centre.
  April 2025: Warminster’s Great British Spring Clean, town-wide community litter-pick; a collaboration with Warminster Town Council.
  An illustrated wildflower talk by Paul Jupp of Meadow in my Garden, at the Warminster Civic Centre.
  June 2025: Sustainable Style clothes swap & shop, at The Wellbeing Hub, Warminster.
  July 2025: Pollination street celebration.
  August 2025: A thank you Cream Tea in the Community Orchard for our Energy Advice Event volunteers.
  Imber ‘Buzz Day’ with Plan Bee.
  Thank yous
  A big thanks to Clare Hancok, who organises the Green Drinks throughout the year.
  Amy and Rebecca extended their thanks and gratitude to the Committee. Jennie and Helen have been very supportive and wonderful mentors – so thank you again.

1. Membership Report
   Chris reported a rise in new members: 12 new members since the last AGM.
2. Treasurer’s Report
   Maggie Richens agreed to audit the accounts.

The report shows a decrease in the general fund from the last AGM, with donations helping to offset expenses.
Balances as of 31st August 2025:
Current Account £384.54
Savings Account £6924.73
Petty Cash £79.60
Total £7388.87*
*Retrofit £4108.38
*Plan Bee £1546.96
The General Fund is £1733.53, with an overall total of £7388.87
Actions:

• Chris to follow up with Harriet on the reporting requirements for the retrofit
  grant/funding.
• The Committee to consider how best to use the remaining funds for the retrofit
  grant/funding.

1. Continuing Roles and Election of Officers
   Everyone in the committee is happy to continue in their roles as they currently are.
   Amy and Rebecca have dual roles. Amy, the press officer and Co-Chair, and Rebecca, the Secretary and Co-Chair. Rebecca also supports Amy with the comms and the Warminster Journal Column.
   We are looking for someone to take over the secretary role. A request to the entire membership has been sent out, but so far, no one has come forward.
   Action:
   Rebecca to advertise the role on dedicated volunteer platforms, e.g., Wiltshire Together and others across Wiltshire.
2. AOB

• A sub-group is working on a project to expand wildflower meadows.
• Maggie and Max updated the meeting about the idea of setting up a community
  energy project, similar to NADA in Tisbury, to distribute locally generated renewable energy.
  Actions:
• Chris to reach out to the NADA Community Energy group to see if they would be
  interested in giving a talk.
• Jennie to schedule a talk by Steve Tonkin on dark skies, potentially in November.

Friday 22 August 2025

From Sustainable Warminster:

Please see below the Dates for your Diary for September and October 2025, and other news you may find of interest:

Friday, 5 September, 7:30pm, Green Drinks at The Wellbeing Hub, 36 High Street, Warminster, BA12 0AF

An informal gathering. All are welcome to come along and chat about what we do or just catch up with others. New faces are always welcome! Wednesday, 10 September, Annual General Meeting, 7:00-9:00pm, at Warminster Civic Centre, Sambourne Road, Warminster, BA12 8LB

Please join us in celebrating a busy year for Sustainable Warminster as well as discussing other topics. 

Monday, 6 October, 7:30pm, Green Drinks at The Fox & Hounds, 6 Deverill Road, Warminster BA12 9QP

An informal gathering. All are welcome to come along and chat about what we do or just catch up with others. New faces are always welcome! 

The Smallbrook Nature Reserve mural is now completed
With thanks to everyone who donated to the Smallbrook Nature Reserve mural campaign, it is now completed. Find out more here: 
Residents delight as Smallbrook mural completed – Warminster Journal

Donate your unwanted tech

Unwanted technology, such as old desktops, laptops, and tablets, can now be donated at a new drop-off point in Warminster Civic Centre to be repurposed. Find out more about this scheme here:

Donate unwanted old phones and laptops in Warminster – Warminster Journal, or for more information, contact info@wiltshiredigitaldrive.org or visit www.wiltshiredigitaldrive.org/ 

Love Your Local Nature Reserve
The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has launched a fundraising campaign to protect and improve the Smallbrook Meadow Nature Reserve, Warminster.

The campaign highlights the critical role that local nature reserves have in protecting wildlife and helping communities connect with nature. Find out more about this campaign and how to donate here: Warminster urged to support Smallbrook Meadows – Warminster Journal

Have your say on Wiltshire Council’s vision for the county 

Wiltshire people are being asked to help shape Wiltshire Council’s community-centred draft plan by having their say on the vision for the county over the next decade. Whether you’re a resident, business representative, community group or anyone with an interest in the future of the county and Wiltshire Council services, you can complete a survey and provide your views on the draft Council Plan 2025-35. The survey can be completed here(opens new window). Hard copies are also available at Wiltshire Council’s main offices in Chippenham, Trowbridge and Salisbury, as well as at its libraries. People have until 2 September to complete the survey.

