May 2009 Our first Summer wildlife event; an introduction to insects.Held at Bagworth Heath Woods, this event gave people an overview of the diverse world of insects and allowed people to use some of our entomology suveying kit. With over thirty categories of insects to study, we found a good variety ranging from coleoptera, diptera and hemiptera etc.

January 2009 - New Years Day Walk January 1stOver thirty people, braved icy conditions to come and join us on our first ever New Years Day Walk. The event started from Ellistown and covered public footpaths in the fabulous Ellistown Countryside, including National Forest plantations and Forestry Commison land. We were very pleased with the numbers taking part in the event and will look to do a similar one next New Year.

December 2008 - Ellistown Historical Information RequestWe are currently researching information for our Interpretation Project within the parish of Ellistown and Battleflat, and would be particularly keen to hear from people who have information and photo's on the following: Past shops and trade in the village, places of worship, the two coal mines and the narrow guage railway from cliff hill quarry. If you any info, please contact us.

December 2008 - Ellistown Parish Council pledges fundingThe Community Garden scheme and Historic Village Interpretation lectern projects, for the village of Ellistown are now underway. Run by our group, the Parish of Ellistown and Battleflat, overwhelmingly pledged there support and agreed to contribute funds to these very worthwhile beneficial projects at the December Parish Council meeting. the funding will be used to generate further match funding from other grant sources. The local community have been involved with these two projects from the outset and many people have already offered details of the village's past.

November 2008 - e-petition to Number 10 Downing St The launch of our e-petition is to oppose the controversial Warehouse development on the South Leicester Coal Disposal Point in Ellistown. This site is packed full of wildlife and should be a Country Park. The Planning Application is outside the limits to development and is on Greenbelt land, NOT a brownfield site.

November 2008 - Save the Sapling Scheme AsfordbyNovember 16th saw a huge variety of saplings donated and planted into our tree nusery. Species included wild cherry, rowan, english and sessile oak, yew, goat willow, hazel, sweet chesnut etc. We had a cracking day with over 100 trees donated and many volunteers helping out.

November 2008 - East Midlands Airport Grantof £1,000.00Thanks to a sucessful grant application with the airport, we have just purchased a bat detector, pond nets, sweep nets, pootahs, field microscope, freshwater invertebrate charts, pond dipping trays, nature viewers, a moth trap, gps system, moth book and a quadrat. All of this new kit will be used by the group, its members and in our public events diary.