We are the Forest Town Nature Conservation Group (FTNCG), a volunteer-led charity run by Mansfield residents. We started as a local ‘friends group’ for the whole of Forest Town in 2011 and became registered charity no 1157957 in 2014 when the community supported us to buy Spa Ponds Nature Reserve.
Spa Ponds, also known locally as ‘Gara Ponds’, is a site owned and managed by our group. It can be accessed from the south via the Clipstone Drive entrance in Forest Town, opposite the White Gates Pub. It can also be accessed from Mansfield Woodhouse via Spa Lane and Packman’s Bridge.
Funded by the Sherwood Landscape Partnership’s M2M Project (supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund).
Events and Volunteering Opportunities
Weather permitting, forthcoming Spa Ponds Volunteer Work Sessions (starting at 10 am) and other events include:
- Friday 11th, Saturday 12th, and Sunday 13th September – Guided heritage walks around Spa Ponds as part of Heritage Open Day. See entry on Heritage Open Days for booking link.
- Wednesday 16th September – Training in the collection of seeds from wildflowers with Isabelle (Izzy) Pass from the Sherwood Forest Trust.
- Wednesday 7th October – Spa Ponds Work Session with Andy Hollis to include clearing the stream that runs into Pond 2
- Saturday 17th October – Spa Ponds Work Session with Andy Hollis to include clearing the stream that runs into Pond 2
- Wednesday 11th November – Spa Ponds Work Session with Andy Hollis to include weeding round the site entrance and the hedgerow near the Chestnut Walk
- Saturday 21st November – Spa Ponds Work Session with Andy Hollis to include weeding round the site entrance and the hedgerow near the Chestnut Walk
- Wednesday 2nd December – Spa Ponds Work Session with Andy Hollis to include tidying the glade area and dead hedges near the Chestnut Walk
- Saturday 12th December – Spa Ponds Work Session with Andy Hollis to include tidying the glade area and dead hedges near the Chestnut Walk
- Corporate volunteer organisers can contact us if they want us to arrange volunteering at Spa Ponds
- Anyone interested in receiving training in the use of drones for aerial photography should contact FTNCG via: Spa.Ponds@gmail.com
For work sessions we meet at the Clipstone Drive entrance to the Spa Ponds site.
Note: Unfortunately the car park at the Whitegates Hotel pub is currently unavailable. Please be considerate of residents and pedestrians when parking along Clipstone Drive, and be careful when entering/exiting your vehicle.
Welcome to our new hosting! Let us know if there are any problems.