Find out more here: Have your say on Wiltshire Council’s vision for the county – Wiltshire Council

Top tips for supporting your local hedgehogs

Hedgehog populations in Britain have plummeted from 36.5 million in the 1950s to under a million today. This drastic decline is due to habitat loss, pesticide and weed killer poisoning, injuries from garden machinery and road traffic, and overly tidy gardens that lack shelter and food sources. Hedgehogs are vital to the ecosystem, as they eat pests such as slugs, snails, and beetle larvae, and serve as prey for larger animals.

Sustainable Warminster is working to make gardens more hedgehog-friendly.

You can help by cutting a 13cm square hole in your fence to allow hedgehog access (check in with your neighbours first).

• Avoid using slug pellets and pesticides, which harm hedgehogs directly or through contaminated prey.
• Provide a safe, quiet space to nest, such as a log pile or hedgehog house and fresh water in a shallow dish.
• Rewild a corner of your garden by letting grass grow and leaving leaf litter to attract insects.
• If you spot a hedgehog in daylight and it doesn’t run away from you, it may be unwell – contain it gently and contact a local wildlife rescue organisation.
• Feeding hedgehogs is fine with appropriate food like hedgehog biscuits or meaty cat food, but never give them bread or milk.

With small changes, your garden can become a safe haven for these essential creatures.

Are you passionate about our town’s rivers and local wildlife? Sustainable Warminster is forming a new committee dedicated to protecting our local waterways. 

We’ll be focusing on:

• Raising awareness of challenges affecting our rivers/waterways
• Organising hands-on activities such as water testing and collaborating with other working groups
• Exploring sustainable solutions to help our habitats

If you’re passionate about environmental stewardship, enjoy community collaboration, or simply want to learn more about our rivers, we’d love to have you involved. This is a chance to turn concern into action and help safeguard these precious resources for future generations.

Please contact Amy at press@sustainablewarminster.co.uk if you’d like to join this new working group.

Best wishes,
Rebecca and Amy
Co-Chairs, Sustainable Warminster

Sustainable Warminster
Minutes of the AGM on Wednesday 4th September 2024.

Committee Present – Jennie Gilling (co-chair), Maggie Richens (co-chair), Helen Martin, Clare Hancock, Iain Perkins and Heidi Dawson-Hobbis (secretary), plus 10 other members in attendance.

Apologies – Harriet James, Jules Tuff, Tim Hancock, Maggie Dettmar, Steve Dettmar.

1 Chairs’ Report – Jennie provided a review of the year in the chairs report.

2 Membership report – membership remains steady at just under 100 members.

3 Treasurer’s report – Helen summarised the account details, Heidi agreed to audit.
Total income for the year £12,958.19
Total expenditure £4,212.82
Balance Total £11,097.44

4 Election of Officers:
Helen to remain as treasurer.
Maggie and Jennie to stand down as chair, Jules elected to take over as chair.
Heidi to stand down as secretary, no appointment made to date.
Clare to stand down as press officer, but still do some Facebook admin and green drinks, no appointment made to date.
Amy Darbyshire joined the committee.
Rebecca Krzyzosiak to consider joining the committee.
Thanks was given to the work of those on the committee who are standing down.

5 AOB
Barb Dodd mentioned it is worth looking at Wessex Water website as they have grants that can be applied for.
Community Orchard – report from Jennie Gilling. The new secretary is applying for a Coronation grant. Five new trees are to be planted including a small leaved lime in commemoration of Colin French. The 13th October has been set for the date for juicing at the Orchard. This is being done with support of the local Tree Officer and the neighbour of the orchard.
Plan Bee: Adder tins have been funded in the Southleigh woods area, and Iain is looking for checkers for the tins (about 40), there have been no sightings yet, but they have only been checked twice to date.
Seed collectors are also wanted for yellow rattle – feeds on grass allowing for wildflowers to establish.

Energy café on 26th October 2024 the first one will be held in the Civic Centre, funding has been applied for to the town council, charities and businesses will be in attendance to give advice to the public on sustainable energy. Need to think about target audience, flyers, social media, community boards, network of charities. Next meeting is on 18 September 2024 at the Old Bell, 7pm. More help will be needed on the day.

Councillor Denis Brett gave thanks to the team and commented on the amount Sustainable Warminster had achieved. He also mentioned a fund put aside with the council, and that he will support the application for 5K upcoming for the café x5 meetings.

The Smallbrook Road closure public consultation is about to begin, delayed from June and should be advertised soon.

19th November 2024 will be the next general meeting – Heidi to book the room in the Civic Centre.