Residents in the Somer Valley are being offered the chance to play their part in helping to improve biodiversity at five green spaces in the area.

A call is going out for habitat management volunteers to join Somer Valley Rediscovered, a project to increase biodiversity and connect communities to their landscapes.

Part of this is a Green Spaces project which includes Waterside Valley, Haydon Batch, Midsomer Norton Town Park, Wellow Brook Walk and Staddlestones Park.

Ahead of volunteering sessions starting in January, residents are invited to a volunteer taster session on December 13 in Midsomer Norton Town Park from 11am until 2.30pm to find out more about the project, see the impact volunteers have already made and meet the team.

The sessions will include activities to manage grassland and woodland areas, selective scrub removal to support diverse habitats, improvements to footpaths and activities to encourage wildlife into green spaces. Somer Valley Rediscovered is working with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) to deliver the sessions.

Somer Valley Rediscovered is led by Bath & North East Somerset Council, Wessex Water, Natural England and the University of Bath. It aims to make the Somer Valley an area of high biodiversity, resilient to climate change and a place where a vibrant and thriving community lives with a strong connection to nature.

Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy Leader and cabinet member for Climate Emergency and Sustainable Travel, said: "Somer Valley Rediscovered is about conserving the beautiful landscape in the area and giving people more chances to benefit from local heritage and nature. It is very much a community project, so if you'd like to get involved in improving these five important green spaces, come and find out how you could become a habitat management volunteer at our taster session."

Anyone wishing to volunteer can drop into the taster session on December 13, visit www.somervalleyrediscovered.co.uk/somer-valley/get-involved/ or contact the Somer Valley Rediscovered Volunteer Coordinator, Emma Carlisle via email: [email protected] or phone: 01225 477593.