We are working with Sutton Council to set up a Friends of Devonshire Avenue Nature Area group.

Would you like to join it? The nature area is the only open space in our Ward, in an area where many children live in flats without access to a garden. As it is the only open space in our Ward it is precious to us. It is a nature area so requires careful management. To join the Friends group email the Sutton Council officer leading the work, Dawn Fielding

dawn.fielding@sutton.gov.uk

We have secured funding for improvements to the nature area – to the signage and the seating and to clean off the graffiti. On 18 October last year the three Councillors met with several Council officers from the Parks Department at the Nature Area to discuss improvements to the area, and we subsequently took proposals to the local committee to obtain funding for improvement work. On 23 January we met with the volunteers from Sutton Nature Conservation Volunteers who were engaged in necessary maintenance activities at the site. There is discussion about how to best use the area, protect biodiversity (such as the rare “ivy broomrape” which is found in the nature area) while keeping it well used by residents, reduce litter and graffiti, and whether it should be locked at night. Please contact us with your views and to join the Friends group.

While the Nature Reserve is the only open space in our Ward two parks are adjacent – Warren Park at the north eastern boundary of the Ward and Overton Park at the south western boundary. There are also steps being taken to establish Friends groups for these parks, in particular Warren Park. If you live close to one of these parks and would like to join the Friends group contact Dawn Fielding

dawn.fielding@sutton.gov.uk