Introduction

We are the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG), a volunteer-led charity run by Mansfield residents. We started as a local ‘friends group’ for the whole of Forest Town in 2011 and became registered charity no 1157957 in 2014 when the community supported us to buy Spa Ponds Nature Reserve.

Spa Ponds, also known locally as ‘Gara Ponds’, is a site owned and managed by our group. It can be accessed from the south via the Clipstone Drive entrance in Forest Town, opposite the White Gates Pub. It can also be accessed from Mansfield Woodhouse via Spa Lane and Packman’s Bridge.

Events and Volunteering Opportunities

Weather permitting, forthcoming Spa Ponds Volunteer Work Sessions (starting at 10 am) and other events include:

• Note: Not many sessions are planned during bird breeding season (March – September), apart from balsam pulling.
• Saturday 20th June – Wildlife recording and sycamore removal session
• Saturday 11th July from 12 noon – Our Annual General Meeting from Noon at Kingsway Hall. This year’s event will include the usual Annual Report & Accounts presentation and will feature a talk from wildlife expert Andy Lowe entitled “The importance of Spa Ponds”. The event will be held upstairs at Kingsway Hall, so if you will require use of the Stannah Lift please let me know.
• Friday 11th, Saturday 12th, and Sunday 13th September – Guided heritage walks around Spa Ponds as part of Heritage Open Day. See entry on Heritage Open Days for booking link.
• (Corporate volunteer organisers can contact us if they want us to arrange volunteering at Spa Ponds)

For work sessions we meet at the Clipstone Drive entrance to the Spa Ponds site.

Note: Unfortunately the car park at the Whitegates Hotel pub is currently unavailable. Please be considerate of residents and pedestrians when parking along Clipstone Drive, and be careful when entering/exiting your vehicle.

Welcome to our new hosting! Let us know if there are any problems.