WHO WERE THEY?

MALAGO VALLEY CONSERVATION GROUP was a voluntary group with members from all parts of south-west Bristol. It had no staff or premises and operated on members’ subscriptions (£4 per household per year), with occasional grant aid for specific projects.

It covered south-west Bristol – Bedminster Down, Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe, Headley Park, Highridge, Withywood – roughly, the BS13 postal area.

MVCG started as a campaign for a Bishopsworth and Malago Conservation Area. Their report was praised by the City Council for its quality and, following public consultation in summer 1998, the conservation area was declared in October 1998. There’s a map of the Conservation Area here.

WHAT DID MVCG DO?

  • It monitored the Planning Applications Register and commented on schemes which affected the area. It was a member of the Neighbourhood Planning Network.
  • It worked with the City Council to improve local open spaces and trees and with the Environment Agency to clean up local streams.
  • It acted as the ‘Friends of Manor Woods Valley’, to help maintain and improve Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve, and was a member of Bristol Parks Forum.
  • It commented on other planning matters, such as road schemes and the Bristol Local Plan.
  • It publish a regular newsletter every quarter to let people know what was happening in the area.
  • It worked actively with other groups and agencies in BS13.

PAST AND PRESENT PROJECTS

  • MVCG prepared an enhancement plan for ‘Elm Tree corner’ – the area around the junction of Church Road/Highridge Road/Queens Road – and planted trees and daffodils. After lobbying and persuading for 19 years, the final engineering works were completed in 2017.
  • It published My Manor Woods Book, an interactive guide book describing the value and attractions of the Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve.
  • It worked with Bristol City Council to apply successfully for a grant from Yansec to build the woodland path in Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve.
  • It worked with Bristol City Council and others to design and install the interpretation boards in Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve, and install a bench at the top of the wild flower meadow.
  • It worked with ParkWork and Dundy View Neighbourhood Partnership to repair and improve the woodland path in Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve.
  • It began an active programme of coppicing in Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve to open up overgrown areas and encourage biodiversity.
  • It worked with the Avon Invasive Weeds Forum to remove Himalyan Balsam from Manor Woods Valley (the ‘Big Pull’ sessions) and monitored and report on Japanese Knotweed there.
  • It worked with Bishopsworth Library to design and install improvements to the garden behind the Library. This improved its wildlife value (adjacent to Manor Woods Valley Local Nature Reserve) and provided an outdoor facility for visiting groups of local school children.
  • It was actively involved in the consultation which led to the new entrance feature at the Vale Lane end of the Malago Greenway through Manor Woods Valley. MVCG’s design was the basis for what was built.
  • It ‘turned cans into daffodils’ throughout BS13 for many years by collecting drinks cans for recycling. The aluminium ones were sold and the money was used to buy daffodil bulbs which were planted on open spaces.
  • It repaired the broken arm of the historic fingerpost at the junction of Church Road and Grange Road.

MVCG had good links with other amenity and community groups in the area such as the Bedminster Down and Uplands Society, Dundry & Hartcliffe Wildlife Conservation Group, Hartcliffe Health and Environment Action Group, Highridge Forum, Kings Head Park Group and Withywood Community Forum, and was actively involved with the Dundry View Neighbourhood Partnership. MVCG co-operated with the Avon Invasive Weeds Forum, the Avon Wildlife Trust, Bristol Civic Society, the Bristol Neighbourhood Planning Network and the Forest of Avon Trust.

The Malago Valley Conservation Group was wound-up shortly after two special meetings were held:

THE COMMITTEE OF MALAGO VALLEY CONSERVATION GROUP gave notice to members that two Special General Meetings had been arranged, on Thursday 19 September and Monday 7 October, both at 7.00pm, at Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road, Bedminster Down, BS13 7JW.

At those meetings, the following motion was put:

‘Malago Valley Conservation Group will be wound up on a date in the near future to be decided by the Committee consistent with the final discharge of the Group’s liabilities.’

  • Thursday 19 September: THE FIRST OF THE TWO SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS to wind up M.V.C.G. 7.00pm at Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road, Bedminster Down, BS13 7JW.
  • Monday 7 October: THE SECOND OF THE TWO SPECIAL GENERAL MEETINGS to wind up M.V.C.G. 7.00pm at Zion Bristol, Bishopsworth Road, Bedminster Down, BS13 7JW. Followed by a party to celebrate the life and work of Malago Valley Conservation Group

Both meetings were open to everyone, whether or not they were a member of Malago Valley Conservation Group.

THIS PAGE SERVES TO ARCHIVE DETAILS OF THE GOOD WORKS OF THE MALAGO VALLEY CONSERVATION GROUP (MVCG).

ALL OF THE NEWSLETTERS THAT WERE ONCE ARCHIVED ONLINE BY MVCG ARE ARCHIVED HERE.