Why Support Us

The Friends of Wakering Common were formed as a direct result of the Great Wakering Parish Council not renewing the lease on the Great Wakering Common and allowing the Common to become overgrown and neglected. After reaching agreement with the landowner in November 2017, the FoWC entered into a management agreement to "manage" the Common to ensure that the Common was usable and accessible by the Public.

Many parts of the Common were not safely accessible and required reclaiming before the public could use these parts of the Common.

In order to maintain the Common, working parties were organised, these were open to everyone, not just members. These were well supported with members / public attending and helping at these events.

Without continued support and maintenance, the Common will quickly return to the state shown below.

 


Entrance from Common road was completely overgrown and impassable due to nettles and overgrowth. To access the Common, users had to risk walking in the road, around a blind bend to get to a part of the Common which was not overgrown to gain access. The Friends aim to maintain the entrance as a safe, tidy and welcoming area for access to the Common.  
   
   

 


The Golden Jubilee Community Woods was completely overgrown and impassable. The children of Great Wakering Primary School planted the woods in 2002 and due to lack of upkeep there was no access. The friends have opened up the wood up to the public allowing access and a wooded path through the woods.  

 

  Path around the north side of the Common was completely overgrown and impassible. This path was a lovely sheltered walk which was lost due to lack of care and upkeep. The Friends have opened up this trail again giving users an alternative route around to the Common with intersections to the Jubliee Woods and the general Common area.
 

 


Another overgrown path was lost to nature. This short walk between the trees was often used and benefitted from trees either side, giving the feeling of a woodland path. Again due to lack of upkeep this was impassable. The Friends have created a wooded path which joins up with the North path to give alternative routes around the Jubelee Community Woods and to the main common area.

 

 

   

Miller's Pond - (privately owned). The pond is known to support wildlife including the Smooth and Great Crested Newts (which is a protected species). The animals and their eggs, breeding sites and resting places are protected by law.