Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve has secured £1,000 of funding from our Severn Valley region.

The money comes through Persimmon’s Community Champions scheme. Each month at Persimmon we donate up to £64,000 to good causes across the UK.

The group aims to safeguard the Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve and salt marsh, between Portishead and the Royal Portbury Dock.

Members want to protect the area and surrounding sites by increasing public awareness of the reserve’s wildlife, both flora and fauna, its birds, reptiles and mammals through enhancement of the habitats and biodiversity of the area.

Severn Valley region's generous donation allowed the group to fund and hold a salt marsh day for members of the public which went ahead on 13th August.

Keith Johnson, of the group, said:

“We are extremely grateful to Persimmon Homes for this generous donation.

“We have embarked upon a programme of education and information gathering, providing a go-to source of intelligence on the reserve and salt marsh through social media.

“Last year we ran a tremendously successful salt marsh day that was a celebration of our salt marshes, which are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

“The generous support from Persimmon has ensured we could repeat this fantastic event this summer as well as broaden our educational resources.”

Carly Spear, Sales Director at Severn Valley region, said:

“We’re delighted to be able to support Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve and to support the group’s educational and informative salt marsh day.

“This is a beautiful and valuable area and it’s reassuring to know there is a group dedicated purely to protecting it.

“It’s a real pleasure to be able to support groups and good causes in the areas in which we are building through Community Champions, which has donated more than £5m since its launch.”

* Please see above a photo of the Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve’s salt marsh day – credit Friends of Portbury Wharf Nature Reserve.