Get involved and Join the Friends of Brandy Hole Copse

If you would like to help to fund the voluntary work of the Friends of Brandy Hole Copse to maintain Chichester’s first Local Nature Reserve then please print off a copy of the following membership form. Download a form by clicking here.

This lovely local amenity is maintained and improved by a small group of volunteers who work for the benefit of the whole community of Chichester.

If you have not visited the Copse, why not come and see what a special area it is.

The Copse offers local residents:

• A place to walk and enjoy peace and quiet
• A place to study our rich flora and fauna
• Significant archaeological remains
• A resource for families, local schools and the community

The FRIENDS OF BRANDY HOLE COPSE desperately needs your support and the backing of the people of Chichester to survive and to ensure that their work to protect and conserve the Copse as a Local Nature Reserve can continue.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

• Become a member of the Group
• Make a donation to the work of the Group
• Offer a small amount of your time to help out as:
  • conservation worker
  • helping with raising public awareness of the Copse
  • helping with membership recruitment
  • acting as an occasional warden
  • anything else you feel able to do

For more information, please  find our contact details by clicking on contact us

Voluntary Warden Scheme

The Conservation Group encourages members and other volunteers to act as volunteer wardens. The aim of this scheme is to have a number of people who visit the copse from time to time to keep an eye on things and to report back any issues of interest or concern to the group. They are thee eyes and ears of the Group. These guidelines are to help voluntary wardens to know how the scheme works and what action to take to report issues to the conservation group.

• Voluntary Wardens agree to visit the copse on a regular basis. The frequency of the visits is a matter for the individual to determine and to notify the Group. Once a week would be very helpful, but if individual wardens want to agree a more or less frequent arrangement, that is still very helpful. Occasional visits are still very important.
• Wardens should report back to the Secretary or Chairman the following types of issues:
  • damage to trees, fences etc. in the Copse
  • acts of vandalism
  • fires (urgently)
  • unacceptable conduct by members of the public (and dogs)
  • interesting observations of wildlife
  • ideas on maintenance required to the Copse
  • incidents of cycling in the Copse (which is not permitted)
  • issues raised by members of the public visiting the Copse
  • any other information that may be helpful to the Group
• Leaflets about the Copse are normally available from the leaflet boxes within the Copse. However, Wardens may wish to carry a supply of these to give out to interested visitor. These are available from the Secretary.
• Carrying a mobile phone in case of emergencies is useful, if you have one.
• Wardens should deal with the public in a courteous and friendly manner. You must avoid getting into confrontational situations with visitors. It is appropriate to ask politely what someone is doing if, for example, their activities seem suspicious. Most people will react reasonably to this. However, if confrontational situations develop, you must withdraw and report the issue to the group or, in extreme cases, the police.
• People do, unfortunately, light fires in the Copse. Do not attempt to put these out on your own. If they are minor they will probably extinguish themselves in time. However, if in doubt contact the Group or in more serious cases, phone the fire brigade.
• We suggest you read the booklet on the history and natural history of the Copse (available from the Secretary) to ensure you can answer routine questions from the public. However, if you can’t answer specific questions, do not worry. Refer them back to us and we will make sure that the person asking the question is provided with an answer. You can’t be an expert on everything (and many of us are not experts on anything!).
• Enjoy your time as a warden in the Copse. Much of this work will be enjoyable, relaxing and pleasant. It is important that people realise that we do have a regular presence in the Copse and that the area is being conserved and protected.

For more information, please contact us

Friends of Brandy Hole Copse Chairman: Tony Dignum

Address:

Highgate House
West Broyle Drive
Chichester
PO19 3PP

Tel: 01243 538585

email: brandyhole@btinternet.com

Queen of Spain Fritillary seen in the copse

Report by Mike Perry

Wandered through Brandy Hole Copse today – hoping to see some butterfles. Only saw one – but what a butterfly! A Queen of Spain Fritillary resting on a fleabane flower. A migrant, the QoS is a real rarity – a preliminary check of Sussex records suggests it was last seen here in 1969 so it’s a bit special.

One up to Brandy Hole – knocks all those Silver-washed Fritillaries into a cocked hat!

Images of Brandy Hole’s very own Queen of Spain Fritillary.

The Copse never ceases to amaze me!

The County Lepidopterist Colin Pratt has now confirmed the identification. He also says that no Queen of Spain was found in Sussex from 1969 to 2007 when one was found in Storrington and there were two unconfirmed reports from Kingley Vale. If numbers are increasing we may not have to wait 50 years to see the next one!

See the UK Butterflies website for more details and pictures of this butterfly.