Friends of Melton Country Park celebrate a year of achievements

Despite a difficult start with widespread flooding delaying the much-anticipated grand opening of the new bird hide, the group persevered. When the weather improved, the hide was officially unveiled—made possible thanks to generous grants and donations from local groups and organisations.

These contributions also funded the creation of a vibrant wildflower bed in the orchard, commemorating the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and a new bench offering visitors a peaceful spot to sit, reflect and enjoy the view.

In March, the Friends proudly supported the installation of the Tiny Forest project in the park. Tiny Forests bring the benefits of woodland into urban spaces, helping to combat climate change and creating habitats for wildlife. The planting day saw volunteers of all ages come together to give hundreds of saplings a new home.

Later in the year, the group faced another challenge: the Royal Bed box hedge showed signs of disease. After consulting with Melton in Bloom, it was confirmed as box blight. Rather than leave an empty space, the Friends devised an innovative solution—a bug hotel built from reclaimed logs. This feature will maintain the crown shape of the original hedge while providing a haven for insects and small animals.

Rounding the year off, the group have been pruning the apple and pear trees in the community orchard and also entered a tree into the annual St. Mary’s Christmas Tree festival. Our tree theme this year was ‘Walking in a Winter Wonderland’ and the design was created by one of our talented volunteers, Joy.

Throughout the year, volunteers have worked tirelessly on maintenance projects to keep the park welcoming for both wildlife and visitors. None of this would have been possible without the generous support of donors and the dedication of volunteers who give their time, knowledge and skills.

The Friends are always keen to welcome new members. No contribution is too small—every helping hand makes a difference. If you’d like to get involved, visit the Melton Borough Council website and check the Community page under Volunteering for details on how to join the Friends of Melton Country Park.