Wildlife In Nature
West Hull Community Sports Club provides a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment. Run by volunteers, the club has extended beyond a rugby club, through the development of a community hub. Using its space and place to connect people and communities, the club is strengthening its role within, and for, the local area.
As part of our community hub, we have been developing a Wildlife Area on the playing fields to connect sport and nature, in partnership with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and have committed to the Wildlife Trusts’ 30By30 initiative to increase nature by 30% by 2030.
Opportunities for the local community:
The Wildlife Walk on the playing fields encourages everyone no matter the age, gender or background to learn and explore the beautiful wildlife and nature we live amongst. The walk also is a great way to connect individuals with hearing impairments and/or visual impairments to use the senses to enjoy nature in a safe space. This showcases what is possible to change on our sports areas and urban green spaces without losing or reducing its original and desired function, creating spaces and places for us all to succeed.
What you are to come across on this page:
As you scroll down on this page, you will come across what we have and do for our local Nature and Wildlife at our amazing Community Hub. You will come across what you can do for Nature and Wildlife in our Community, whether that’s what you can plant in your garden and home, to the Wildlife you can find in your Community and garden. We hope you enjoy to learn and love our very own Nature and Wildlife that we live amongst everyday.
Plants and Crops
Edible Crops
The majority of crops, such as vegetables require sowing in the Spring. Some are more hardy and can handle sowing in the cooler months towards the end of the year. This will mean a later harvest which may impact the plant if the weather becomes harsh. With it being so cold and unpredictable in the UK, all seeds for the Hub’s outdoor walk area will be sowed indoors by Rowan, before planting them outdoors to ensure they have the chance to establish roots in more reasonable conditions to give them a better chance at thriving.
When to Sow?
Vegetables:
Tomatoes: February – April
Cucumbers : February – April
Peas: January – June
Peppers: March – April
Carrots: February – July
Beetroot: March – July
Spring Onions: March – September
Radish: February – September
Fruits:
Strawberries: March – May
Herbs
Herbs are a slightly different story, they are preferably sown after the last Spring frost. However, there are different types of herbs with different sowing requirements. Hardy herbs (e.g Parsley and Dill) can be sown directly outdoors from March to August, or earlier if you keep them indoors before planting them outside. Perennial herbs (e.g Rosemary) require sowing indoors during the late Winter or early Spring before planting outdoors once there is no risk of frost, as these herbs are not as hardy and will most likely fail if exposed to harsh cold. In the end, all herbs can be grown indoors year round if you keep them in the desired conditions.
When to Sow?
Basil: February – July
Dill: April – July
Mint: March – April
Thyme: March – April
Parsley: April – October
Rosemary: March – May
Plants
The Plants covered in this section are non-toxic to cats and dogs, as well as many other animals, to ensure that any wondering visitors will not be harmed by them. The sowing process varies from plant to plant, seed to bulb, with Spring being the most desired sowing season for most. Just like herbs, there are different types of flowers which have different requirements for sowing. Perennials require sowing from June to August. Spring-flowering bulbs want sowing in Autumn (Sep – Nov), whilst summer-flowering bulbs require September to October. Your annuals have different types too. Half-hardy annuals require sowing indoors from March to June before planting outdoors once the frost risk has passed. Hardy annuals want sowing in the Autumn (Aug-Dec) to have them bloom earlier the following year.
When to Sow?
Plants that have “(indoors)” stated beside them mean they must be sown indoors before moving outdoors after the last frost of Spring. Waxflowers require planting later in the year to bloom the next because they need more time to establish strong roots over winter as they take longer to grow.
Plants:
Coral Bells: March – April
Echeveria: March – May
Sedum Kimnachii: March – May
Flowers:
Pot Marigolds: March – May
Poppies: March – May
Petunias: February – April (indoors)
Asters: May – June
Waxflower: August – October (flower next year)
Fressia: March – June
Snapdragons: April – May
Lisianthus: December – March (indoors)
Sunflowers: April – June
Action for Nature Day
We had an amazing day on the 27th May 2025, being inspired by the amazing community led action for Wildlife that took place across Yorkshire. Our day consisted of stalls, talks, walks and workshops for everyone. We had our great friends from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to spread knowledge and experience to everyone who came down to join in. Huge thanks to Groundwork and Bupa foundation green grant for supporting the event.
The day also shed a light on our nature walk around the back of the playing fields. We had an interesting and beautiful walk and talk around our nature walk led by the amazing Andy, who is not only one of our great friends but is from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. He told us all about the reason for the walk and how it can benefit not only us but the local wildlife. At the end of our walk we all gathered around to plant an apple tree in memory of Johnny Whiteley. Johnny Whiteley was a big part of West Hull Rugby Club and former Hull FC Player.
