Earlier this month, Westcombe Woodlands hosted another delightful Sunday afternoon open day that welcomed around 70 visitors to come and explore our local
community woodland as part of the annual Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice events.

While most other entrants are “traditional” gardens with abundances of flowers, shrubs and landscaped terraces, the Westcombe Woodlands is more wild and
natural in its charm.

We were fortunate with good weather and the event offered an opportunity for local residents to come and explore the natural beauty of the area. As usual, visitors were treated to a selection of delicious home-baked cakes and refreshments. The money raised by selling refreshments and ticket sales was around £100, which added a meaningful purpose to the day’s enjoyment. Committee members were on hand to share insights and knowledge of the woodland which we hope will create further engagement and deepening everyone’s appreciation for our site’s heritage. The relaxed and friendly atmosphere encouraged people of all ages to explore, learn, and connect with nature.

This June, step into a world of colour, creativity, and community as garden gates swing open for a spectacular celebration of summer. Hidden gems, secret retreats, and gorgeous green spaces will be yours to explore, and your support will go a long way towards helping patients across Greenwich and Bexley. Tickets for the event will be on sale.

Westcombe Woodlands will be taking part in this festival on Sunday, the 8th of June. We will be open from 1 until 5. Our unique and magical 3.5 acres of wild woodland are accessed from Seren Park at Maze Hill Station. Paths lead through the trees to the glade and pond at the centre. There are beehives and woodland crafts and activities for children.

Refreshments will be available including hot and cold drinks and home made cakes.

Earlier this month, The Westcombe Woodlands hosted another well-attended open day afternoon, celebrating our place in the local community with our environmental stewardship of our small woodland. With warm weather, well over 150 people of all ages attended, with everyone eager to explore the hidden green gem nestled in southeast London.

Guided nature walks led by knowledgeable volunteers offered insights into the woodland’s rich biodiversity, from native wildflowers to nesting birds. Children enjoyed hands-on activities such as pond dipping and making tree jewellery, while the adults relaxed with hot and cold drinks, homemade cakes and other light refreshments. The final total with sales and donations for the afternoon was around £200. Funds raised through donations and refreshment sales will support ongoing conservation efforts and educational programs. The open day not only raised vital funds but also strengthened ties between the charity and the local community.

One of the highlights of the afternoon committee member Andrew Slade showing how we can make hover fly breeding pots. These very valuable insects are very valuable pollinators but are often overlooked. The Westcombe Woodlands’ open day was another resounding success, confirming the importance of preserving green spaces in urban environments.

It’s coming up to the Westcombe Woodlands Spring Open Day! This coming Sunday, the 4th of May, sees once again the woodlands open up for the afternoon from 2 o’clock onwards. The bluebells will be in full flower and the sense of Spring being well established will be visible. As always, you can expect pond dipping, children’s activities, the opportunity to explore the woodlands and to meet the committee members as well as purchase hot and cold refreshments.

In the middle of April, committee members Richard Sylvester and Chris Bates spent a pleasant 2 hours having a gentle walk around the woodland to complete a plant survey of what we have in the main part of the woodland.  We didn’t record trees or shrubs, just the ground flora.  Full results will be soon available but while there were no surprises in what we found, it was good to record a wide variety of typical woodland flowers for the local area.  Of course, with more expert knowledge, some plants could have been classified in to sub-species, but this would have required expert knowledge!  However, here are a few of the plants we recorded; wood avens, red campion, primrose, bugle, violet species, lesser celandine, bluebell, common sorrel, rush species, common nettle, wood avens and lords & ladies.