Hellenge Hill nature reserve near Weston-super-Mare has completed a major project to enable conservation grazing and enhanced access at the site, thanks to a grant of over £50,000 from Enovert Community Trust (ECT), provided through the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) and £5,000 from Thatcher’s Charitable Foundation.

Hellenge Hill is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) which is free to access and open all through the year, and provides grassland home to rare plants like honewort and Somerset hair-grass. The site has been managed by Avon Wildlife Trust since the late 1990s and is a popular site in the local community.

The Nature Recovery Project included the creation of 580m of new hedges, new boundary fences and gates, the installation of a water supply, habitat management and the renovation of two interpretation boards.

Fern Elias-Stagg, Nature Reserves Officer at Avon Wildlife Trust: said: “We’d like to express our gratitude to the funders and local volunteers who have supported the recent improvements at Hellenge Hill nature reserve. Their generosity and hard work have been vital in helping us enhance this much-loved site for both wildlife and the local community.

“Since the new fence has been installed, livestock are now back onsite, playing a vital role in managing the wildflower grassland through conservation grazing. This helps maintain a more diverse habitat that benefits a range of species, including pollinators like butterflies and bees, as well as birds and reptiles. The new water trough will encourage the livestock into other areas of the reserve, helping us keep the coppiced glades open. Once established, the continuous hedgerow around the reserve also improves connectivity for wildlife, linking habitats and creating important corridors for movement and shelter.

“We hope visitors enjoy the new interpretation boards, which showcase the rich wildlife of the area and highlight the positive steps being taken to improve biodiversity at this special site, which forms part of the Mendips National Landscape.”

It is anticipated that the improved habitat following the project will attract a more diverse range of wildlife to the nature reserve.

Anne Thatcher, a trustee at Thatchers Foundation, said: “Thatchers Foundation is proud to have supported the Hellenge Hill Nature Recovery Project with a £5,000 donation.  As a Somerset farming family, nature, and sustainability matter to us, as does looking after our local area.  Somerset is a special place, and the Foundation is delighted that this project will help protect the area for future generations, introduce new breeds, boost biodiversity, and improve access for everyone.”

Hellenge Hill is located 2.5 miles from the Weston-super-Mare anerobic digestion site, enabling Avon Wildlife Trust to apply to Enovert Community Trust for a grant.

Angela Haymonds, Trust Manager of Enovert Community Trust, said: “Hellenge Hill is a fantastic nature reserve, with spectacular views across the Somerset Levels which is free to access and allows local residents to get outside in nature. The Trustees were very pleased to support this project with a grant to help improve the habitat for wildlife as well as improve the experience for visitors."