This ecological masterpiece is the result of 10 years' hard work by volunteers from the Friends of has consented to the demolition and replacement of Graves Park who have sought funding and provided the labour to transform a previously derelict part of Graves Park into a haven for wildlife.

Last year The Big Lottery, in conjunction with the BBC Spring Watch programme, donated £10,000 which has allowed the project to be completed.

Now the pond is filling with water from a spring and providing a haven for newts, frogs and other pondlife.

Over 100 species of plants have also been noted in the meadow, along with more than 20 species of butterfly.

The area is extremely tranquil and attracts many species of birds not normally found in Graves Park. Rabbits, foxes and other mammals are also regularly spotted.

What makes the achievements of the volunteers more remarkable is that this is part of the area of Graves Park where St Luke's wanted to build their new hospice, claiming that the area was not even parkland.
Hopefully all this is now history as plans have been finalised to extend the meadows by around three acres, taking in more of the land once occupied by greenhouses.