South Wigston Community Garden & Station Nature Reserve
South Wigston community is lucky to have green open space for members of the community to enjoy, either to walk around or be part of. The comunity volunteers help to maintain planters, flower & vegetable beds as well as South Wigston Train Staion & Reserve.
Below are more details of both community garden & South Wigston Station with its reserve.
South Wigston Community Garden
Elliott Hall for Youth & Community offers those who enjoy gardening or dont have a garden, some where to come and enjoy gardening while supporting the local community. We have two areas, flowers and nature area, and a vegtable growing area with a green house. We also help look after rasied beds at South Wigston Station as part of the nature reserve and also planters on Blaby Road on the high street. If you wish to help or pop down please get in contact. Click Here To Contact
Flowers
We grow sesonal flowers which are planted around Elliott Hall and the local community planters.
Raised Beds
All our beds are raised, so can be reached by wheelchairs.
Community Beds
We look after not just Elliott Hall, but also beds around the community of South Wigston.
Veggie Garden
We have our own veggie garden where we grow sesonal items. These are used within house or given away to local community.
Green House
We have our own green house so able to grow throughout the year.
Community Garden Award
South Wigston community garden which is located at Elliott Hall was awarded Britain In Bloom-'Its Your Neighbourhood Award of level 4- Thriving. The community garden project was also awarded the RHS Community Award, the first for the Borough of Oadby, Wigston & South Wigston.
Picture above: Judge, Neil, Rob & Carl
South Wigston Station & Reserve
South Wigston Train Station Adopters have been granted a peace of land at the staion which has been given as a nature reserve, to increase wildlife to the local area.
South Wigston Station triangle already has a protected areas further up the line due to rare grasses and butterflies. Elliott Hall are working with the local adopters along with Network Rail, East Midlands Trains to maintain this area, building bird, bat and bug boxes etc, as well as working with different local communioty groups which is supporting peoples health & wellbeing.
If you feel you can help please get in touch by clicking the link below.
Within the reserve we will installed the following:
20 different bird boxes
1 bat box
1 bug hotel
1 hedgehog house
1 bird tabl
The new giant bug hotel has now been made by the shed group and will be installed soon.
Bird boxes are being made by the shed community group based at Elliott Hall, who meet Monday, Tuesday &Thursdays. If you wish to join please use contact page.
The area has started to be cleared ready by EMR for the safety so the station adopters can maintain the area. Posts have also been installed ready for the new bird boxs.
South Wigston Station bridge is so bright and wonderful. This project was completed in 2023 working with local schools and groups within the local area.
The new bug hotel has been installed and has been busy with life.
The bird table is in place and can be seen from platform 2. In remberance of Judy, a local resident who loved wildlife.
We are pleased to be supported by Serco HMP Fosse Way, by supplying staff to help with community projects, also they supplied recycled compost made from food waist which has been used to grow our wild flowers.
We have been lucky enough to have support by Serco Prision staff who volunteer their time to help clear and tidy up nature reserve, this has made a large difference & time.
We are seeing an increase in wildlife, including foxes, wood peckers, owls, bats, different birds and increase insects abd butterfies. We have even had a muntjac visit us.
Different wild flowers have started to flower around the reserve which will help the local wildlife.
Bee hives have been introduced to the reserve, when hives are full they can hold upto 80,000 bees.
Serco Fosse Way inmates have kindly made 3 planters and two benchs and a table for the reserve.
Different flowers have been planted around the reserve to increase the bees, butterslies and other insects into the area.
Wildlife Support
I’m pleased to confirm that EMR are going to fund South Wigston Station Nature Reserve. This is to take part in the Wildlife Friendly Stations project in collaboration with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.
The reserve is volunteer led by members of EMR station adopters and volunteers from Elliott Hall in South Wigston.
Britain In Bloom Award
Mr Walter from South Wigston Station Adopters attended Oadby & Wigston Pride of the Borough awards evening.
South Wigston Station & Reserve received award from Britain In Bloom-'Its Your Neighbourhood Award of level 4- Thriving
The higest level is 5. They where awarded this in both 2024 & 2025. Adopters where amazed we had reached such a level in such a short period, this is down to all the volunteers that help to keep the station & reserve clean and tidy in all weathers.
South Wigston Station Adopters
We are a freindly bunch of volunteers who support EMR at South Wigston Station. We do this by keeping the station platforms, bridge & reserve clean and tidy for the local community & train users to enjoy. You can help us by joining EMR Staion Adopters is you can spare time to helpwith litter picking, gardening, community events.
All equipment & training will be carried out by EMR.
Wild Flowers Growing In Reserve
Just some of the wild flowers growing at the reserve
Just some of the wild flowers growing at the reserve
We will be platnting more over the year to increase the insects and wildlife
We will be platnting more over the year to increase the insects and wildlife
These plants will be left to self seed to spread
A weed is just a flower in the wrong place!
The meadow mix has started to come through in areas on station.
The meadow mix has started to come through in areas on station.