Environmental & Outdoor Activities

Clubs, Societies and groups that offer environmental and outdoor activities. Physical activity outdoors lowers our blood pressure and heart rate, and leaving our homes to go into fresh air helps alleviate insomnia and improves the quality of our sleep! We also enjoy the benefits of sunshine which is invigorating, provides more energy for our minds and bodies, and gives us vitamin D to boost our immune systems. Shared social activities in the Winchcombe area include getting together to enjoy conservation & wildlife; gardening; walking and being enthralled by the night sky. If the activity you seek isn’t here, try looking under Physical Wellbeing & Sports.

Astronomy

U3A Astronomy

We are a group of like-minded individuals who are fascinated by the night sky and want to learn more about those points of light and to find our way around the celestial skies. We are all beginners looking to learn from and encourage each other to discover more. You do not need any equipment or prior knowledge to enjoy the night sky, just a natural curiosity. We meet once a month at a dark site if the skies are clear, or at members’ homes where we might watch a Brian Cox DVD, astronomy programme or just have a discussion.

TIMES Last Monday of the month VENUE Dark site or members’ homes CONTACT Paul Wonnacott TELEPHONE 01242 603671 or 07929 604301 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/95685 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups Basket Weaving (Outdoor)

See Willow Craft Courses under ‘Creative Arts and Activities’

Conservation & Wildlife

Friends of Winchcombe

Friends of Winchcombe is a group which consults and campaigns on behalf of the Town to preserve its character and our natural environment. FoW aims to support and promote initiatives which enhance the town for its residents, businesses and visitors, and challenge those measures which may threaten its special qualities. A newsletter, Winchcombe Issues, is published three times a year and informs of matters presently being discussed and dealt with. Copies are distributed to all households in Winchcombe, Greet and Gretton.

CONTACT Rupert Chislett EMAIL rupertchislett@hotmail.co.uk WEB www.lovewinchcombe.uk/

The Gloucestershire Bat Group works to conserve and educate; we both carry out active conservation projects for bats throughout the county and also undertake a range of educational projects to inform the public about these much-misunderstood creatures.

FEES Membership £10 (£15 per household) CONTACT Via website WEB https://glosbats.org.uk

Gloucestershire CPRE

Based in Gloucester, the local branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England has an amazing volunteer task force who are passionate about protecting the beautiful countryside and making it accessible to everybody. FEES £3 a month CONTACT Lesley Painter, Office Manager, Tues – Thurs TELEPHONE 01452 309783 EMAIL lesley.painter@cpreglos.org.uk

U3A Birdwatching & Ecology

Ad hoc field visits.

CONTACT David Ayres 07543 812111 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/95721 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups

U3A Botany

We are a friendly group ranging from beginners and enthusiastic amateurs to experts. We don’t take any of it too seriously but we seem to learn an awful lot from each other! We meet once a month in the leader’s house to discuss different topics ranging from ‘How plants attract insects’ to ‘fungi’. We look things up in books, share photos and bring in samples for identification. We have also had guidance on how to take better photos of plants. In between the indoor sessions we go on visits to gardens and nature reserves, which are great fun and very social. So if you love wild flowers and nature generally, you may love being part of the Botany group. CONTACT Ruth Robinson 01242 602876 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/95724 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups Nature lovers in Winchcombe hope to create wildflower/grassland areas around the town for all of us to enjoy whilst restoring the environment for insects & birds. If you would like to get involved or know of an area you would like to see ‘Rewilded’ please leave a comment or email wrgwinch@gmail.com EMAIL wrgwinch@gmail.com SOCIAL groups/1079644859124673

Gardening

U3A Garden Design

Held in Members’ gardens. TIMES 2pm, third Friday of the month CONTACT Patti Earl TELEPHONE Jane Hawthorn, U3A Groups Co-ordinator, 01242 609031 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/96441 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups

U3A Gardening

The Gardening Group focuses on private visits to local(ish) private and public gardens, many of which are part of local and national Open Gardens schemes and charities. These trips provide much inspiration for discussions in the team, as well as ideas transferrable to their own gardens. Supportive, not too serious and enlightening summarises the style of the group. CONTACT Natalie Stone TELEPHONE 01242 602384 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/964412 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups

Winchcombe Gardening Club

Winchcombe Gardening Club is a great way to meet local people with a shared interest, to make new friends and to pick up some gardening tips from our guest speakers. We also hold an annual flower show which allows members to exhibit their prized plants and vegetables and show off some of their creative talents!

