5 miles west of Nottingham City Centre is a little pocket of rural England - Strelley Village. You may have heard of, or visited Strelley Hall, had a cuppa at the Mulberry Tree cafe, or maybe you’ve walked through the local fields or farms and taken in the views of the mighty M1. But you might not have heard of The Field Strelley, a 9-acre wilderness, opposite Strelley Hall.

5 years ago, The Field, Strelley was a hay field for horses. Completely bare except for grass and weeds. But thanks to hundreds of volunteers planting trees, digging out weeds, sowing wildflower seeds and building, crafting and bringing their own influence, it is gradually becoming a haven for wildlife - and for community too.

The Field is on the site of a former 1960s open-cast mine, so to be on the way to a place that bugs and bees actually want to hang out, is an impressive transformation from the ecological damage it experienced in the 1960s. The turning point was its purchase in 2020 by local eccentrics and self-titled ‘eco freaks’ Rachel Gravett and Keith Harrison. They began the project by seeking advice from local organisations on how best to turn a site of this size back to nature - how to ‘rewild’ on a smaller scale.

Early Field antics

One of the first things the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust suggested and enabled, was the digging of the pond in 2022. We now regularly see pond skaters, toad poles, dragonflies, mayfly nymphs and even crested newts! Other pond-based antics have included the screech from Rachel as her lovingly bought pond plant coasted out too far and floated to the bottom, never to be seen again. The Field is not perfect and we don’t always have success - but it’s all part of the process of learning and growing, just like our trees.

Each visit from friends and family to The Field inspired curiosity and joy, from people from all walks of life. It became clear that this was an opportunity not just to do our best for nature, but to make this a special place for people too. So in June 2023, on a blisteringly hot day in prime hayfever season (thank you again hayfever troopers who came this day), we hosted our first ever volunteering session. 

Those who wanted a workout dug docks, those who wanted to offset their summer holiday flights planted trees, and everyone enjoyed a jacket potato with veggie chilli and cheese afterwards, cooked by the energetic and ever warm Matty Harrison, son of Rachel and Keith, who has since played a big role in turning the Field into a community organisation.

The start of something special

The rewarding feeling of sitting together, sharing food in the great outdoors as the hour was turning golden, brought an overwhelming sense of wellbeing. Food became a huge part of volunteering sessions at The Field, ever since, inspiring the name for our weekly Monday volunteering - GarDINEing, which began the following June and has taken place almost every week since.

Every Monday afternoon, we do a couple of hours volunteering, then cook and eat a meal together over the campfire. There are so many ways in which volunteering at GarDINEing brings a sense of wellbeing. It feels like a place where you can really be creative and make things happen. It also feels grounding, getting your hands in the soil, mud up the crevasses of your fingernails. But the really special thing about The Field is the people.

The volunteer sessions have surprised us in the most wonderful ways. From people bringing and sharing food from different cultures, to inventing new tasks which we’d never thought of - like fixing benches, building tables out of donated pallet wood, or painting signs to recognise the different areas of the Field. 

One of the NHS ‘five ways to wellbeing is to give to others, and I have witnessed how generosity inspires generosity in others. Two regular volunteers turned up to one session with an incredible bench they had built, painted and varnished to add to our campsite seating area. It's amazing to me that Rachel and Keith chose to spend their money on a piece of land, simply to make it the best possible place for nature. People are generous and giving, and The Field has a special way of bringing that out. 

An renewed hope for climate change

Learning about the difference even a site of this size can have, has given me hope. Climate change can be gloomy and learning about the global problems we face can feel overwhelming. But zooming in, to one field in Nottinghamshire, the expansion of plant and animal species we have witnessed over the last few years shows that wildlife does return. There are small scale solutions which are inspiring and amazing. And those ecosystems that are building at The Field - hedgerows, ponds, wildflower patches and diverse trees, really matter.

Matty’s philosophy which inspires him in his pursuit to engage people in The Field, is that people cannot care for something they do not know. The location of The Field is unique. Being such a large site so close to the Strelley estate, we are trying our best to bring the outdoors to those who need it most. School groups particularly, have loved running through the long grass, trying to spot wildlife, planting trees and scribbling chalk drawings on the concrete at the top. It’s an important experience for a lot of young people, and adults, to learn about the importance of biodiversity in a place where it actually exists.

The Field hasn’t only given us hope and an education about the benefits of wildlife and ecosystems, but it has brought hope about human connection too. Our society is too isolated, and if you can, volunteering with a project like this, meeting others, giving and receiving, is a rebellion from that - which brings a whole other layer of fulfilment.

What to expect from The Field this year

As the days get lighter, it’s exciting to restart some projects from last summer, and to imagine some new ones, like the beginning of a herb and pollinator garden, made from pre-loved items turned into planters. This year we have also been lucky enough to have Helene from Canopy 2050 come on board to host and provide her expertise in growing to the GarDINEing sessions. 

There’s always trees to plant, and those who plant trees will likely be invited by Keith to ‘come back in 200 years time to see how their tree is doing’. Of course, you don’t have to wait to become a ghost to visit your tree, you’re welcome to come whenever you like to check in on your tree, spot some insects, or simply wander around and watch one of The Field’s fantastic sunsets.

It’s amazing how much can be achieved with just a couple of hours a week. GarDINEing hasn’t yet been going for a year, but the Field has transformed. Ultimately, it’s still a baby project compared to more established community gardens or wilding sites around Nottinghamshire. But it's heartening to think that all those trees that have been planted are establishing their roots and growing their buds for spring. The trees will only be getting bigger and the field will be getting better for wildlife every day.

Visit a GarDINEing session

GarDINEing sessions are currently every Monday from 4pm. Occasionally we have to cancel due to the weather, so please contact us or check our social media for updates. Directions to the site can be found on our website. 

The food is always vegetarian and explores cuisines from around the world - that can be cooked in one pot and are usually accompanied by bread - also baked on the fire by star bread baker Matty. 

This is an open project, anyone is welcome to visit The Field. We just have one rule for dog owners: most dogs are (unnecessarily) on continuous, very toxic flea treatments which mean their wee, poo and fur can be very environmentally damaging, especially to the biodiversity in the pond. So we ask that dogs are not allowed in the pond, and all dog poo must be collected.

We try to be as accessible as possible, but if you have any questions please give us an email or message us on Instagram.

See you on a Monday soon!