Town Ranger with Bug Hotel in Wallwood

Search is on for a Town Ranger Apprentice

The search is on for an apprentice to work alongside Knutsford’s Town Ranger.

The Town Ranger Apprenticeship is being offered by Knutsford Town Council and will see the apprentice completing a Level 2 Horticultural Operative apprenticeship with Reaseheath College in Nantwich.  Applications for the role opened today (23rd May) and close on Friday 14th June.

An apprenticeship offers the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’. Apprentices spend 20% of the working week completing a formal qualification alongside learning on the job.

The Town Ranger Apprenticeship will help set the apprentice up for a career working outdoors in landscaping or grounds maintenance. The apprenticeship is initially for two years and in the first year the apprentice will earn £6.90 per hour.

The role will support the Town Ranger (and Cemetery Groundskeeper too) across a broad range of duties, from cutting grass and maintaining hedges, planting flowerbeds and maintaining barrier planters and keeping Knutsford clean and tidy with responsive maintenance.

Town Ranger Bob Garner has been with the council since 2018 and is looking forward to supporting the new apprentice.  “KTC offers so much variety and opportunity… plus you get to work with me” Bob said.

“It’s like community pay back but without wearing a tag, an opportunity to give something back to the community and be proud of what you achieved.

“If I can make one person’s life happier and easier today, that’s enough for me.”

The apprenticeship has been introduced to expand the Town Ranger service so the council can tackle more of the jobs that “somebody” should do across Knutsford, such as clearing overgrown paths and sweeping leaves in autumn.  The council chose an apprenticeship to enable it to do this whilst also offering someone the opportunity to build a career and develop a formal qualification and new skills.

The council is looking for someone who enjoys working outside, takes pride in their work and has a positive “can do” attitude.

An application form can be found online at www.knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/council/jobs

Town Ranger Bob Garner holding two bird boxes

Bird and Bat Boxes Installed

After opening a (bug) hotel last year Knutsford Town Council is now offering seasonal lodgings for birds and bats after installing 21 bird and bat boxes on its open spaces as part of its Nature Action Plan.

Boxes were installed on mature trees at the cemetery, Higher Town Green, Wallwood and the Obelisk green, the four open spaces which are managed by the town council.

The boxes were all made by the council’s Planning and Facilities Officer, Bob Allen, who volunteered his time to create them with his son. Bob’s role includes coordinating the work of the council’s Nature Action Plan and he is currently preparing plans for the council’s first major tree planting scheme in March.

Bob created a number of bat boxes and a range of bird boxes tailored for the demands of some of our most common feathered friends – great tits, sparrows, blue tits and robins.

Bob said, “I enjoyed making the boxes with some help from my son Edward and it is rewarding to see them up on our open spaces.”

“The next stage of our Nature Action Plan is to commence our ambitious tree planting programme and we hope to share details of the areas we’ll be covering this year very soon”

The boxes were installed by Knutsford’s Town Ranger, Bob Garner who will ensure they are cleared out each year to encourage new visitors the following season.

The Knutsford Nature Action Plan was adopted in March 2020 as part of the council’s commitment to tackling climate change and improving the town’s biodiversity and natural habitats. You can find out more about what Knutsford Town Council is doing for nature as part of the Nature Action Plan at www.kntusfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/natureactionplan

Town Ranger with Bug Hotel in Wallwood

Bug Hotel Opens in Wallwood

A new hotel has opened in Knutsford Town Centre – Bob’s Bug Hotel is now accepting bookings!

The bug hotel can be found in Wallwood and was created by Town Ranger Bob Garner as part of the town council’s Nature Action Plan and will soon be followed by a sister hotel on Higher Town Green.

Bug hotels provide a safe hideaway for wildlife and are made with an assortment of recycled materials, they are popular as nest sites for insects and solitary bees.

The hotel accommodation has been started off by Bob with space left for families to take part and complete. Families visiting the town centre can bring an assortment of materials to create a range of nooks, crannies, crevices, tunnels and cosy beds!

“I’ve filled one side with natural materials for our mini beasts’ stay but we need your help to fill it all. This is a great project for young people to spend some time with nature” said Bob.

Materials that can be used include pinecones, straw, bamboo canes, non-plastic tubes, old tiles and even cardboard. The key is to create a diverse and varied hotel with a range of habitats.

The Town Council adopted its Nature Action Plan in March, setting out three missions to increase the number of trees in Knutsford, improve biodiversity and connect green corridors and increase wildlife friendly planting. The council is currently planning a survey to map all trees in Knutsford and identifying locations where new trees, shrubs and wildflowers could be planted.