Regional charity Groundwork Five Counties has announced it has improved 415,964 m² of land in 2025/26, equal to 58 football fields. The organisation manages dozens of green spaces around the East Midlands, supported by community volunteers.
Rish Mills, Environment Delivery Manager at Groundwork Five Counties, says: “We manage parks, walking trails, nature reserves, woods, and other public spaces. We create open, easily accessible areas that offer increased biodiversity for the wildlife to thrive in and for visitors to enjoy.
“We are very proud of the work that we do, 58 football fields of improved land is a huge achievement for our small team. This includes the creation of 107 new wildlife habitats, planting 11,393 native hedges, and making 169 biodiversity improvements.
“We couldn’t do it without the support of local volunteers, 367 people joined us last year. We also work closely with ‘Friends of’ groups and local authorities to ensure that we get the full picture of that space’s history, future plans, and local significance.”
Groundwork Five Counties recently celebrated its 35th anniversary, having started as a small Nottinghamshire-focused grassroots charity. It has since expanded to also include Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Rutland.
The charity’s original mission of empowering communities to look after their local green spaces and bring positive change from within is still going strong, as we face new environmental challenges.
Rish says: “Improving biodiversity and supporting native species is vital to life as we know it. Our team’s expert knowledge of local flora and fauna helps to achieve the best possible habitat management outcomes for each space.
“Volunteering can take on many forms, from litter picking at your local park and counting species to repairing pathways and installing infrastructure. We host regular nature volunteering days around Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, and welcome people to try a taster session.”
To find out more about volunteering with Groundwork Five Counties, visit: www.groundwork.org.uk/fivecounties/get-involved
