Thriving Environments

We have run a number of important environmental programmes across Boston including The Friendly Bench, Boston Green Volunteers, Naturehood and RiverCare Litter Picks.

These programmes were funded and supported by various local and national charities, organisations and suppliers and helped us to create community gardens, carry out litter picks, and provide activities for the local community.

During the programme, we have worked with various organisations such as The Young People’s Learning Provision, the Men’s Shed and the Thomas Middlecott Academy to get involved in regular environmental improvement projects.

We couldn’t have delivered these projects without the support of so many local organisations including; Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, RSPB Frampton Marsh, Boston Borough Council, Transported, Boston Rowing Club, RiverCare/Keep Britain Tidy and Boston in Bloom.

We worked with local residents, and everyone is welcome to attend any of their community events. Activities are suitable for all ages and gloves and tools are provided.

You can find the latest information on our website and our social media channels, so you can see what is going on and if interested, to also get involved.

If local people want to pick up litter in their own neighbourhood, we can put put you in touch with local groups who can supply them with litter picking equipment and support.

Some of the work we have helped with within the community include:

We have been delighted to receive funding from Boston Big Local and grants from BTAC Small Grant Scheme, Asda Foundation and Shine Lincolnshire over the course of the programme.

We have also received donations of pallets from South Lincs Pallets which were used to make bug hotels, and Boston Men’s Shed have been making bird, bug and bat box kits and roofs for bug hotels.

We were extremely grateful for all the donations that we received and any time that people took to volunteer and support our programmes.

The 'Friendly Bench' is a friendly space for the whole community, where everyone is welcome, based outside Ancaster Court, in Broadfield Lane, Boston. They hold monthly events at the Friendly Bench when everyone is welcome to come along and make new friends.

Past events include a history talk, dementia awareness, planting, The King’s Coronation celebration event, Marie Curie charity event, the Men’s Shed, the RSPB Big Bird Count and Curo-Lincs therapy dogs.

They have welcomed various guests such as Singing for Fun, Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, children from Carlton Road Primary School, Boston History Tours, students from Boston College and others. There is always a warm welcome, tea and cake, and events are free to attend.

We have been very proud to have partnered with The Friendly Bench, a charity focused on bringing people together in the local community. This partnership enabled us to provide a space for people of all ages to come together, share skills, form friendships, and build connections through a variety of community-led activities and events.

Our support to the Friendly Bench’s mission was to create a stronger and more inclusive community.

The Boston Green Volunteers meet up to help maintain and clean up litter in the green areas around Boston town centre.

They litter pick, weed and plant to improve our local environment and their group meets every Tuesday or Friday, 10:00am to 12noon and everybody is welcome. 

If you would like to join them or find out what they do, follow this link to the Boston Green Volunteers Facebook page for all the latest information on meeting dates and times, as these can sometimes be weather dependent.

Naturehood encourages people to get involved in improving the Boston area’s wildlife habitats; developing a number of Naturehood sites across Boston. 

We worked very closely with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to develop public areas including Central Park, Pilgrims Patch, The Centenary Methodist Church, Scott House, the community garden behind St. Boltoph’s Church and the Geoff Moulder Community Garden.

At these sites we have helped to build bug hotels, bird boxes, planted wildflowers and built log piles. In addition, we have worked with the Cubs, Sure Start Children’s Centres, local schools and organisations to help them improve their own sites for wildlife and attended community events to work with local people.

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust have provided us with expert advice on what we can do to support wildlife including how to introduce the right species of plant, and how to manage sites thereafter. 

We have held a number of events with Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust to increase public awareness of the importance of protecting local wildlife. By working together, Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust have been able to make a positive impact on the conservation of local wildlife.

We worked with RiverCare (Keep Britain Tidy/Anglian Water) to improve our important riverbanks and surrounding areas by carrying out litter picks.

We organised regular litter picks including along the River Witham and the Tidal Haven and everyone is welcome to come along and get involved.