Heavens Valley Action Group

28/05/2026

This dry stone walling course looks really interesting.

Dry Stone Walling Taster Weekend

Saturday 13 June

Sunday 14 June

10am – 3pm

Amberley

Dry stone waller Kirsty Donnelly will teach participants how to create a dry stone wall that will endure for decades. You’ll learn how to stand and move to stay safe; how to select pieces of stone; and how to place them for optimum strength and sustainability.

You’ll finish the weekend with an understanding of the basics of dry stone walling and the confidence to undertake a small project of your own, if you wish.

Kirsty will be assisted by James Randolph Rogers (jamesrandolphrogers.co.uk).

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Please note: this event will take place on uneven ground, and you will need to be able to lift and turn with ease.

If you’d like to buy this workshop as a gift for someone, please email [email protected] and we can arrange a gift card.

Tickets are £150 for the two sessions. To book your place, visit https://www.stroudvalleysproject.org/events/dry-stone-walling-taster-weekend-1

28/05/2026

Fire warning ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
PLEASE…
If you are planning to have a fire in the Heavens Valley, use ONLY the clearly marked existing firepits.
We would obviously prefer that people do not make fires at all during hot, dry spells, but if you really must, under no circumstances start a new fire area on grassland or under trees where the branches are already becoming dry and brittle.
Any fire MUST be attended at all times and extinguished before you leave.
Thank you for helping to keep our valley safe for everyone and for nature and wildlife.

25/05/2026

Still a few spaces left on the next Qigong event!

Qigong in the Heavens Valley – The Heavens Valley - Bowbridge Lane entrance, Sat 6 Jun 2026 - We are delighted to offer you another opportunity to join a gentle yet uplifting Qigong session with Clare Ballard in Heavens Valley. Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice designed to cultivate health, ba...

24/05/2026

Just a reminder that you can easily raise money for the ongoing care of the valley every time you shop online.
Over 8,000 retailers (including major supermarkets, travel companies, and insurance providers) will make a small donation to us every time you shop if you sign up to eeasyfundraising.org.ukat https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/heavens-valley-cbs
Of course, we still encourage everyone to support our brilliant local businesses in Stroud. But when you do need to buy online, doing it through easyfundraising means a lot of small donations that really add up.
Thank you!

Help us when you shop with 7,000+ brands. Join now.

21/05/2026

Ooh, the finalists in our category of “Best Community Project or Group” in the annual Stroud News & Journal Community Awards have been named:

Angel Project
Heavens Valley Community Benefit Society
Stroud Sea Cadets

We’re sure the other finalists are brilliant too, but we’d like to think that for sheer numbers of supporters and the involvement of hundreds of local residents in bringing the Heavens into community ownership we would be a worthy winner. Everything crossed for the awards night on June 18!🤞

THE finalists for the 2026 Stroud News and Journal Community Awards have officially been announced.

20/05/2026

Another opportunity to join a gentle yet uplifting Qigong session in the valley, on Saturday June 6 from 10.30 to noon.
Instructor Clare Ballard will guide participants through this ancient Chinese practice designed to cultivate health, balance and wellbeing. The session is suitable for all abilities, including beginners.
Tickets cost £10, with a 'pay it forward' option of £15. There are 15 spaces available.

Qigong in the Heavens Valley – The Heavens Valley - Bowbridge Lane entrance, Sat 6 Jun 2026 - We are delighted to offer you another opportunity to join a gentle yet uplifting Qigong session with Clare Ballard in Heavens Valley. Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice designed to cultivate health, ba...

20/05/2026

Meet the marvellous moths of the Heavens! 🦋

We’re holding a midsummer moth-spotting event on June 21. Local lepidopterists Wendy Milner and Charlotte Schofield will be revealing the contents of two moth traps, part of our research into the valley's wildlife. All moths will be released unharmed once they’ve been identified and counted.
We could see species such as the Elephant Hawk-Moth and Lilac Beauty, the Leopard Moth or the Burnished Brass. The picture is a taster of what you might see: it shows some of the beautiful moths that were trapped recently (and released the next morning).
Tickets cost £6 (free for under-16s). Click on the link to book tickets.
A ticket would make a lovely gift for Father's Day, which is the same day.
https://buytickets.at/heavensvalleycbs/2223493

12/05/2026

With keen photographers among the people who visit the valley, many will be interested in this competition! Categories include Wild Places and Species Spotlight, and there's a separate category for under-18 photographers.

The bigger picture - our Wild Places category shows off the county’s incredible habitats.

Whether you’re a passionate photographer or want to try a new hobby – we encourage submissions from everybody.

👉 https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/photography-competition-2026

📷Sally Ann Rhodes

12/05/2026

Heavens Valley community picnic 🌿
A lovely afternoon spent together in the valley on Sunday with people from different generations coming together to share food, conversation and music. We broke bread, listened to folk music by the stream, paddled in the water, and enjoyed the beauty of the Heavens Valley in the spring sunshine.
A reminder of the value of simple moments, shared spaces, and community. 🌼🎻💧

12/05/2026

Congratulations to HVCBS director Karen Thomas, for being named one of three Parish Community Champions by Brimscombe & Thrupp Parish Council at its Annual Assembly last week.
The well-deserved accolade recognised Karen’s tireless work since the start of the campaign to bring the Heavens Valley into public ownership. She has been active both in vital and time-consuming administrative roles behind the scenes and in a public-facing role, organising events and fundraising, and with various TV and radio appearances promoting the campaign.
It was lovely to hear the council acclaim the HVCBS for its incredible achievement of buying and protecting this land for the community.
Karen said: “I’m very grateful for the recognition. It feels a real privilege to work alongside such a committed team, and to be part of the wonderful community whose support and determination made the purchase possible.”

Pictured: Karen being interviewed by the BBC, and (left) at last year’s SNJ Community Awards, with fellow director Sue Fenton, when the HVCBS was a finalist.