FRIENDS OF BRANDY HOLE COPSE - 26 May 2007

We are pleased to announce that the Brandy Hole Copse Conservation Group is now being re-launched as The Friends of Brandy Hole Copse.

Many people in the Chichester area will be familiar with the Conservation Group that has, for many years, been responsible for maintaining and improving the environment of Brandy Hole Copse. That Group started to change in 2002 when it became a key partner in the Brandy Hole Copse Management Board, set up to oversee the management of the, then newly designated, Nature Reserve.

More recently the role of the group has started to develop further and we wanted to review our role and image to reflect these changes. When we talk about a Conservation Group, most people see this as about practical woodmanship in the Copse, which is something that many people are reluctant to get involved in.

The Friends of Brandy Hole Copse are concerned to cater for everyone who uses and appreciates the Nature Reserve. So whether you are a casual visitor, a dog walker, someone who visits for peace and tranquillity, a student of nature or the environment, or you want to just escape from the pressures of everyday life for a while, we want to involve you and encourage you to become part of the new organisation - to become a Friend.

We are still fundamentally a conservation organisation based on local volunteers who want to give something back, but there are so many more ways that people can contribute to our activities - if you want to chop wood, dig up invasive plants, clear ponds etc. that's absolutely fine and we will continue to welcome you. However, if you want to just pick up litter, act as an occasional warden, do administrative work, fund-raising, membership, public relations, carry out natural history survey work and many other things, we are also keen to welcome you as a Friend.

We also find ourselves in the middle of an active campaign to protect the fields immediately to the South of the Nature Reserve from damaging housing developments, which are currently under consideration by the District Council, with a view to adding them to the nature reserve to produce a magnificent local amenity that we can all enjoy. This is a big challenge for us and we invite anyone who cares about protecting these valuable and biodiverse fields to join us in our campaign.

The Membership fee to become a Friend is still a mere £2 per annum.

The Friends of Brandy Hole Copse is for anyone and everyone who cares about our only designated Nature Reserve.

For further details, please contact Graham Ault, Chairman of the Friends (01243 528753) or Tom Snow, Secretary (01243 539727) or visit www.brandyholecopse.org.uk