VOLUNTEERS are needed to help cut wildflowers in a meadow to ensure they can grow again next year.

Just before ‘lockdown’ in March, volunteers helped to plant a wildflower meadow at City Recreation Ground in Newbury.

Newbury Town Council said in the Spring the flowers started growing and by June they were amass of colour for everyone to enjoy.

To ensure the flowers come up again next year, the wildflowers need to be cut down at the end of the season, after the flowers have all finished.

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This needs to be followed up by removing the debris.

Newbury Town Council is asking for volunteers to come along on Sunday, September 6, at 10am to help cut the flowers and prepare the area.

The council said planting habitats such as wildflower meadows with wildflowers and flowering plants give a number of benefits including plant diversity which attracts insects and other invertebrates (including butterflies, bees, spiders and millipedes), birds and mammals.

Councillor John Gage, Chair of the Green Spaces Working Group, said: “The wildflowers at City Recreation Ground were such a delight to see.

"There was a lot of local social media activity with people taking photographs and, together with the community orchard, it was a pleasure to see that so many people could enjoy the flowers.

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He added: “The wildflowers would have helped to attract beneficial insects into the area.

"In turn these insects help to fertilise our crops to grow produce for us to eat and the insects are food for other wildlife. We’d love to see people coming along on Sunday 6th to join in.

"The regular cutting of the wildflower meadow area will ensure that they come up year after year and we should then see more butterflies, bumblebees and other insects.

"We would encourage anyone with an interest in bio-diversity and wildflower planting, or if you just want to have a go, to come along and help."

The Town Council’s Strategy 2019-2024 is committed to providing outstanding parks, playgrounds and public spaces and this includes investing in City Recreation Ground, adding a new MUGA (Multi Use Games Area), new pathways, a fitness trail and upgrading the existing children’s play area.