Yardley Conservation Society, established in 1970, stands as one of Birmingham’s oldest conservation groups, founded just a year after the Yardley Conservation Area itself was designated. This area includes the Old Yardley Park—also known as Queens Park—and in May 2022, a small group of volunteers began holding regular litter-picks to enhance the park’s appeal for visitors.

Over time, one or two volunteers took on the additional task of deadheading roses in the Jubilee Garden, originally opened in 2012 to commemorate Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee. Their efforts soon attracted more people from the community, and the group grew, with members contributing through litter-picking, gardening, and wildlife conservation. The Jubilee Garden, which had been in need of attention, has seen three rosebeds fully replaced by the volunteers, along with the lavender borders, which had dwindled significantly by 2022.

Alongside ongoing work in the formal garden areas, the group is also pursuing protective measures for historical features in the park, including the ‘Rent’s Moat’ and extensive medieval ‘ridge and furrow’ areas that occupy large portions of the landscape. This volunteer group, deeply rooted in the local community, works to preserve and enhance the park for both residents and visitors, aligning with the Society’s commitment to safeguarding the area’s cultural and historical heritage.

Yardley Conservation Society meets on the second Thursday of each month, while the park volunteer group gathers on the second Saturday of the month.

For more information, contact [email protected] (Society) or [email protected] (park volunteering).