The Trust are aiming to raise £2,000 to create habitats that will enable slow worm and common lizard to thrive by installing banks and stones that will provide safe places for these protected species to bask and hibernate. The project will also provide a home for a range of other wildlife with the creation of wildflower areas.

Parks are important green spaces for local communities, and Dawberry Fields has been described as a “a hidden gem” by local resident Kim ,who enjoys watching wildlife from bats to butterflies at this urban park. The Trust hope that Kim will be able to add slow worm and common lizard to her wildlife watching list as a result of the project.

Simon Atkinson, Head of Conservation at The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country said, “It might be surprising to know that two of our native reptile species make their home in this urban park and we look forward to delivering the project to help these protected species thrive.”

Donations can be made by visiting Just Giving or by texting DAWBERRY to 70085 to give £10. Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text DAWBERRYNOINFO to 70085.

Hamira Sultan, Consultant in Public Health and Future Parks Accelerator Director said “I am incredibly excited to see how much money we can raise in Dawberry Fields. Through our work, we have seen more people and families use the park, and I am sure this project to create a habitat for slow worms and common lizard will encourage even more people to do so. Lockdown and Covid 19 has shown us how important parks are to us, so let’s use this opportunity to show parks how much we care about them too. People need parks and parks need people. Thank you for all your support.”

The Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust works to protect urban wildlife, restore wild spaces and inspire people for nature’s recovery, leading the way in demonstrating nature’s essential contribution to the health, prosperity and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in Birmingham and the Black Country. For more information about their work, visit: BBC Wildlife.