Spring & Summer Bee walks.

Join local bee recorder, Mark Patterson for a leisurely stroll around the Cemetery Park in search of some of the 60 species of bee which make the site their home.

Mark will explain why the Cemetery Park is such a fantastic site for bees and share tips on how to identify bees in the field.

Participants will get the opportunity to see live bees up close in hand held specimen jars and view marks collection on bees collected locally.

Bring a sweep net if you have one.

Saturday 15th April, 10am - 1pm

The spring walk will focus mostly on spring emerging mining bees and bumblebees which can be found in large numbers at this time of year.

Saturday 17th June, 10am – 1pm

The summer bee walk will offer the opportunity to see a wider diversity of bees including some rare bees which inhabit the site.

Please read as much as possible before booking. 

Please wear weather appropriate clothes and closed shoes (no sandals/flip flops/crocs). Bring your own snacks and drinks. A maximum of 25 participants will be attending each walk. Spaces book up quickly, but it's worth joining the waiting list as people do cancel.

Meeting point: The Soanes Centre, just on the right as you enter via the main gates on Southern Grove E3 4PX

BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO BOOK

1. Do not attend sessions if you or a member of your household have COVID-19 symptoms. Please check your symptoms.
2. If you travel by bike, we can’t offer indoor storage, but you are able to lock your back up on the railings around the Soanes Centre.

WHAT TO BRING

1. Wear closed shoes and comfortable clothing. Dress for the weather as we will be outside.
2. Bring your own food and drinks (we recommend definitely bringing water). Make sure it’s enough to last you for the duration - there will be access to drinking water for refilling, and we won’t be providing tea, coffee or snacks.
3. Note book and pen
4. Bring your own hand sanitiser and a face mask, if you wish to.
5. You will be permitted into the Soanes Centre to use the toilet. There is nowhere to leave your belongings. Please do not bring anything you aren’t willing to carry with you.

ON THE DAY

1. Please arrive on time and go to the meeting area:  The Soanes Centre, just on the right as you enter via the main gates on Southern Grove E3 4PX
2. The Friends will collect contact information on attendees, we will treat your data in accordance with our data protection policy.
   

Click here for more information on our data protection policy.

Access statement

• This is an accessible, inclusive walk. The maximum number of participants is 30.

• We will cover a distance of 1km to 2km. The paths are approx. 1-2m wide. The surface is crushed concrete fines, a type of hard-packed fine gravel (which doesn't turn to mud in rain) or earth although we may wander in some areas off the paths where access is more limited. A circular route around the Cemetery Park is approx. 1km with one steeper slope and some shallow slopes, but you can go as far as you like. There are 2 areas with steps, but these are avoidable. If arranged in advance a motorised vehicle could also drive onto the site. There are benches with backs at regular distances around the Cemetery Park. Some of the site is shaded. There is restriction free on-street parking (Southern Grove) at weekends.

• Please contact us with at least 2 weeks’ notice if you’d like BSL or other interpretation/translation and we will do our best to accommodate. Sadly, we have no-one in house who is able to offer this service.

• Toilets will be available in the Soanes Centre. There is a toilet that was deemed accessible when it was refurbished in 2007, but it is not accessible in line with today's standards. It is approx. 2x2 m2 and there is a fixed support bar on the left of the toilet, with a movable bar on the right. There is no adult changing table or hoist.

• We are not able to offer baby changing facilities but we can provide a private space for breastfeeding on request.

• If you need space to pray, please let us know and we'll do our best to offer you a private space.

• We aim to make our events as accessible as possible, and we're learning constantly how to do this better. If you would like to let us know about any specific requirements or access needs that you would like us to meet, or offer feedback on our accessibility arrangements, please email contact@fothcp.org. We want you to feel safe in the Cemetery Park.

Refund policy: If you tell us that you want to cancel your ticket, we will only give you a refund if you request one, and if you give a minimum of 48 hours notice before the start of the event. If your reason for cancellation is Covid-related, you must send us a screenshot of the notification (NHS app or test result).