World of Widewater (WOW) is a friendly, local community group consisting of over 50 members, with a Committee and a Constitution.
We share a passion for the Widewater Nature Reserve and aim to help it flourish by keeping it clean and tidy, helping to protect and encourage Wildlife and raising its profile so it can be enjoyed by all.
- About 4 times a year we organise Tidy Up Days where members comb the lagoon with litter pickers and bags clearing the rubbish from the banks. All are welcome to join in and we always have a prize for the most unusual piece of litter found!
- We raised funds with WSCC for an Ecological Survey of the lagoon, carried out by Brighton University. ( 2013 ) The survey helped to establish the general health of the lagoon whilst discovering rare and interesting plants and creatures living here. The results are posted on this website – have a look!
- Social Events. At least twice a year, WOW organise fun social evenings for members and friends that are a chance to meet people with similar interests and to enjoy food, drinks, talks and entertainment.
- Swan Watch! We all love our resident Widewater swans – at present a breeding pair – and we have put every effort into making sure that they are safe and well looked after here. We have campaigned for dogs on leads so they are not attacked; rescued injured swans ; members and residents have put fresh water out for them and we have even intervened in serious territorial fights because we love them and they give us so much pleasure!
- Other Birds. We have a rich diversity of bird life here and it is a haven for birders. WOW has formed links with Shoreham and District Ornithological Society (SDOS) and with their help now receive regular sightings which are posted on our website. Every New Year we have a Widewater bird walk with Tim Holter from SDOS. We also have a Flower and Plant walk with Marion Wood in the Summer. All are welcome to come and discover the Wild life here so please come and join us. Details on the Events page.
- Projects. In 2017, we completed a project to install 5 Nature information panels on the plinths around the lagoon. Everyone can now enjoy seeing a selection of Flowers and Plants, Birds, Insects and Underwater Life displayed on the boards to help identify the wildlife here.
Our next project is to build a new Education centre so that we can have a place with facilities for information, meetings and a base from which to run educational activities focussing on wildlife conservation and discovery.
We have regular meetings (please contact us if you have any questions or suggestions) and we produce a newsletter – The Rundown – circulated to members and posted on this site. If you are interested – PLEASE JOIN US!
