FREE Sibton Park - Hedge Planting Day

Join South East Rivers Trust at Sibton Park, Lyminge for a planting event to see natural flood management in action. Help Protect Sibton Park for Future Generations Join local volunteers, residents and the South East Rivers Trust to help create new hedgerows, plant trees and establish a community orchard at Sibton Park in Lyminge. By taking part, you'll be helping to reduce flood risk, improve wildlife habitat and strengthen the landscape's resilience to climate change, while making a lasting contribution to a valued community space. Whether you can join for a few hours or several days, every tree planted and every metre of hedgerow created will play an important role in protecting and enhancing Sibton Park for years to come. Why Your Help Matters Sibton Park is an important recreational space for the local community and home to Sibton Park Cricket Club. However, the site is becoming increasingly vulnerable to flooding. Heavy rainfall can lead to surface water collecting on the cricket ground, while rising groundwater levels in the Nailbourne catchment can leave parts of the site waterlogged for extended periods. Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of these challenges, affecting how the site can be used and enjoyed by local people. By helping to plant native trees and hedgerows, volunteers will directly contribute to a natural solution. Trees and hedgerows help slow the movement of water through the landscape, increase infiltration into the soil, reduce erosion and improve water quality. They also create valuable habitat for wildlife and support biodiversity recovery. What Will We Be Planting? As part of a wider Natural Flood Management project, volunteers will help establish: • Approximately 1,000 metres of native hedgerow • Disease-resistant elm trees planted within fields • A new community orchard Together, these features will help create a healthier, more resilient landscape that benefits both people and nature. Learn New Skills and Connect with Your Community Across 20 community planting days, you'll have the chance to: • Get hands-on experience planting trees and hedgerows • Learn how natural flood management works in practice • Discover how nature-based solutions can help address climate change • Meet other local residents and volunteers • Make a visible and lasting difference in your community No previous experience is required, and all abilities are welcome. Be part of Something Bigger The planting programme is just the beginning. It forms part of a wider Natural Flood Management initiative at Sibton Park that includes educational activities with local schools, seasonal wetland habitat creation and future citizen science opportunities. We're hoping volunteers, community groups and local residents will continue to be involved in caring for the new trees and hedgerows, helping Sibton Park flourish for generations to come. Come along, get involved and help shape a more resilient future for Sibton Park and the Nailbourne catchment. What you need to know 🕒 When: Thursday, December 10th - 10:00am - 3:00pm 📍Where to meet: Guest car park, HPB Sibton Park, Longage Hill, Lyminge CT18 8HB • Google map - https://maps.app.goo.gl/zzegFrkzwtjKwvg68 • What 3 words: ///starfish.stiffly.redeeming • Nearest station: Sandling Station - 3.6 miles - 15min by bus. 🚗 Parking: Parking is available for all attendees. Please turn left through the gates and head down to the end of the car park 👉 Booking is essential so we can plan tools and work safely. ⏰ Booking closes at 11:59pm, Tueaday 8th December 2026. What do you need to bring? • Packed lunch. • Water bottle (filled up!) • Reusable coffee cup. • Wear sturdy shoes /wellies and weather-appropriate clothes you don't mind getting a bit dirty. • A desire to do something amazing for nature :) We will provide tea, coffee, biscuits and light refreshments throughout the day. :) Accessibility: Please be aware that we will mostly be working primarily in muddy fields. If you have any questions about access or physical requirements, please get in touch before the event. Under 18? Minimum age is 16. If you're 16 or 17 and coming without a parent/guardian, we'll need written parental consent. Email [email protected] for the consent form. Good to know • The event will go ahead regardless of the weather (yes even if it rains) - you will recieve an email for the SERT volunteer team in the days leading up to the event with more details about the day. • In the event of severe weather which means we have to cancel, we'll contact you by email or phone. • Please check your junk folder for confirmation emails with additional information a few days before the event. Questions? Please email us at [email protected] Legal bits To read our Health and Safety Guidelines for this event please click HERE. Photos and video footage will be taken at this event and used by the Trust for promotional purposes (including but not limited to printed materials, social media, newsletters and the website) and potentially shared with our external partners and funders. From time to time, external media agencies could also take photos, film or record our events. The Trust’s lawful basis for processing this is “Legitimate Interests” under the General Data Protection Regulations. As an individual you have rights. If you wish for SERT to stop processing this data for you, please talk to a member of staff or email [email protected]. To read our Privacy Policy and see how we use and look after the information you provide when booking your spot at our events please click HERE.