DESPITE rain on Saturday afternoon, visitors to Pudding Lane Nursery in Arborfield were able to enjoy a joyful celebration to mark the launch of Spencers Wood Repair Cafe’s new Eco Skills Learning Centre.
Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Carol Jewell attended the event, along with MP for Earley and Woodley Yuan Yang.
Cllr Jewell said: “I run Woodley Repair Cafe, so I’m very excited to see how Billie and the Spencers Wood Repair Cafe group are doing.”
The group’s new workspace has been made possible by the generosity of Ray and Sue Norton, owners of Pudding Lane Nursery, whose donated barn is now regularly filled with excited youngsters making wildlife boxes for a range of animals.
Ray and Sue have lived on the 12.5 acre estate for a number of years.
“I was in the army, and home on leave when I discovered a local farmer was selling off some land,” said Ray.
“I bought a plot, and we developed a landscape business and nursery.
Eventually I got involved with Thrive, and at their Beech Hill garden, near Reading, I overheard Billie talking about the group’s need for workshop space, so I offered them our barn.”
The barn has become the group’s new Eco Skills Learning Centre, where volunteers teach practical skills to young people, using unwanted wood and materials, helping to prevent waste in the environment, and supporting wildlife by creating habitats.
Spencers Wood Repair Cafe volunteers had been building kits for young people to turn into bird boxes since February 2024.
The group is led by repair cafe founder Billie Bachra, pictured at the launch beside a bird box celebration cake made by volunteer Romy.
At first the volunteers worked in Billie’s back garden, with timber stored in friends’ garages.
Workshops took place in schools or halls, so transporting wood and tool was cumbersome.
Volunteer David Simpson said: “At first there were just five of us working in the garden.
“We had to transport enough wood and tools to each place for 30 children at a time, so it was really hard work.”
The group longed for a permanent home where their wildlife box kits could be prepared and constructed on site.
Sue and Ray Norton’s generosity has given them a proper workshop, accessible timber storage, and space for larger work tools.
Groups of youngsters are regularly welcomed to the light, bright, and attractive Eco Skills Learning Centre.
The barn is now a hive of enthusiastic activity, where youngsters enjoy building wildlife homes, within the beautiful, wildlife friendly estate.
“It’s so much more convenient with all the tools here,” said David.
“We’ve great storage, and can store so much more wood.”
All the boxes, whether for birds, bugs or hedgehogs, are carefully designed for their suitability, following advice from wildlife experts.
Wood offcuts donated by construction, solar panel, and fencing businesses become wildlife boxes and wire mesh is turned into bug hotel front doors, while cedar wood offcuts donated by Kingdom Garden Rooms are made into hedgehog boxes.
In September the group plans to offer five families at a time the opportunity to build hedgehog boxes together.
The launch event included refreshments (including a bird box-themed celebration cake) music from The Gill Love Band, opportunities for children to make bug boxes, and a family nature walk around the beautifully relaxed Pudding Lane Nursery estate.
Billie thanked all the volunteers who have helped to make the grass roots scheme a success, Sue and Ray Norton, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, University of Reading, Shinfield Parish Council, and local fencing and building companies.
“I’m amazed at how quickly the group has got everything together, and how well they’re doing it.
“They’re giving children practical education, and I’m pleased that the barn is being used in this way.
“You do something, and suddenly it becomes something so much more than you anticipated.
“I’m not sure what’s next, but there’s great potential for this to grow.”
For information, visit: ecoskillslearningcentre.square.site
