Great Glen Community Wildspace is run by a group of local people in and around Great Glen who are passionate about the natural environment and the need for wildlife to have a space close to where people live and work. We help to maintain and manage several green open spaces in the village, these also provide places for people to relax and observe the natural world.
The reedbed in about 2015
History It all started in 2005, around the time when the A6 Great Glen bypass scheme was completed and London Road was no longer part of the A6 road. There was an open space of land on the edge of the village near the Archers roundabout that was part of a flood alleviation scheme and had been planted with indigenous plants including willows and reeds. After a few years it was beginning to mature and become a haven for birds and other wildlife, despite the closeness of the A6 dual carriageway.
Several people were inspired to develop the space into a community resource that would not only continue to support the wildlife but also an interesting place for local people to walk and enjoy the green space. In the following years a Steering Group was formed which includes experts on wildlife and land management and volunteer teams have been organised that regularly meet to manage the sites.
The group is now supported by both Great Glen Parish and Harborough District Councils and is keen to encourage younger people to participate in development of this area. A collaborative with St Cuthberts Primary School in Great Glen was established early in the project with this aim in mind.