Back to Philips Park: Our Second Volunteering Day with Lancashire Wildlife Trust

We were back at Philips Park last week, and this time we arrived hoping for one thing above all else: dry weather! Our first volunteering day back in May was a fantastic experience, but by the end of the day the four of us were absolutely soaked through and very glad to get home for a hot shower!

So when we woke up to sunshine for our second visit, we were more than happy. It made a lovely change to be out in the park in warm, dry weather, and it definitely made the day’s work a little easier.

Three members of the 34SP.com team headed to Philips Park to spend the day volunteering with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. It’s something we’ve really enjoyed being part of, and after our first visit we were looking forward to getting back and seeing how things had changed.

There was plenty to get stuck into, including planting 120 native wildflower plants and learning more about the conservation work taking place across the park.

120 native wildflowers planted

Our main job for the day was getting stuck into some planting, and between the three of us we managed to get 120 native wildflower plants into the ground. It was great to be able to get our hands dirty again and know that the work we’re doing now will have a lasting benefit for the park.

Native wildflowers are an important part of a healthy ecosystem, providing food and habitat for insects and other wildlife. They also add some welcome colour to the site, so we’re looking forward to seeing how the area develops as the plants establish themselves. There’s something quite satisfying about planting something and knowing that you’ll be able to come back later and see how much it has grown.

Finding out where our support is going

One of the best parts of working with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust is getting to see the difference our support is making beyond the days when we’re actually volunteering. During our visit, we found out more about how the money we’ve provided is being used across Philips Park. This includes work on hedgerow building as well as the ongoing removal of Himalayan balsam throughout the ancient woodlands.

The balsam removal is particularly important because Himalayan balsam is an invasive species that can spread quickly and crowd out native plants. Removing it helps give native woodland plants more room to thrive and supports the wider biodiversity of the site.

It was really useful to see and hear about this work first-hand. When you make a donation, it can sometimes be difficult to picture exactly where the money goes. Being able to visit the site and see the work taking place makes it much more tangible.

Seeing the difference already

We’ve really enjoyed being able to spend time at Philips Park and learn more about the work that goes on behind the scenes to look after it. What’s particularly encouraging is that we’re already starting to see a difference in areas that have been worked on. There’s still plenty to do, of course, but it’s rewarding to know that our contribution is helping support practical conservation work right here in Manchester.

And after going from being completely soaked on our first visit to enjoying sunshine on our second, we’re hoping we’ve now set a much better precedent for future volunteering days!

We’re looking forward to seeing how the wildflower plants develop over the coming months and hopefully seeing plenty of colour and wildlife when we return next year.

We’re really enjoying our partnership with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust and the opportunity to do something practical rather than simply writing a cheque and walking away. Being able to get involved, learn more about the work, and see a real difference taking place at Philips Park makes the partnership particularly rewarding.

We can’t wait to come back next year and see just how much our hard work has paid off.