Recent news

Why not come along for a fun couple of hours to create a fantastic seasonal wreath for your door? Training, equipment, materials and refreshments provided.  Email friendscroftonandsparrowwoods@gmail.com to book your slot

We have had a number of applicants to volunteer with us in 2026, but there is plenty more work to be done, so if you are interested, feel free to get in touch - email friendscroftonandsparrowwoods@gmail.com.

What we can offer is woodland work if your family/ carers / suitable adult can provide the necessary supervision. 

Because it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, if you are interested in such physical work, the way it works is that we brief you on the area to work on and what needs to be done (typically holly or scrub clearance), and then it is a case of using loppers and hand saws. We provide a ‘people at work’ sign (if available), hi vis jacket, gloves and a safety briefing, as well as the forms that need to be completed in advance. 

The volunteer then sends us a ‘before’ and ‘after’ photo for each session. We already have a couple of groups of DoE friends who have teamed up and are working in the woods – if you can arrange supervision, you might want to work with school friends? Working on your own is fine though. So, it depends whether it is a task you fancy, and whether your carers are happy with the use of sharp tools safely and to supervise.

Why not come along and join our free summer walk (although donations always welcome). A ramble around Crofton and Sparrow Woods led by Jane Andrews. Hear about the history of the area, its mammals, butterflies and birds. Also the plans to make improvements for users. 

This board has been the subject to a number of vandalisation incidents, the most recent involving slashing the posters and pushing the board to the ground. 

We have taken the opportunity to repaint and revive the board. A big thank you to Luke Blanchard and the rest of the idverde team who added longer hardwood legs to the board and turned out in the heat to resinstal it. 

........ to all the wonderful people and organisations who contributed towards our Crowd Fundraiser for a human sundial for Petts Wood Recreation Ground. We have hit our target, and installation has been booked.

The summer holidays are the busy period for playground paint companies, so we have booked the first date we could after we reached our target - and that is 21 September. Fingers crossed all goes well for installation on that day.

We are also designing and will be installing an interpretation board to explain how to use the human sundial - and the link between Petts Wood and British Summer Time.

Thank all you wonderful people for supporting this community project. 

Thank you to all of you who have contacted us about the holes and humps that have been developing over the half term break in the wodland path by the fallen tree just south of the recreation ground.  These have been reported by some through the excellent Bromley Fix My Street process. We are told by the Council's contractor that the area will be repaired in a week's time, and the lads that undertook the work were warned on Tuesday that the dangers to path users meant that repair was likely.  It is great to see youngsters enjoying the lovely woods, and it is a shame to spoil their fun, but the holes and humps are large and right in a main path which is heavily used. They are a real risk to the unwary.

Of course the construction is also being undertaken in a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so disturbing the habitat is not allowed.

We have also had reports of the deveopment of the two very large bikes ramps areas to the west of the woods. These are in privately owned areas of the woods, and so the Council are not involved. But it is habitat destruction in an SSSI - Natural England are aware.

This Friends Group reported the health and safety risks of the damaged bridge from the recreation ground into the woods - and have been told that the bridge will be repaired. 

Come along on 12 May to hear an interesting talk from water project expert Debra Van-jaarsveldt (of Bromley Council). Debra will be telling us all about the research that Bromley Council and idverde have commissioned into the water course running through Crofton Woods, and the opportunities to reduce sewage contamination and downstream flooding while improving the woodland’s habitat. 

The event will be held at the Garden Estates Association Hall, Woodhurst Ave, Petts Wood, Orpington, BR5 1AR.  There is only parking for disabled attendees - so road parking please!

All very welcome to this informal event – join us for a hot drink or locally produced apple juice and cake.  The talk will be followed by a short FoC&SW AGM reviewing the work undertaken in the past year. 

Hope to see you there!

A community collaboration to bring a child-friendly, educational sundial to Petts Wood Recreation Ground. 

The Friends of Crofton and Sparrow Woods, the Petts Wood and District Residents' Association (PWDRA), and the Crofton Residents Association are working together to make Petts Wood Recreation Ground and its surrounding woodland an even better place for both nature and the local community. We're delighted to have the support of Crofton Schools, Parkfield Panthers, and Busy Bees Pre-school.

We're now inviting your help to create an exciting, child-friendly replacement sundial in Petts Wood Recreation Ground between the playground and the sports pavillion. This new sundial will be fun to use while also highlighting the area's connection to the introduction of British Summer Time.

The design will be created in durable thermoplastic paint and placed in an easy-to-find location between the pavilion and the playground. An accompanying panel will explain where to stand so your shadow tells the correct time — whether in winter or summer

This is part of a wider effort to revitalise the Crofton Woods Circular Trail — bird and bat boxes have already been installed thanks to grant funding, with more interpretation panels to follow

This new sundial will replace a damaged stone sundial previously installed by PWDRA, with support from Crofton Infants School

The design will be created in durable thermoplastic paint and placed in an easy-to-find location between the pavilion and the playground

An accompanying panel will explain where to stand so your shadow tells the correct time — whether in winter or summer

This new sundial will replace a damaged stone sundial previously installed by PWDRA, with support from Crofton Infants School

Just follow this link:

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/circular-walk-with-fun-sun-dial-for-children

Or use your phone camera on this QR code and follow through to donate to the fund. (You may wish to reduce the suggested tip, which is not added to your donation.)

Thank you

Stonbury Construction Ltd on behalf of the Environment Agency will be setting up in the Petts Wood Recreation Ground car park tomorrow - 1 April.

Work will start to upgrade the debris screen next to the playground shortly after.

Our last Saturday morning Work Group takes place on Saturday 28 March - why not pop along to say hello, and maybe spare and hour or two to help restore one of our local open spaces.

Since 2020 we have been working to restore what was ex-arable grass land as a haven to butterflies with weekend sessions in Spring and Autumn.

For this final session we will be continuing the battle with bramble roots, as well as pruning back encroaching woodland. Our final seasonal task will be scattering wildflower seed (donations of native wildflower seed very welcome). Why not join us between 10 and noon? Don't forget to bring loppers and a saw.

Why not come along on Saturday morning and join us - we will be sharing old maps and our research into the history of the area, as well as the bird sightings over the years. 

Come along and find out more about of local wild space.

The London Borough of Bromley public engagement evening to discuss proposed habitat creation works on the West Kyd Brook in Crofton Woods planned for 31 March 2026 5pm - 7pm at St James The Great Church, 283 Crescent Drive, BR5 1AY. is cancelled