Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG)

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), Lorraine Dowen (Vice Chair), Josh Dowen (Treasurer and Secretary), Alan Alberry, Mark Fretwell, Phil Goodall, Samantha Nicholson, and Dennis Platts.

Upcoming FTNCG Work Sessions

Weather permitting, our forthcoming Spa Ponds Volunteer Work Sessions (starting at 10 am) include the following:

  • Saturday 25th March (co-led by Shlomo and Samantha)
  • Wednesday 29th March (co-led by Shlomo and Samantha)
  • Saturday 15th April (To be arranged)
  • Wednesday 19th April (To be arranged)

We meet at the Clipstone Drive entrance to the Spa Ponds site. We have kindly received permission from the Whitegates Hotel pub (2 Clipstone Road East, NG19 0HS) for volunteers to be able to use their car park for our work sessions.

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. Being on the mailing list means you will also be informed of any last-minute cancellations due to weather. We also publicise events (and cancellations) via our Facebook.

Our ‘Pipes, Paths and Ponds’ project has begun

Members and supporters of the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG) are celebrating after being awarded £45,000 in funding from the Severn Trent Community Fund to pay for improvements to the Spa Ponds Nature Reserve.

FTNCG Trustee Samantha is helping mange this project

The work will make the site better for visitors and wildlife by helping prevent pollution from getting into the ponds and by making the footpaths around the ponds easier to use. The work will also involve planting reeds and flowers around the ponds, removing some trees and branches to let more light in, and adding barriers to protect sensitive parts of the site. Some of this work has already begun, and more will take place early in 2023, with further planting in the Spring.

The Severn Trent Community Fund awards grant money to support community wellbeing by investing in people, places and the environment. FTNCG’s ‘Pipes, Paths, and Ponds’ project was backed by the Sherwood Water Catchment Partnership, the Sherwood Landscape Partnership, and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.

Co-op Member? Make FTNCG your cause!

When you buy selected Co-op products and services, 2p for every £1 spent goes into your Co-op membership account, and the Co-op will split the same between like-minded organisations and local causes. The Forest Town Nature Conservation Group is part of the Co-op’s Local Community Fund until 21st October 2023. Please visit the FTNCG Cause page to make us your designated local cause.

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 Whitegates 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
  • Click here for a Google Map showing the Clipstone Drive entrance of Spa Ponds

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

Thanks to funders

FTNCG and Spa Ponds have recently been supported with funds from the following sources:

  • Severn Trent Community Fund
  • Localgiving’s Magic Little Grant
  • Robin Hood Lottery players
  • AmazonSmile
  • Sherwood Landscape Partnership’s M2M Project (supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund)
  • FTNCG members and supporters (topped up with HMRC Gift Aid)
  • Natural England’s Nature Recovery Network Seedcorn Fund
  • MDC Councillor Ward Fund (Cllr Mark Fretwell)

Thanks to all our current and past funders for helping to support our work and the site!

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