Sustainable Warminster has had another energetic and purposeful year, marked by growing community engagement, stronger partnerships, and a continued commitment to practical activities that help local people take meaningful steps toward a greener, more resilient town.
Communications
Our bi‑weekly column in the Warminster Journal continues, helping us share updates, highlight and challenge local environmental issues, and celebrate the town.
Member communications continue, and we seek to strengthen them with a new strategy following the evaluation of a community survey, “How Can We Serve Warminster Better?” as well as clearer email updates and more opportunities for residents to connect with our work.
Events
This year saw another year of events aimed at supporting residents to take local action, celebrate sustainability and nature, and strengthen community ties.
Green Drinks continues to provide a relaxed, bi-monthly opportunity for members to meet, connect and share ideas.
January
Wassail at Warminster Community Orchard: A traditional community celebration at the orchard, bringing residents together to celebrate local food growing, biodiversity and community stewardship of green spaces.
February
Fundraising quiz night: Sustainable Warminster: An evening of fun, with prizes and a raffle. The event helped us raise some extra funds for Sustainable Warminster.
Toad Party: We celebrated our amphibian friends with craft activities, games, and cakes. The event helped us raise a substantial amount for the Toad Patrol.
March
Great British Spring Clean 2026: Took place on 14 March and was delivered jointly with Warminster Town Council, bringing residents together for a community litter-pick across the town.
April
Reducing Light Pollution – Dark Skies Talk: With the Cranborne Chase National Landscape team.
Sustainable Living Fair: Hosted by Sustainable Warminster, the event brought together a wide range of community organisations offering practical guidance on home energy efficiency, reducing bills, living well, and making more sustainable choices.
May
Country Comes to Town: Hosted by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust at Warminster Lake Pleasure Grounds and Smallbrook Meadows Nature Reserve. The free family event celebrated local wildlife through guided walks, nature activities, conservation demonstrations and opportunities to learn how to take action for nature. Sustainable Warminster and Toad Patrol were in attendance.
Health and Wellbeing Fair: Hosted by Health and Wellbeing Warminster, Sustainable Warminster joined more than 40 organisations at this community event, engaging with residents and sharing practical advice on sustainable living.
June
Screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing: In collaboration with Jen Gale, Sustainable-ish and Warminster Athenaeum, this community-focused event screened a documentary on the UK’s climate and nature crisis.
September
People’s Emergency Briefing Follow-up Meeting: A discussion event that enabled residents to explore climate and environmental issues in greater depth and consider practical local responses.
Campaigns & Projects
Toad Patrol
Toad numbers were significantly lower during this year’s main migration season, although the reasons remain unclear. The group hopes numbers will recover to more sustainable levels next breeding season.
Toadlets have begun emerging following the wet weather, but numbers remain low, and many have sadly been killed by traffic on Smallbrook Road.
Toad Patrol has been in discussions with Cranborne Chase and Longbridge Deverill Parish Council regarding toads at Shearwater and continues to support local residents in establishing a patrol there.
The group has delivered talks to local organisations and hopes to encourage Dexter, its Youth Ambassador, to give further presentations, particularly in schools.
Toad Patrol has received significant media coverage, including national television exposure, and was named a finalist in BBC Wiltshire’s ‘Make a Difference Awards’, receiving a Highly Commended trophy.
Warminster Plan Bee
It has been a relatively quiet year for Plan Bee, with numbers of rare bees remaining low, compounded by the heatwave.
Plan Bee has continued working with farmers on the edge of Salisbury Plain to encourage positive land management beneficial to the local biodiversity and has spoken with Natural England about expanding areas of chalk grassland.
Plan Bee attended Imber Bus Day to raise awareness of its work and has begun working on the Baptist graveyard at Imber, managed by the Diocese of Salisbury. Ten experimental field scabious plug plants have been introduced, with the aim of increasing planting in the future.
Closer to home, Plan Bee is working with Warminster Town Council and residents of Jubilee Gardens to introduce more wildflowers and improve habitat connectivity between Salisbury Plain and Cley Hill, including making use of existing barriers and bunds for chalk wildflowers.
Rivers & Waterways
The Rivers Working Group has been established, with river monitoring carried out through the Great UK WaterBlitz. Nitrate and phosphate levels are tested in both spring and autumn. They are due to be done again between 18-21 September 2026.
Partnerships & Collaboration
We remain grateful for the support of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Froglife, the MOD, the Community Orchard, Warminster Town Council and many other local partners. These relationships are essential to delivering meaningful, place‑based activities.
Membership continues to rise, with new volunteers joining. A big thanks to the committee members – their enthusiasm and commitment underpin everything we do.
Looking Ahead to 2026–2027
Our priorities for the coming year include:
- Developing the Rivers and Waterways subgroup into a recognised local voice for river health.
- Increasing youth engagement, particularly through events and partnerships with local schools.
- Continuing to improve communication, ensuring members and residents feel informed and supported to live more sustainable lives and challenge environmental issues.
Signed: Co-Chairs, Sustainable Warminster 2025–2026