Check out the video below showing our Action for Nature Day:
Wildlife
Hedgehogs
A Hedgehog is a species of mammal that can be seen in your garden, woodlands and hedgerows. They mostly come out in the night, so leave some hedgehog food and/or meat-based cat or dog food and/or cat biscuits and you might just see one. If you come across one in your garden, its important to respect their natural behavior. If you see one during the day, it may be in distress or injured. In such cases, contact a local wildlife recue center. The reason why hedgehogs are seen mostly at night due to the fact that they spend the day sleeping and become active when the sun goes down. Hedgehogs are known to come out in the Spring after hibernating as the warmer weather and the large amount of food supply prompting them to start foraging.
Foxes
Foxes, mostly the red fox are common in the UK, so might of already seen one. If you come across a fox please stay calm and do not approach and keep your pets indoors. If the fox shows signs of aggression and/or illness, please contact the local animal control or Wildlife rehabilitation center. Foxes sit at the top of the woodland food chain as they eat everything from birds and beetles to rabbits and rats. Unfortunately alot foxes are killed by road traffic accidents in the UK each year. The loss of Habitats and food sources also play a big part in the loss of these beautifull animals.
Dragonflies
There is many species of dragonfly in the UK. If you come across a dragonfly, the best thing to do is to observe it. Dragonflies do not have a sting and their bite, although deadly to other insects, is not strong enough to break Human skin. Dragonflies have very good eyesight and can see nearly 360 degrees around them that helps them to keep aware of prey and predators. The common club tail dragonfly can reach up to 30mph in speed, this means it is one of the fastest insects in the UK. Dragonflies are more known to inhabit wetland habitats, especially during their nymph stage.
Grasshopper’s
In the UK there is 11 native species of grasshoppers. Small numbers of grasshoppers in your garden is not a cause of concern as they are beneficial for the eco-system, providing food for predators like the birds. Grasshoppers are often mistaken with crickets, but they are very different. They are herbivorous, meaning they eat grass, plant leaves, flowers, stems and seeds. You are most likely to hear them before you see them. These loud chirping sounds are mostly by the males in courtship displays.
Ladybirds
There are 46 species of ladybirds in the UK. If you come across ladybirds in your house, you can leave them as they are harmless. They are just existing, you can move them carefully outside to a sheltered spot. Ladybirds play an important role in controlling pest populations, such as aphids as they are harmful to plants. One ladybird can eat over 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. If you want to know the species of Ladybird you have come across, the number of spots can help you to identify that.
Butterflies
There is over 50 species in the UK and 49 species in England of butterflies. To accommodate butterflies in the UK, please consider planting Plant Nectar-Rich flowers and create suitable hiding places. If you come across a butterfly please leave it alone and respect its natural behavior. A butterflies life cycle consists of Egg, Lava, Pupa and adult. It is believed that the butterfly gets its name from “the butter-coloured fly” which is from the yellow of the male Brimstone Butterfly.
Birds
The UK is known for its variety of birds. The most common garden birds are: Robins, Blue tits, Blackbirds and pigeons. To accommodate birds in your back garden, you can provide bird seed and fresh water and at least one bird box on a tree or on your garden fence. One of the most common birds to the UK, the Robin, is known to be the UK’s favourite bird and are recognised by their orange-red chests.
Bees
The UK is home to over 270 species of bees. If you come across a bee, please respect them as they are vital pollinators. Stay calm and not approach as they are not aggressive unless provoked. To accommodate these misunderstood Wildlife, pollinator plants are perfect, such as colourful flowers. Bees pollinate about 75% of the UK’s wildflowers and help with the production of many vegetables and fruits. The Bee population is important to the environment as they pollinate plants that help to feed other Wildlife.
Worms
There are approximately 27 – 31 different species of worms in the UK. Worms are harmless, so just leave them as they are beneficial to the soil. You can incorporate the worms work into your maintenance routine by regularly mowing and fertilizing your lawn. Charles Darwin discovered that even though worms do not have ears, they still ‘hear’. To find this out, he placed them on a piano in soil and when he played a note on the piano, they retreated into the soil. He discovered that they are aware of sound vibrations.
To learn more information on the Wildlife listed here and more, please check out these organizations listed below:
- The Wildlife Trust
- Naturenet
- RSPB
- Natural Wildlife Conservation
Hanging baskets
During May 2025, the same month we did our Action in Nature day, we also all joined together on one of our amazing Thursdays to create some beautiful hanging baskets. This meant everyone who attended that day had a chance to make their own and go home with either a basket or a pot. This day would not of happened with ought the help of West Hull Area Committee, Groundwork and the Bupa foundation green grant. It was also not possible with ought the support from our local Ward Councilors Newington and Gipsyville Labour – Tracy, Gill and Lynn. Alot of our baskets we were gratefull recieved from B&Q Clough Road because of their wonderfull Community lead Stacey. Our donations are possible due to our partnership with Neighbourly.
