I took a trip to the great outdoors with Cheshire Wildlife Trust alongside local Councillors Paul Hadfield and John Wright, when we visited Mirrlees Fields to see some of the conservation initiatives that have taken place.

As birds soared above, thanks to new nest boxes making the fields more welcome to visitors of the feathered kind, we saw some of the many initiatives designed to make the fields more welcoming to people too, like the community orchard planted by Mirrlees Fields Friends Group, and the quirky ‘silver figure’ information boards which were organised by Cllr Hadfield.

In a time where there is so much focus on development, it’s vital that we have a conversation about how to protect local green spaces like Mirrlees Fields. It was great to see the improvements made through the local community, Friends Group and Cheshire Wildlife Trust working together to make the fields an even more valued community space.

Adam Linnet, Volunteer Co-ordinator for East Cheshire at Cheshire Wildlife Trust said:

“The inherent importance of greenspace is obvious to anyone who spends any time outside. It helps bring communities together, gives us space to breathe and the opportunity to find awe-inspiring experiences on our doorstep. As a Trust we continue our fight to protect greenspaces across the county and work tirelessly to help people connect with their local wildlife. This includes our work at Mirrlees Fields, working with Mirrlees Fields Friends Group to plant a community orchard, reseed areas of species-rich grassland and install 100 nest boxes. The site is now better for wildlife as a result and the increase in the number of people using and enjoying the site has been noticeable. Long may it continue!”