Sustainable Ashprington

The parish of Ashprington is home to its very own community sustainability group – Sustainable Ashprington – that forms part of the wider Sustainable South Hams network working to connect, support and inspire local nature and climate action. Open to all and overseen by a dedicated committee, the group launched on 22nd September 2022 at a public event at Ashprington Village Hall. The open meeting was attended by over thirty parishioners who together explored potential future priorities, activities and interests going forward.

At its core, the Sustainable Ashprington group aims to both celebrate existing sustainable initiatives across the parish and encourage and develop new actions to promote nature and biodiversity and green energy within the local community.  As well as developing an active Sustainable Ashprington Facebook Group, in response to learnings from its launch event, the group has since organised a wide variety of activities, including:

•  A visit to the Sharpham House walled garden on 6th October 2022
• A Stay Warm and Save Energy This Winter practical advice session on 30th November 2022
• A Gardening for Wildlife and People talk and Q&A with Frances Tophill of Garderners’ World on 15th February 2023
• A visit to Martin Crwaford’s Forest Garden site at Broadhempston in September 2023
• Bat monitoring and a bat talk from Devon County Council Principal Ecologist Tom Whitlock in November 2023

“Yesterday a group of villagers from Ashprington parish visited the walled garden at Sharpham House. They spent nearly two hours talking to the gardeners Frances and Chloe, and covered topics such as “no dig” gardening, composting, crop rotation, gardening with wildlife in mind, including leaving scruffy corners with some weeds and seed heads for the birds. They also had a tour of the wider grounds and the extensive orchard. The weather was great and the atmosphere was very relaxed but informative. A big thanks to our hosts for the invitation – it was hugely enjoyable!”