Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG)

Please follow Government guidelines when visiting Spa Ponds. This is a wildlife site, so please tidy up your litter and keep your dogs on their leads near the ponds.

FTNCG Logo 2015 Transp

The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) works to improve nature conservation sites within and around Forest Town, including Spa Ponds and the Rushpool Open Space. Our charitable object is to “promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in and around Forest Town”. The Trustees of the charity are: Shlomo Dowen (Chair),  James Healy (Vice Chair), Josh Dowen (Treasurer and Secretary), Alan Alberry, Lorraine Dowen, Mark Fretwell, Phil Goodall, Samantha Nicholson, and Dennis Platts.

If you are visiting Spa Ponds, or if you live nearby, you will notice that we have been doing some work removing trees along the bridleway. We have been spending funds to make safe old and overhanging trees, after two trees came down in high winds. We have also included removing sycamore as part of our preparations for our Keep the Forest Buzzing project, which will eventually lead to rich swathes of wild flowers and grasses along the bridleway.

UPCOMING FTNCG WORK DAYS

Upcoming FTNCG Meetings and Events

  • Plans are currently being formulated for our Autumn programme of work sessions starting in September 2021.

If you would like to join the FTNCG mailing list then please email spa.ponds@gmail.com and you will then be informed of upcoming work sessions, etc.

Spa Ponds Nature Reserve

Map of Spa Ponds Nature Reservation

Map of Spa Ponds – Click to enlarge

  • Local Wildlife Site purchased for the community by FTNCG in May 2014 and maintained by FTNCG volunteers
  • Free to access and open to the public (walkers, cyclists and horse riders)
  • Main entrance off Clipstone Drive, opposite White Gates Pub, Forest Town
  • Medieval ponds with links to the historic Clipstone Park and to King John’s Palace in Kings Clipstone
  • Wildlife includes birds, toads, damselflies and dragonflies

Walking around Spa Ponds:

Donating to FTNCG

Donations to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group can be made by any of the following means:

  • A cheque made out to: “Forest Town Nature Conservation Group” posted to: 25 The Birchlands, Forest Town, Mansfield NG19 0ER
  • Bank transfer to the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group bank account, Sort Code: 089299 Account Number: 65459324

FTNCG is Charity number 1157957, which means donations are potentially eligible for Gift Aid. Those making donations should consider whether their donations would be eligible for Gift Aid, because if they are then they should fill in a Past, Present and Future Gift Aid Declaration Form or a FTNCG Single Donation Gift Aid Declaration Form.

You can also buy Robin Hood Lottery tickets with some of the proceeds going to FTNCG: https://www.robinhoodlottery.co.uk/support/forest-town-nature-conservation-group

If you use Amazon to shop, you can also support FTNCG via AmazonSmile: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1157957-0

Volunteering Opportunities

FTNCG Members and Supporters are asked to help by:

  • Liking our Facebook page and posting photos of Forest Town wildlife to it
  • Becoming a member and coming to our meetings, events and work days (see above)
  • Making or growing products to share and sell
  • Recording and monitoring species at Spa Ponds Nature Reserve using the iRecord facility
  • Helping research and document the heritage of Spa Ponds

FTNCG Forms and documents

Click here for third-party websites and documents of interest to FTNCG members and supporters (including a list of FTNCG affiliations)

Facebook

FTNCG Contact Details

  • Phone Shlomo on 01623 640 134
  • E-mail spa.ponds@gmail.com
  • You can also contact us via our FTNCG and Spa Ponds Facebook pages