Cold Ash’s hidden secret gets its day in the sun

Cold Ash showcased what can be achieved when volunteers, parish councils and members of the community work together, as part of the King’s Coronation ‘Big Help Out’, writes Summer Hyde.

The event was held on May 8 and was run by the Cold Ash Countryside Volunteers and members of the community.

The day had the theme of countryside, wildlife and rural and was held at the Wildlife Allotment Garden, in the centre of Cold Ash.

Three years ago, the site, which covers seven acres, was mainly overgrown, with large areas covered by brambles, nettles and Himalayan Balsam, which is an invasive species.

Trees were left in piles of debris and the area had been reduced to a cut through from the two village pubs to The Ridge.

In 2019, Cold Ash Parish Council decided something needed to be done to improve the site.

The idea was to establish a group of volunteers to improve and maintain the area.

Unfortunately, the volunteer group hadn’t got off the ground when Covid arrived.

During the early months of the pandemic a team evolved and started to work on clearance of the debris from the site.

With investment from West Berkshire Council through Members Bid funding, match funded by Cold Ash Parish Council, the volunteer group began to make significant improvements.

In 2022, the volunteers started to clear other fields ready to welcome livestock back to the area and the parish council started to lease a field from two parishioners, where five goats were introduced.

Following this they leased two further fields and introduced Balwen and Valais Blacknose sheep.

An area of the site was developed into a quiet garden where people can sit surrounded by nature with magnificent views across to Hannington in the distance.

The quiet garden was also established to remember the Covid times and is framed by three Japanese cherry blossom trees that were donated to West Berkshire Council by the Japanese Government.

Other improvements have been the introduction of benches across the site, re-establishing the pond in the centre through the introduction of ‘leaky dams’, bug hotels, bird boxes and loggeries for stag beetles.

The site was also used for a beacon lighting event to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, which was attended by around 500 people.

The Cold Ash volunteers, with the support of Cold Ash Parish Council, supported the ‘Big Help Out’ event, celebrating King Charles III coronation, as a way of showcasing what the site has to offer.