Cottingham Friends of Green Spaces (FroGS) was established in 2021, taking forward the work
that had gone into the environmental chapter of the Neighbourhood Plan to promote learning about our
village’s green spaces and undertake practical activities to preserve, safeguard and improve them.
With a growing membership of volunteers, FroGs have got involved with a range of activities including cataloguing and researching the village’s green spaces, learning about the species of plants and trees that flourish best in this area, planning and implementing projects to clear and plant, and liaising with similar environmentally active groups in the region.
FroGs are also working with children at Cottingham CofE Primary School on the school’s allotment and garden and it’s hoped that, in due course, the junior group, ‘Tadpoles’ can become involved in more projects around the village, particularly in developing areas for pollinating insects and corridors for wildlife.
2025 Project Update
Corby Road Bank. The daffs and tulips are coming through strongly again, to be followed by a fantastic mix of other blooms and foliage. Since last year we.ve put even more bulbs and plants in, many donated by villagers. Our huge thanks – keep them coming! Our approach to planting here is deliberately haphazard – whatever we’ve been given, we’ve planted! This year, we’ll start a pictorial record of what plants are where via monthly snapshots of what grows.
Bide-Awhile (seated area between the Church and The Dale). Apart from the existing plants such as wild garlic and snow drops, the planting of this space is following a strict plan agreed with Rockingham Forest Vision who funded the project. The fundamental principle is that there will be indigenous species native to this area only. We’ve recently put in more bulbs and some shrubs such as dogwood. More planting is planned during Spring. View report
Community Orchard. We were recently given 30 trees by NNC, 10 of which are fairly well developed fruit trees. We’ve planted these on the sloping ground between Bide Awhile and The Dale. Having planted 25 trees and many hedge quicks there two years ago, this space is turning into a nice little tree nursery.
Triangle near the school. The 200 or so daffs and tulips we planted there two years ago are coming up well. It makes for a glorious view as you approach this otherwise very functional junction.
Lavender seat (Corby Road/Blind Lane junction). The lavender growth has been voracious over the last two years! Stand by for some intoxicating scent as you pass by, or better still, take a few minutes rest.
Mini Garden (Stonepit Drive link path). One of our members has single-handedly turned this small patch of rough ground next to the sub-station into a beautiful little garden. Take a stroll and see what amazing things can be done to the smallest of spaces
Contact details
George West-Robinson
19 Stonepit Drive
07891 159155
grwrconsultingltd@gmail.com