BELOW IS THE OLD FTNCG WEBSITE. TO SEE THE NEW WEBSITE VISIT: https://www.foresttown.net/
![FTNCG Logo 2015 Transp](https://www.foresttown.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/FTNCG-Logo-2015-Transp-259x300.png)
The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) works to improve nature conservation sites within and around Forest Town, including Spa Ponds and the Rushpool Open Space. Our charitable object is to “promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town”. The Trustees of the charity are: Shlomo Dowen (Chair), Lorraine Dowen (Vice Chair), Josh Dowen (Treasurer and Secretary), Alan Alberry, Mark Fretwell, Phil Goodall, Samantha Nicholson, and Dennis Platts.
Events and Volunteering Opportunities
Weather permitting, forthcoming Spa Ponds Volunteer Work Sessions (starting at 10 am) include:
- No more events planned for August 2024
- Saturday 14th September 2024 – Spa Ponds Nature Reserve – Walk through a thousand years of history (please contact spa.ponds@gmail.com to book) – part of Heritage Open Days
- Wednesday 16th October – Spa Ponds work session with Andy Hollis
- Saturday 19th October – Spa Ponds work session with Sam
- Saturday 2nd November – Spa Ponds work session with Sam
- Wednesday 13th November – Spa Ponds work session with Andy Hollis
- Wednesday 11th December– Spa Ponds work session with Andy Hollis
- Saturday 14th December – Spa Ponds work session with Sam
For work sessions we meet at the Clipstone Drive entrance to the Spa Ponds site. We have kindly received permission from the Whitegates Hotel pub (2 Clipstone Road East, NG19 0HS) for volunteers to be able to use their car park for our work sessions.
We meet at the Clipstone Drive entrance to the Spa Ponds site. We have kindly received permission from the Whitegates Hotel pub (2 Clipstone Road East, NG19 0HS) for volunteers to be able to use their car park for our work sessions.
If you would like to join the FTNCG mailing list then please email spa.ponds@gmail.com and you will then be informed of upcoming work sessions, etc. Being on the mailing list means you will also be informed of any last-minute cancellations due to weather. We also publicise events (and cancellations) via our Facebook.
Our ‘Pipes, Paths and Ponds’ project has begun
Members and supporters of the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) are celebrating after being awarded £45,000 in funding from the Severn Trent Community Fund to pay for improvements to the Spa Ponds Nature Reserve.
The work will make the site better for visitors and wildlife by helping prevent pollution from getting into the ponds and by making the footpaths around the ponds easier to use. The work will also involve planting reeds and flowers around the ponds, removing some trees and branches to let more light in, and adding barriers to protect sensitive parts of the site. Some of this work has already begun, and more will take place early in 2023, with further planting in the Spring.
The Severn Trent Community Fund awards grant money to support community wellbeing by investing in people, places and the environment. FTNCG’s ‘Pipes, Paths, and Ponds’ project was backed by the Sherwood Water Catchment Partnership, the Sherwood Landscape Partnership, and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Co-op Member? Make FTNCG your cause!
![](https://www.foresttown.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Co-op-Good-Cause.jpg)
When you buy selected Co-op products and services, 2p for every £1 spent goes into your Co-op membership account, and the Co-op will split the same between like-minded organisations and local causes. The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group is part of the Co-op’s Local Community Fund until 21st October 2023. Please visit the FTNCG Cause page to make us your designated local cause.
Spa Ponds Nature Reserve
![Map of Spa Ponds Nature Reservation](https://www.foresttown.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/FTNCG-Spa-Ponds-Map-for-Website-2017-1-300x189.png)
- Local Wildlife Site purchased for the community by FTNCG in May 2014 and maintained by FTNCG volunteers
- Free to access and open to the public (walkers, cyclists and horse riders)
- Main entrance off Clipstone Drive, opposite Whitegates Pub, Forest Town
- Medieval ponds with links to the historic Clipstone Park and to King John’s Palace in Kings Clipstone
- Wildlife includes birds, toads, damselflies and dragonflies
- Click here for a Google Map showing the Clipstone Drive entrance of Spa Ponds
Walking around Spa Ponds:
- Please keep dogs on leads near the ponds to protect the wildlife
- The Mansfield InStep walking group organise walks around various sites, including Spa Ponds.
