Sat 13 Jun Great
Big Green Week
St Helen's Church
9:30 Moth traps
10-2 ECO Fair
Family activities, with nature surveys and meeting crayfish and bees.
Displays on sustainable living and local food producers. Talk to our councillors.
Tea, cake and more.
Sat 13 Jun Tour Broad Arboretum
Meet at the Earth Trust Centre
6pm
A walk and talk around Broad Arboretum with John Brannan, who helped plan, grow and manage this unique library of native trees and shrubs.
If the weather is good, we'll continue to the Clumps for a picnic (bring your own).
📅 Programme 2026 (continued)
Mon 15 Jun – People’s Emergency Briefing
7:30pm, at St Leonard's Church, Pyrton Lane, Watlington, OX49 5LX
A 45 minute film on climate and biodiversity, showing the impact that science is predicting on our economy, health, food security, national security and so on. The film will be followed by a discussion of the actions we can take individually and collectively.
Reserve your free place at:
tickettailor.com/events/WatlingtonClimateActionGroup/2141154
Sat 20 Jun - Moths and Farm Walk
9am, at Hale Farm, Hale Road, Benson
Moth discovery, breakfast and farm tour with the farmer Rupert Belcher to see regenerative farming in action.
Park at the Sunnyside Parish Hall and walk down Hale Road to the farm.
Tue 30 Jun - Butterfly Introduction
7:30pm, at the Millstream Centre, Benson
Richard Soulsby, who has over 20 years' experience monitoring Oxfordshire's butterflies, will show how to identify common species and will introduce some simple recording techniques. Please sign up at BensonAreaNature@yahoo.com
Sun 5/11/12 Jul - Butterfly Field Session
At Warwick Spinney, Benson, a field session with Richard to identify butterflies, on a suitable weather day. Date and time to be decided.
Tue 1 Sep – Otters
7:30pm, at Warborough Greet Hall
A talk from Gavin McGlaughlin, following the success of his talk in Benson in February.
September - Quiz
Quiz with some nature rounds
Autumn - Scything
Scythe and rake Millbrook Mead and Warwick Spinney
October - Apple Pressing
Apple Pressing Day in conjunction with Benson Community Shed, for people in the villages to bring their own apples.
⏰Regular Activities
Ewelme Watercress Beds Conservation work
1st Sat and 3rd Weds each month
9:30-12:30
Mid-week Conservation
In Benson or Ewelme, together with the Green Gym
2nd Tuesday each month
10:00-1:00
Sunday Conservation
Somewhere in our villages
1st Sunday each month
10:00-12:00
Path mowing
Warwick Spinney, Millbrook Mead
May to October
To join in, contact us at:
📊 Citizen Science
Water quality monitoring
Water vole surveys
Riverfly monitoring
Butterfly surveys
Bird surveys along a set of 11 routes around our parishes
Mud spotting - Identifying locations along Benson Brook where excess water enters from roads, paths, or gardens after heavy rainfall.
To find out more, contact us at:
Past Events 2026
Thu 29 Jan "A River Sings" film
A film on the Evenlode catchment and the issues of surface water flood and wetland management.
Tue 24 Feb - Otter talk
Otter talk from Gavin McLauchlan in Benson.
Sat 7 Mar - Warborough Freshers Fair
The Freshers Fair hosts a stall introducing BANG.
Sun 22 Mar - "Six Inches of Soil" Film
A film on regenerative farming from three young famers, followed by a panel discussion.
Fri 23 Apr - Night-time Safari - postponed.
Sat 2 May - Dawn Chorus Walk
Our dawn chorus walk in Ewelme, with breakfast at the Cress Beds centre.
Sat 9 May - Family Nature Event
This included kick sampling in the stream, owl pellet dissection, identifying moths and so on.
Sat 16 May - Benson Community Celebration
As part of the nation-wide "Million Acts of Hope", BANG and other local groups show-cased their activities.