Helpers needed to transform areas within nature reserve

Employee-volunteering charity York Cares needs 100 volunteers to transform wildlife and community sites in St Nicholas Fields, a 24-acre nature reserve in the Tang Hall area of York, in a three day Community Challenge from October 26 to 28.

Volunteers from businesses, schools, colleges and the universities will join forces to create picnic areas, raised beds, an orchard and wildlife habitats.

They will build paths to allow easy access for all visitors; transform a play area to make it more appealing to families; and create wildflower gardens.

John Lister, Chairman of York Cares, said: "We have every confidence that the people of York will pull together and meet this challenge.

"Businesses who encourage their staff to donate just three hours of their time are not only helping to improve their local community, they are also helping their team to learn new skills such as team building, problem solving, confidence building, and leadership skills whilst promoting physical activity and exercise. The community benefits by gaining a new resource."

John Brierley, Project Co-ordinator at Friends of St Nicholas Fields, which manages the nature reserve said: "Our aim is to enable people in York and beyond to move towards a sustainable future. St Nicholas Fields is a former landfill site and was officially designated as a nature reserve in 2004."

To volunteer contact York Cares on 01904 323482 or email [email protected].