Connecting the Community with Nature and AGM 2026

On Saturday 21st March 2026 the charity Histon & Impington Green Spaces held its third AGM during an afternoon event “Connecting the Community with Nature”.

A gallery of photos taken on the day is shown below.

The AGM is the opportunity for its Members to come together formally, to put questions to the Board and to elect new trustees. Katharine Holliday chaired the meeting.

The charity may have up to ten trustees. This year two trustees stood for re-election, Nick Bailey and Dave Dives, with one new candidate, Claire Wilson. All three were elected as trustees by the Members bringing the current total to seven. There’s more information about all the trustees here.

After the AGM the afternoon session got underway with Ian Ellis interviewing fellow trustee Dave Dives on his passion for botany and his thoughts on the flora of Long Meadow. Dave revealed that botany was a retirement hobby which had grown and grown! He explained the complexities of managing Long Meadow’s central grassland to encourage the ‘good guys’- wildflowers and fine grass species that do best with low nutrient levels - and reduce the ‘thugs’ – those coarse grasses that thrive on the current high nutrient levels in the meadow. He also answered audience questions about the Yellow Rattle trial that started last autumn.

Jon Pavey then introduced the Local Nature Recovery Strategy published last December. He summarised its objectives and relevance to enhancing nature in our area. Key to making this Strategy community focused is a new support project run by the County Council: ‘Nature Recovery: From the Ground Up’. Histon & Impington has been chosen as a pilot area because our community has been so active in promoting nature recovery. HIGS is already involved, keen to seize the opportunities available, and through recognising the Strategy’s potential influence on local development decisions.

Ian Ellis popped up again to briefly introduce our BioBlitz Day on Saturday 27th June – our big event for the year and not to be missed!

There was plenty of time during the afternoon to mingle and view the displays over tea and cake.

Katharine reflected on the afternoon: “I really enjoyed the event. It was relaxed and informative and everyone attending seemed to be really engaged.”.