- The Mansfield Ramblers‘ Mansfield & Sherwood Walking Group also visit Spa Ponds, sometimes part of much longer walks.
- Walking guides that include Spa Ponds have been produced by: Nottinghamshire County Council (‘Mansfield Woodhouse Heritage walks‘), Friends of Thynghowe (‘Walking Through Clipstone Park‘), Mansfield District Council (‘Your guide to Local Nature Reserves & Parks in Mansfield District‘), Sherwood Forest Information (‘Kings Clipstone route 2‘) and others.
Donating to FTNCG
Donations to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group can be made by any of the following means:
- A cheque made out to: “Forest Town Nature Conservation Group” posted to: 25 The Birchlands, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0ER
- Bank transfer to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group bank account, Sort Code: 089299 Account Number: 65459324
FTNCG is Charity number 1157957, which means donations are potentially eligible for Gift Aid. Those making donations should consider whether their donations would be eligible for Gift Aid, because if they are then they should fill in a Past, Present and Future Gift Aid Declaration Form or a FTNCG Single Donation Gift Aid Declaration Form.
You can also buy Robin Hood Lottery tickets with some of the proceeds going to FTNCG: https://www.robinhoodlottery.co.uk/support/forest-town-nature-conservation-group
Thanks to funders
FTNCG and Spa Ponds have recently been supported with funds from the following sources:
- Severn Trent Community Fund
- Localgiving’s Magic Little Grant
- Robin Hood Lottery players
- AmazonSmile
- Sherwood Landscape Partnership’s M2M Project (supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund)
- FTNCG members and supporters (topped up with HMRC Gift Aid)
- Natural England’s Nature Recovery Network Seedcorn Fund
- MDC Councillor Ward Fund (Cllr Mark Fretwell)
Thanks to all our current and past funders for helping to support our work and the site!
Volunteering Opportunities
FTNCG Members and Supporters are asked to help by:
- Liking our Facebook page and posting photos of Forest Town wildlife to it
- Becoming a member and coming to our meetings, events and work days (see above)
- Making or growing products to share and sell
- Recording and monitoring species at Spa Ponds Nature Reserve using the iRecord facility
- Helping research and document the heritage of Spa Ponds
FTNCG Forms and documents
- Historic sightings summaries:
- Spa Ponds Water Quality Testing Results (Webpage)
- Spa Ponds Trees (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG 2016 Sightings (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG 2015 Sightings (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG 2014 Sightings (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG 2013 Sightings (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG 2012 Sightings (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG 2011 Sightings (Google Spreadsheet)
- FTNCG organisational documents:
- FTNCG’s 2023 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2022 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2021 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2020 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2019 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2018 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2017 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2016 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG’s 2015 Report and Accounts (PDF Format)
- FTNCG Data Protection Policy (PDF Format)
- FTNCG Constitution (PDF Format)
- Management Plans:
- Spa Ponds Site Management Plan (March 2021) (PDF Format)
- Spa Ponds Heritage Management Plan, including Appendices (Google Drive)
- Spa Ponds Woodland Management Plan (May 2021) (PDF Format)
- Spa Ponds Ecology Report and Management Plan (EMEC Ecology, March 2015) (PDF Format)
- Spa Ponds Nature Reserve Report April 1996 (PDF Format)
- Generic FTNCG Risk Assessments (DOCX format)
- FTNCG Minutes Archive
- Membership and donations:
- FTNCG Membership Form (PDF Format)
- FTNCG Past, Present and Future Gift Aid Declaration Form (PDF Format)
- FTNCG Single Donation Gift Aid Declaration Form (PDF Format)
- FTNCG Local Green Space Nomination for Spa Ponds (PDF Format)
Click here for third-party websites and documents of interest to FTNCG members and supporters (including a list of FTNCG affiliations)
- Visit / ‘Like’ our FTNCG Facebook page
- Visit / ‘Like’ our Spa Ponds Facebook page
- Join our Spa Ponds Heritage Facebook group
FTNCG Contact Details
- Phone Shlomo on 01623 640 134
- E-mail spa.ponds@gmail.com
- You can also contact us via our FTNCG and Spa Ponds Facebook pages
ABOVE IS THE OLD FTNCG WEBSITE. TO SEE THE NEW WEBSITE VISIT: https://www.foresttown.net/