Cast a spell with Dobbies' Southport store this Halloween

DOBBIES, the UK's leading garden centre, is embracing the spirit of Halloween with its:- 'Little Seedlings Holiday Club' workshop in its Southport store, with a look at mystical plants and their extraordinary powers.

Tailored for Dobbies' Little Seedlings Club members aged:- 4 to 10, this interactive workshop is filled with fun activities to help children appreciate their natural environment.

Under the guidance of Dobbies' horticultural experts, young gardening witches and wizards in training will embark on a journey through time. They will uncover ways in which ancient cultures used plants for their mystical properties. For example, the ancient Greeks and Romans believed that Rosemary could enhance memory retention and the ancient Egyptians thought Verbena could ward off evil spells.

Children in Southport will explore the fascinating world of medicinal plants, such as the Evening Primrose and Dandelion, uncover the secrets of their potent healing qualities, and dare to venture into the realm of the most poisonous plants, like the Deadly Nightshade and White Snakeroot.

Games and activities will spark the imagination of the children, where they will get a chance to brew a magical potion, cast a spell of their own, and craft magical plant charms to proudly take home as cherished mementos.

Dobbies' Community and CSR Communications Executive, Chloë Bell, said:- "We are very excited to welcome children to this workshop in our Southport store during the October break. Our Little Seedlings Holiday Club gives attendees a chance to make friends and learn something new, and we hope to nurture the next generation of gardening enthusiasts in a playful and informative setting. We believe that learning should be fun, and that's why we've incorporated engaging games and activities that will ignite children's imagination. From potion brewing to crafting magical plant charms, this workshop will encourage creativity and a hands-on connection with the natural world."

Supporting local water monitoring and research in the North West

COMMUNITIES in the North West are being encouraged to take part in scientific monitoring and research of their local waterways this autumn; helping the Environment Agency and local groups work together to improve the environment.

Throughout the year Environment Agency teams collect, analyse and report on:- invertebrate, plant, algae, fish and water chemistry data to assess the health of our waters.

It has also supported a number of citizen science initiatives through their own:- "Supporting Citizen Science" project, including:- the Big Windermere Survey, working with a number of partners including:- the Freshwater Biological Association, the National Trust and Lake District Foundation.

Launched in 2022, it has brought together citizen scientists as part of synchronised sampling across all 4 seasons to collect water samples, assess water quality and identify sources of pollution at:- Lake Windermere. The project is part of the Love Windermere Partnership.

In Cheshire, the National Trust Lyme Park River Guardians project is monitoring water chemistry and ecology throughout the park to assess the impacts on water quality, before and after small scale natural flood control methods and habitat restoration measures were carried out.

Future monitoring will aim to build a more comprehensive picture of how the ecology is changing as a result, with the aim to expand the project to other National Trust properties.

Ahead of World River's Day, on Sunday, 24 September 2023, the Rivers Trust is launching the:- 'Big River Watch,' encouraging people to visit their local river this weekend and record what wildlife they can see, contributing to a wider national data set.

People can help by collecting a sample in the river and analysing it for wildlife such as:- mayfly, stonefly, caddisfly and freshwater shrimp.

In recent years riverfly samples, for example, have helped identify the effects of drought which can then be used to support local interventions, including:- fish rescues or using aerators to boost oxygen levels.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said:- "Citizen Science initiatives provide invaluable data, which complements our own monitoring and assessment work. Citizen scientists share our passion for the environment and we look forward to continuing to work closely together to help find solutions to the complex issues facing the water environment."

Let us know your thoughts on this news topic... Email our Newsroom at:- News24@SouthportReporter.Com or send us a message on:- Mastodon, Facebook or Twitter.

For more information on how to get involved visit:- TheRiversTrust.Org.

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Cast a spell with Dobbies' Southport store this Halloween

Supporting local water monitoring and research in the North West