FEES Membership: £10 per year HOURS Once a month, 7.30 pm CONTACT John Gerrard TELEPHONE 01242 609590 EMAIL john@johnsgerrard.plus.com VENUE Abbeyfields Community Centre, Back Ln, Winchcombe, Cheltenham GL54 5PR

Environmental & Outdoor Activities

Guided historical walks around Winchcombe

Free guided walks around the town to discover more about the history of Winchcombe. TIMES 11pm and 2.30pm Sunday VENUE Start at Winchcombe Museum, High St, Winchcombe GL54 5LT WEB www.winchcombe.co.uk/free-guided-walksaround-the-town/

Guided Walks

Guided Walks, some of which start from Winchcombe, are led by the Cotswold Voluntary Wardens and the Ramblers. Details of walks can be found in the “Cotswold Lion” magazine (currently only available online). They are normally available from the Tourist Information Centre (when open), Food Fanatics Deli, some teashops and Bed and Breakfasts. Walks are free but donations are welcome. Some need to be booked via the webpage. CONTACT Cotswolds Conservation Board TELEPHONE 01451 862000 WEB www.cotswoldsaonb.org.uk/visiting-andexploring/guided-walks/

U3A Ambling

Ambles will usually take place once a month with group members taking turns to arrange and lead on days of their choice. They aim to cover about three miles with no climbs rated higher than gentle and, if possible, no stiles. They will usually end with an optional lunch or afternoon tea. CONTACT Derek Thom 01242 241099 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/113598 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups Usually walk between 4-6 miles with a break along the way. Easy walks are up and running again, in socially distanced groups of 6 on Thursday mornings but not necessarily the 2nd Thursday. Walk will be advertised by email. We try to give a rough idea of what is involved in the walk beforehand, so that people can judge for themselves whether it is suitable – ie how many stiles, slippery slopes etc. We do go up the hills (cannot avoid them around here!), but take these at a gentle pace. We quite often end up at a pub and some of us stay for lunch, but not everyone. In the current situation, participants make their own arrangements for any after walk activities.

TIMES Usually the first or second Thursday of the month TELEPHONE Maggie Tucker 01242 609127 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/96462 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups

U3A Walking - Dogs Welcome

Walks for dogs to play and have fun together and humans to chat and socialise too. If you don’t have a dog, but are a dog lover and enjoy walking you are very welcome to join our little group on our walks. TIMES Meet on various days CONTACT Jenny Mackelworth 01242 602286 EMAIL groupscoordinator@winchcombeu3a.org.uk WEB https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/page/96462 https://u3asites.org.uk/winchcombe/groups

Walking For Health

A one-hour walk around Winchcombe Town.

TIMES 10.30am – 11.30am Thursdays VENUE Meet outside the Plaisterers Arms, Abbey Terrace GL54 5LL WEB www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/content/gwinchcombe

Winchcombe Walkers are a self help, free walking group based at the heart of the Cotswolds walking scene. Walks are planned and led by members and are organised for the last Thursday of the month throughout the year. Usually around a week before the next walk an email circular is sent round giving an outline of the next walk which is usually between 4.5 and 6.5 miles (2-3 hours) over easy to medium terrain. Some stiles will be included as will the opportunity of a pub lunch at the end. There tend to be between 12 and 20 in the group. Email is the only form of communication.

CONTACT Nick Hoskins EMAIL winchcombewalkers@gmail.com Winchcombe Walkers are Welcome is a steering group of volunteers made up of walkers, Cotswold Voluntary Wardens, Ramblers and Town and Borough councillors: creating leaflets, downloadable walks, guidebooks and the annual Winchcombe Walking Festival.

WEB Self-guided walks can be downloaded from this web page www.winchcombewelcomeswalkers. com/walks/self-guided-walks/

Environmental & Outdoor Activities