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EVENTS

Field Trips

Come along and join us for an enjoyable trip. You do not have to be an expert as everyone has varying degrees of knowledge and interests. Bring along a packed lunch if you plan to stay for the day, a drink, suitable clothing and footwear (check with the leader to find out if wellies will be needed).

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Coach Trips

Unless stated otherwise you do not need to book for most field trips and there is no charge. One exception is the coach trip. For coach trips please email Pascale Genevois to book a seat.

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Indoor Meetings (Sep-April)

Our talks are free to members and non members alike, but donations are accepted for refreshments. Unless otherwise stated all indoor meetings are held at the Cardinal Bourne Hall in Priory Street, Colchester [see map] and usually start at 8.00pm. The Hall is situated at the East Hill end of Priory Street with car parking almost opposite by the Roman Wall at the cost of £2.

 

Please remember there are special events such as the Christmas Social in December & AGM in January each year which start earlier. Don’t get caught out!

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  • The Christmas Social
    The Christmas Social
    Sat, 16 Dec
    Colchester
    16 Dec 2023, 19:30 – 22:00
    Colchester, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    Being held at The Old Heath Community Centre. A chance to meet fellow CNHS members and the committee for an evening of food, drink, talk and of course - the raffle!
  • Mid winter bird walk at Abberton Reservoir led by Dougal Urquhart
    Mid winter bird walk at Abberton Reservoir led by Dougal Urquhart
    Sun, 21 Jan
    Essex Wildlife Trust, Abberton Reservoir
    21 Jan 2024, 10:00 – 13:00
    Essex Wildlife Trust, Abberton Reservoir, The Rows, Church Rd, Layer de la Haye, Colchester CO2 0EU, UK
    Join Dougal for a mid-winter visit to Essex Wildlife Trust's Abberton reservoir reserve in search of winter wildfowl such as Smew and Goosander, hopefully some Bewick’s Swans too. £2 donation will be requested from non-members of EWT or CNHS.
  • CNHS Annual General Meeting (AGM)
    CNHS Annual General Meeting (AGM)
    Tue, 30 Jan
    Colchester
    30 Jan 2024, 19:30 – 21:30
    Colchester, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    Your chance to hear what members of the Society been been getting up to during the past year, including reports on plants, birds, mammals and a range of insects.
  • TALK - Sven Wair - ‘Botany in the Built Environment’
    TALK - Sven Wair - ‘Botany in the Built Environment’
    Tue, 27 Feb
    Old Heath Community Centre
    27 Feb 2024, 19:30 – 21:30
    Old Heath Community Centre, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    Sven Wair, the Society Secretary, will explore the ways in which plant life occupies and colonises the spaces and structures that we create around us.
  • Stour Estuary walk, Mistley
    Stour Estuary walk, Mistley
    Sat, 09 Mar
    Mistley
    09 Mar 2024, 10:15 – 14:00
    Mistley, High St, Mistley, Manningtree CO11 1HE, UK
    The walk will follow part of the route described by Russell Leavett in ‘Self-guided Walks’ in the ‘Members Only’ section of our Website. At this time of the year estuary birds will be in good numbers, ranging from Goldeneye, Red-breasted Mergansers, through to Pintail and Brent Geese.
  • TALK - Ted Benton, The Wild Bees - Diversity, Behaviour and Ecology
    TALK - Ted Benton, The Wild Bees - Diversity, Behaviour and Ecology
    Tue, 26 Mar
    Old Heath Community Centre
    26 Mar 2024, 19:30 – 21:30
    Old Heath Community Centre, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    The importance of urban habitats, including gardens, will be discussed alongside how to attract bees to the garden with videos of intriguing behaviour.
  • Members Annual Presentation Evening
    Members Annual Presentation Evening
    Tue, 30 Apr
    Old Heath Community Centre
    30 Apr 2024, 19:30 – 21:30
    Old Heath Community Centre, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    You are invited to present a short illustrated presentation on any wildlife subject of your choice - this could be showing a selection of photographs on a particular subject, tor you might wish to update members on a project that you are working on.
  • TALK - Dougal Urquhart – ‘Moths of North-East Essex’
    TALK - Dougal Urquhart – ‘Moths of North-East Essex’
    Tue, 28 Nov
    Old Heath Community Centre
    28 Nov 2023, 19:30 – 21:30
    Old Heath Community Centre, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    Insights into the species most in decline, those on the increase, possible reasons for these changes, conservation action needed, as well as describing the current mothing scene in North-East Essex
  • Winter birds of the Colne Estuary walk - Booking Required
    Winter birds of the Colne Estuary walk - Booking Required
    Sat, 18 Nov
    Wivenhoe
    18 Nov 2023, 09:30
    Wivenhoe, Walter Radcliffe Rd, Wivenhoe, Colchester CO7 9WS, UK
    To book please contact Michael Padmore on 07936 325603. The Colne Estuary is a SSSI of international importance for wintering Brent Geese and supports large numbers of Avocets and Black-tailed Godwits along with a good range of other waterbirds.
