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© WILLIAM BISHOP
LOCAL NATURE RESERVE HOME TO 10,000 SPECIES
CAN YOU HELP? Hadithi CIC, a heritage- focused social enterprise in Cambridgeshire, is searching for people from a South Asian background to take part in an oral history interview with young historians from Sawston Village College. They are being trained in heritage skills and interviewing techniques, as part of a National Lottery Heritage Funded community project. For more information, go to hiddenheritages.com But it is during the last 25 years that records have really surged in number. Experts at the National Trust say the boom in wildlife has resulted from a major expansion of the nature reserve that started in 1999, combined with warmer temperatures that have led to many insects moving further north, and more sophisticated monitoring methods.
mimics the appearance of a wasp, helping it avoid predators. The clearwing becomes the latest in an extensive line of species recorded on the site, which has long attracted natural history enthusiasts. Wildlife records date back 200 years and, during the 20th century, 13 species new to science were discovered on the reserve.
Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshire has recorded its 10,000th species of wildlife – becoming, experts believe, the first known UK site of its kind to do so. It hit the total earlier this year when a rare species of moth was recorded on the reserve for the first time. The six-belted clearwing (pictured above) has a striped, yellow abdomen that
Local charity launches campaign to grow community farm Hope Against Poverty CIC, which supports families, older adults and vulnerable individuals with food access, community wellbeing and sustainable growth initiatives from its Cambourne food hub, mobile food hubs and social sessions, has launched a new mission: a 4.5-acre community farm! Hope Farm in Girton will be designed to serve the whole of south Cambridgeshire, offering volunteering opportunities, SEND-friendly outdoor sessions and nature-based wellbeing activities, while also promoting low-carbon, sustainable food production. To bring it all to life, Hope has started a crowdfunding campaign to raise £30,000. “Hope Farm shows what can happen when community and compassion come together,” said Mahesh Hettiarachchi, founder and director of Hope Against Poverty CIC. “It’s not just about growing food – it’s about growing opportunity, confidence and connection. Every seed we plant is a step towards a fairer, greener future.” Read more and support the campaign via the Aviva Community Fund at avivacommunityfund.co.uk/p/growing-hope-haven-1
Community updates from across Cambridge
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