The Friends Of Sheepwash Local Nature Reserve

24/05/2026

A nice butterfly for sheepwash- green-hairstreak.

11/05/2026

With the recent election results and change of control in Sandwell Council, it can only be hoped that Sheepwash will start to be valued as it was when it was first created. Let's be quite honest here, there are many council officer middle managers that need the exit door and quickly, preferably with a top capped boot down a flight of stairs. The ASB team are worse than useless and that goes for parks as well. Some things that are needed to be done by the new Reform administration are.
1 A complete reset with Friends groups and a return to regular meetings to discuss issues.
2. A formal contract that officers will respond to emails within a certain time and update on things reported.
3. Employ at least two more countryside rangers, two is not enough and you can see that in the deterioration on Sheepwash in the last 15 years. Very little management and no management plan and a tendency to hire in the usual go too contractors- HFN.
4. Terminate the contract with Serco.
5. A full audit of entrances to Sheepwash and secure the site from misuse.
6. Oppose the Sandwell Local Plan designation of housing allocation rear of Sheepwash/Temple Way. Instead reclassify this as strategic open space and recognise the unique biodiversity in this area.
7. Stop prioritising green flag parks in terms of maintenance and management.

26/04/2026

There has been recent persistent criminal damage to gates on Sheepwash, particularly in John's Lane by the usual gimp mask wearing tossers who like tailgaiting cars down the A461. Bikes and illegal electric bikes have been reported multiple times to Sandwell council and West Midlands police, as are bikes that have been stolen and stashed on here. They have yet to take any proactive action available to them such as pursuit, arrests, use of drones, off road force bikes and in the council case threat of eviction if they are council tenants. In other areas like Solihull it appears there are no limits to expense spared, but in the case of TNT we have the very worst neighbourhood team who do absolutely nothing to improve law abiding people's way of life. They are only interested in "moving on" the issues, but do however find time to pose for photo ops with the Labour councillors when they are out campaigning. 💩A council ranger for some reason decided to lock up one gate with a chain and padlock, and this had nothing to do with us. This was again cut as well as stolen. The consequences of these bikes being driven in the way that they are, and gates being left open represent a serious public risk seen in other open spaces not a million miles away. See comment. Sandwell asb team in Tipton delay tackling this problem and encourage it with their apathy.

21/04/2026

Just a warning folks. After a mammoth clean up at the weekend, it looks like sheepwash has another ju**ie leaving s**t behind in the same area. A "needle stick" was a new one on me I have to say, but dangerous if someone should pick it up. The EPSO's are aware and also who it is. We want habitat on Sheepwash, not habit tat.

19/04/2026

A big thank you to Andy Dangerfield, Litterwatch, Sandwell Lions club and all volunteers who shifted the mountain that Sandwell council couldn't! There will be several pictures shared elsewhere of this, but this one is about the rubbish itself. Much of this was fly tipped by one household over a back garden fence onto Sheepwash and has been there years. It was pointed out to council officers who took GPS locations, councillors and others and it has just sat there for all that time. Not to take away from volunteer time and effort, but what are this council actually doing for Sheepwash?

01/04/2026

Has the time come to ask the question, "should this station just be shut down permanently?" Is it needed between Tipton and Oldbury, and why is it the most depressing place on Earth and why are so many people ending their lives here? Great Bridge and Dudley Port are a wasteland of bad ideas and political failure. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport/dead-body-tracks-dudley-port-train-station-6532553?fbclid=IwY2xjawQ6Lv9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETBnSVBTckhkQk85cWFkYmZPc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjNJMQhDDgcE3FGNFsbm4sYcuij0vajRWzByYxGSG6YxeODsfPk7S1Benp49_aem_kqKTkc9Np0fEK1itRaG0bw

A person’s body has been found on the tracks at Dudley Port train station this afternoon (April 1).

27/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/sheepwashwombles/posts/pfbid0tRPqvvUfY3ezwaeAATw3txyE6G4qwKdjaSpzoBgWbDdodmTuUDgx44YgAXkXApedl

We have an embryonic plan for a volunteer crew to clean up sheepwash nature reserve, please get in touch with ‘bella womble’ in the ‘sheepwash wombles’ if you might be interested in helping out.

The first priority for a group litter pick will probably be the John’s Lane entrance.

Thank you. Woof!

16/03/2026

https://www.facebook.com/rattlechainlagoonWLB/posts/pfbid0fxRBfyBDyP9AruPHZWhZNDCLmgyMGk3yckFmyar12sxAaJ8x3vzMiZuywLT4D5Uul

In the last post we were in the dark somewhat concerning the change of permit number that was added last year to the gates down John’s Lane.

25/02/2026

🐂💩Weeks after reporting blockages caused by fly tipping trees into the River Tame, the useless Environment Agency have failed to do anything. Stop conning us with these lies. https://www.expressandstar.com/news/environment/2026/02/25/green-groups-warn-of-rising-flood-threat-with-800000-more-homes-at-high-risk/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQMMHBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETAyMWg5WlFLTU5aT0NXcEROc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHr2vmzUbCy0yY1K26CYuoytexyfQ49UGIHnt1mITzYh2NeO5RAB-xGUPhNnE_aem_rVo48EvWEufAl3ZQBArl-A

More than 800,000 homes could be at high risk of severe flooding by 2080, an analysis has found, as green groups warn of the growing climate change impacts facing UK households.

22/02/2026

Try Whitehall Road.🧐
https://www.facebook.com/theblackcountrylive/posts/pfbid0pni8ns65c87K5tqAasahkez5kq5SArG9aAomhhBJmQgWxrepqYdwr3ezAGyYiTRol

Live walked with a woman with sight problems and a second in a wheelchair to discover the problems they faced