The mid-fifties saw the demolition of some terraced houses behind my house, and I was soon exploring the rubble and the open spaces the demolition had created. Several different species of plants and bushes soon started to spring up across the derelict land, and with these came various birds and my interest grew from then on.

1978 saw a move to Bar Hill, here I was surrounded by open fields. From these I gathered Dandelions and Blackberries, and was soon making my own wine and jam. Totally different birds, insects, butterflies and flowers abounded in the fields and hedges. Unfortunately as the village grew in size, the fields were no more, just tarmac and houses.

It was then I discovered an area of between Bar Hill and Dry Drayton, a 3 acre "hole in the ground", with a stream running through the middle. It was then I had the idea of a nature reserve for the village. I approached "Shell better Britain", who run a fund to pay for environmental projects hoping to acquire funding for my plans. Shortly after the site was visited by officials of Shell, I received the offer of £500 from the fund. "The Bar Hill Nature Reserve" was on its way!

Various tools and other equipment were purchased, and the work began. The first significant project was a pond, which with the help of a local firm, who provided a machine and a driver for two days, at a very reasonable amount, was soon dug out. The pond was planned with an island as a sanctuary for anything that needed to use it.  Next came the planting, collecting various plants from many different locations and with the help of friends, the winter of 1992 saw me planting all of these. The conditions were extremely cold, but with perseverance the job was completed.

General maintenance of fences, making and fixing footpath and bridleway markers, plus making nesting boxes, for Blue Tits, Owls and Bats, from wood supplied by friends and local firms, was the next priority. It was in the summer that the fruits of my labour became apparent, with an abundance of birds using the new nesting boxes, and a blaze of colour from all the plants and flowers. Ducks were nesting and raising youngsters on the pond, Frogs and Toads were spawning both in the pond or any small scrape in the earth that I had dug with this purpose in mind. So many amphibians were using the nature reserve, I had to erect Toad Crossing signs to warn motorists to try to avoid major road kills. Even Newts have made the reserve their home and it really has been a great success.

Since then classes from the local school have been given guided tours of the reserve by myself, as have the Scouts and Guides plus various other local clubs, in fact the summers can be a pretty hectic time!

Nick Richardson