Support from the TCV Chestnut Fund helped the group establish itself by funding essential resources including insurance, tools, training, seeds, native bulbs and bird and bat boxes. Alongside this, guidance from TCV’s local Project Manager Bex Cross helped BCV develop into an independent community group.
In its first year, BCV grew to 29 active volunteers, delivered 38 conservation sessions and contributed more than 1,550 volunteer hours to local green spaces. Volunteers have also taken part in wildlife surveys and practical skills training, helping to improve habitats while building their confidence and conservation knowledge.
The group’s impact has already been recognised locally, winning Bungay Town Council’s “New Community Group” Award, which truly is a testament to the difference dedicated volunteers can make for both people and nature.
During the 2025/26 financial year, BCV:
- Had 29 active members and 43 individuals within the BCV members email group
- Undertook conservation-linked activities on 38 occasions
- Completed 7 training sessions for volunteers
- Held 8 BCV Committee meetings
- Completed 1555.5 hours of voluntary activity in total
- In total, using the national living wage to derive a costing, provided £18,992.66 worth of activity on the Norfolk/Suffolk border
- Undertook baseline wildlife surveys in May 2025 to identify 89 different plants, 19 different birds and 16 different invertebrates within 4 Bungay green spaces; a further insect survey in March 2026 detected 48 species while surveys completed in May 2026 found even greater biodiversity.
- Advertised its activities through: noticeboards around Bungay, 47 Facebook posts, and through stalls at St Mary’s Church event for community groups and Bungay Christmas Lights Switch-On event
- Maintained an active Facebook presence, attracting more than 19,000 views and, at the last count, had 147 followers.Photos can be found on our facebook page -Bungay Conservation Volunteers
- Recently won the “New Community Group” award from Bungay Town Council