Events and Plans for 2026

Olveston Parish Wildlife Group meeting

Tuesday 6 October 2026
7pm – 9pm

Olveston Parish Hall

All welcome!

Local naturalist, Ed Drewitt, will be talking about small steps for wildlife that make a big difference. Please see the poster alongside and click the document link below for more information.

Olveston_Wildlife_Magazine_Article September 2026

Olveston Parish Wildlife Group meeting

Tuesday 3 February 2026
7pm (Doors open 6.30pm)

Olveston Primary School Hall

All welcome!

The Olveston Parish Wildlife Group is a group of local individuals who share an interest in wildlife within the parish. It is a new group and aims to meet several times per year. We have an active WhatsApp group where we share images and information on local wildlife. The group is not a group of ‘experts’ but a group of local people who care for and have an interest in local wildlife and are curious to find out more. Through the Making Space for Wildlife Group, we have access to resources such as; trail cameras, bat detectors, moth traps, reference books and will also be participating in led walks by ‘experts’ around certain wildlife subjects.

You are very welcome to join us beyond just this meeting! Please contact Melinda Evans at msfw@olvestonparishcouncil.gov.uk to find out more.

Guided walk in The Slad and Sheepcombe Woods, Old Down with Ed Drewitt

Sunday 29 March 2026
9am – 11am

Local naturalist Ed Drewitt will lead this walk, specially for Olveston Parish Wildlife Group members. The focus of the walk will be bird recognition.

Guided walk with Ed Drewitt

Sunday 14 June 2026
9am – 11am

Details to follow.

Local Bat walk with Ed Drewitt

Thursday 18 June 2026
8.30pm – 10.30pm

Details to follow.

Other plans and events for 2026

We have plenty planned for the year so do keep checking back for updates.

Read more about the highlight of our events in 2025 below – the launch event for the Local Climate and Nature Action Plan, held in March 2025.

Spring into Action

Saturday 29 March
10am to 3pm
Olveston Parish Hall

We were very pleased to host this nature and climate event, which had a fantastic turnout and was well received.

The event saw the official launch of the new Local Climate and Nature Action Plan. We were pleased to welcome the Chair of South Gloucestershire Council, Councillor Franklin Owusu-Antwi, and our very own local MP, Claire Young, to open the event, followed by a presentation with award-winning producer/director and naturalist Nicholas Gates. Nicholas was one of the core team that created the Sir David Attenborough presented “Wild Isles” program on BBC1. Our guests enjoyed hearing Nicholas speak about his work and passion to revive nature, and how nature can help support communities.

Other presentations throughout the day included the essential world of insects by expert Ray Barnett, hoggy tales from Yate’s Hedgehog Rescue, how Retrofit West can help with home energy efficiency, what St Mary’s Greenforce is doing to help our community tackle climate change and help nature, how we might create a Community Nature Reserves in Olveston Parish, real-life experiences in fitting a heat pump, and news about South Gloucestershire Council’s exciting new Linking the Levels project. This was supported throughout the day with stalls hosted by the Severn Wye Energy Agency, South Gloucestershire Council and others.

For the younger members of our community, we also had a resident artist on hand at the event to help create a permanent, nature-inspired piece of art, plus other activities.

Please see a gallery of pictures from the event below.