  • ONLINE EVENT - Ghost ponds talk and film
    ONLINE EVENT - Ghost ponds talk and film
    Tue, 14 Nov
    ZOOM event
    14 Nov 2023, 19:30 – 21:00
    ZOOM event
    Professor Carl Sayer of the Norfolk Ponds Project gives his lively talk followed by the film Ghost Ponds which Film Director Amanda Sosnowski has given us permission to show. Book your FREE ticket now.
  • Fungi Foray at Chanterelle car park area of High Woods Country Park - Booking Required
    Fungi Foray at Chanterelle car park area of High Woods Country Park - Booking Required
    Sat, 11 Nov
    Chanterelle Car Park, Highwoods CP
    11 Nov 2023, 13:30 – 15:30
    Chanterelle Car Park, Highwoods CP, Chanterelle, Highwoods, Colchester CO4 9RY, UK
    Join fungi expert Sarah Manning on this stroll around the woods in the vicinity of the Chanterelle car park area of High Woods Country Park discovering the fascinating mushrooms and toadstools that grow here. Book ith Sarah on 07702 607898.
  • Fungi Foray at Hazeleigh Wood - Booking essential
    Fungi Foray at Hazeleigh Wood - Booking essential
    Sun, 05 Nov
    Hazeleigh Wood
    05 Nov 2023, 10:00 – 15:00
    Hazeleigh Wood, Woodham Mortimer, Maldon CM9 6GT, UK
    Contact Sarah Manning on 07702 607898 to book and for further information, especially regarding footwear and the nature of the site at the time.
  • TALK - Rob Smith - ‘Wildlife of Middlewick Ranges’
    TALK - Rob Smith - ‘Wildlife of Middlewick Ranges’
    Tue, 31 Oct
    Old Heath Community Centre
    31 Oct 2023, 19:30 – 21:30
    Old Heath Community Centre, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    Rob will describe why the site is so special and will tell us about some of the scarce and notable species that have been found on the Ranges.
  • Fungus Foray at Humberlands, Parrington’s Farm, Harwich Road, Lawford
    Fungus Foray at Humberlands, Parrington’s Farm, Harwich Road, Lawford
    Sun, 29 Oct
    Humberlands (W3W hazy.microfilm.vets)
    29 Oct 2023, 10:00
    Humberlands (W3W hazy.microfilm.vets) , Harwich Rd, Lawford, UK
    Join fungi expert Sarah Manning for a walk around this interesting site with a wide variety of habitats. Booking essential on lizc@cnhs.uk or 01206 394184.
  • Fungi Foray at High Woods - Visitor Centre
    Fungi Foray at High Woods - Visitor Centre
    Sat, 28 Oct
    Colchester
    28 Oct 2023, 13:30 – 15:30 BST
    Colchester, 174 Turner Rd, Colchester CO4 5JR, UK
    Join the Society fungi recorder, Sarah Manning, for a stroll around the Country Park close to the Visitor Centre. Contact Sarah on 07702 607898 to book and for further information.
  • Fungi Foray at Wivenhoe Wood led by Sarah Manning
    Fungi Foray at Wivenhoe Wood led by Sarah Manning
    Sat, 14 Oct
    Wivenhoe Woods
    14 Oct 2023, 13:30 BST – 15 Oct 2023, 15:30 BST
    Wivenhoe Woods, Rosabelle Ave, Wivenhoe, Colchester CO7 9PA, UK
    Meet Sarah at the free car park in Rosabelle Avenue, Wivenhoe, CO7 9PA (TM035223) for approximately a one mile walk around the wood.
  • TALK - Sarah Manning - ‘An Introduction to Fungi’
    TALK - Sarah Manning - ‘An Introduction to Fungi’
    Tue, 26 Sept
    Old Heath Community Centre
    26 Sept 2023, 19:30 – 21:30
    Old Heath Community Centre, D'Arcy Rd, Colchester CO2 8BB, UK
    An introduction to the fascinating yet relatively poorly understood kingdom of fungi, exploring what they are, what they do, and why they're vital to the planet and everything on it.
  • A Wildlife Walk through Gosbecks Archeological Park, Colchester
    A Wildlife Walk through Gosbecks Archeological Park, Colchester
    Sun, 24 Sept
    Gosbeck's Archeological Park
    24 Sept 2023, 10:00 – 12:00
    Gosbeck's Archeological Park, Stanway, Colchester CO3 0SJ, UK
    Join the Ranger to discover what wildlife can be seen across the conservation grassland side of this site. We will be discovering what wildlife is using the site at this time of year along with identifying some of the flora in the grassland.

Your health and safety

As part of our insurance requirements we do occasionally have to review our procedures at events to ensure that we not only look after our members, but ensure that the committee and walk leaders are not left open to malicious prosecution for accidents that can occasionally occur. The committee is now required to provide Risk Assessments as part of that insurance. This should not affect anyone coming out with us or attending an event, but you may be asked to listen to a short safety talk before setting off. A common sense approach to safety is encouraged to avoid the need for more prescriptive health and safety regulations that could affect our ability to do the activities we have enjoyed since the Society was formed in 1953.

 

First aiders

Some of us are already trained as first aiders by the organisations for which we work, however it is not a requirement for CNHS to provide a qualified first aider for walks. Despite this, the committee feels it would be sensible to provide a portable first aid kit so all walk leaders will carry  one with them.  Members are still advised to take sensible precautions to ensure their own safety when attending organised events.

 

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