Monitoring What Matters
Hi, I’m Stephanie Akerman, parish councillor, charity chair, trustee, community volunteer, and founder of Savvy Business Management.
I support councils, community organisations, and local groups who are facing the very real pressures that come with sustaining local services and spaces. Whether it’s helping with funding bids, project development, or improving how groups communicate their impact, I’m committed to the kind of work that holds communities together.
A lot of what I do isn’t flashy, it’s chasing paperwork, drafting grant applications, attending long meetings, and keeping projects going when things get tough. But this work Beyond the Noticeboard is often what makes the biggest difference. And that’s exactly what I aim to highlight in this space.
Why This Edition Matters
Strong communities aren’t just built on events and meetings, they’re shaped by the behind-the-scenes work that goes unnoticed. This week, I’m focusing on the work happening beyond the noticeboard with the Nature in Your Neighbourhood project, a community-led initiative that offers more than environmental improvement. It’s a chance for our local community to gather real data, gain new skills, and lead the changes we want to see.
So many community projects take place quietly, but they carry lasting impact. I want to show how small opportunities, when taken seriously, can turn into powerful local movements. By staying connected, informed, and involved, we can access the kind of support that helps protect the places we care about most.
What Is Nature in Your Neighbourhood?
Nature in Your Neighbourhood is a five-year, community-led project supported by The National Lottery Community Fund. It’s designed to help local groups restore and protect green spaces while learning more about the health of habitats and wildlife.
The programme involves real, science-based training in environmental monitoring, soil health, water health, biodiversity surveys, habitat condition checks. With support from Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, Keele University, and Moorlands Climate Action, the aim is to provide the community with the understanding and tools to act on what’s happening in their local environment.
It’s not just about making spaces look better, it’s about giving the community the knowledge and tools to collect data, track changes, and push for long-term improvement. Having this insight gives groups evidence they can take to funding bodies or use in conversations with local authorities and national agencies.
It also builds confidence within the community, giving local residents a sense of ownership and the skills to take action without always relying on overstretched services. Projects like these turn awareness into action and bring the community together in a shared mission.
Learn more about the programme here.
How We Got Involved – A Story Beyond the Noticeboard
At Checkley Parish Council, we first heard about this project back in May 2024. We nominated two local sites, Jubilee Park and Well Meadow Gardens, and worked closely with our parish clerk to complete the application process.
The initial stages were quiet, but involved gathering background research, reviewing suitability of the locations, and preparing the paperwork. In November 2024, we received the good news: both sites were accepted.
Since then, it's been a steady stream of behind-the-scenes progress, from meetings with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust to walking the sites and reviewing how they might evolve. We hosted a visit in February 2025 to map out the goals for each space and suggested using our upcoming VE Day community event to introduce the project to the wider public.
By April 2025, the Wildlife Trust team attended our full council meeting to formally present the project and answer questions. Everyone present was supportive. We agreed which areas of Jubilee Park and Well Meadow Gardens will be monitored and improved.
Two days later, we received and signed the Memorandum of Understanding, confirming our formal participation in the programme. It’s taken 11 months of quiet coordination, all the unseen parts of local project work that make future success possible.
How Our Community Can Get Involved
If you’re based in the Staffordshire Moorlands, there are a few simple ways to get involved:
• Join us at the VE Day 80 Picnic in the Park and Duck Races on Monday 5th May, 12–5pm, Jubilee Park, Upper Tean, Staffordshire, ST10 4EE. It’s a community celebration with activities, entertainment, and a perfect chance to meet the teams involved in Nature in Your Neighbourhood. Find us near the Sensory Garden for information, demos, and a chat about the project.
• Take part in the Nature in Your Neighbourhood survey.
• If you’re part of a local school, group or organisation that would like to connect with the project, get in touch. There’ll be training opportunities, volunteering roles, and ways to help shape the next steps.
Why Local Projects Like This Matter
This programme connects directly to the issues we talked about in my previous podcast episode – Sewage, Storms and Slow Action. We covered the challenges of pollution, flooding, and failing infrastructure in our community, and this project is one way we’re starting to address those issues more proactively.
Now, instead of just reacting to problems, we’re part of a project that builds understanding. With the right training and tools, we’ll be able to measure what’s working and what’s not. We’ll have the data to show what’s changing, and evidence to support funding bids or push for change.
It’s about being able to say, “Here’s the proof – and here’s what we’re doing about it.”
And because this project works alongside the community, not above it, it’s about creating long-term impact from the ground up.
This type of grassroots-led environmental monitoring helps ensure decisions are grounded in lived experience, not assumptions. It’s especially valuable in rural communities like ours where generic solutions don’t always work. Being part of the monitoring and planning process means the community shapes the outcomes, not just responds to them.
What You Can Do
If you're part of a council, community group, or rural organisation, keep an eye out for local projects like this. They’re not always advertised widely, but they’re out there.
Here are some tips:
• Ask other groups what programmes they’re involved in
• Join local partnerships or mailing lists
• Check your regional lottery, climate, or wildlife networks
• Reach out to organisations like the Wildlife Trust or local universities
• Don’t wait for an invitation, send a message, make contact
You can also get involved by sharing these opportunities with others, schools, youth groups, community centres, and clubs. Even small contributions make a difference. These kinds of opportunities bring funding, knowledge, and long-term community benefit. The key is acting early, before deadlines pass.
🎧 Watch or Listen to This Episode of Beyond the Noticeboard
🎙️ Episode 2: Monitoring What Matters is now live.
▶️ YouTube
🎧 Spotify
Watch the full episode right here:
Conclusion
Projects like Nature in Your Neighbourhood show us what’s possible when we keep our eyes open and stay involved. They may not get much attention at first, but they have the power to reshape how we protect, measure, and care for our communities.
We need to keep lifting the lid on these stories and sharing what’s really happening, because real change often begins quietly. If you’ve come across a project that deserves more attention or need help knowing where to begin, don’t hesitate to reach out.
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Thank You for Reading
Thank you for being part of this conversation. These are the kinds of stories that shape how we care for our communities, and I’m proud to share what’s happening beyond the noticeboard.
Stephanie Akerman
Founder, Savvy Business Management | Local Councillor | Community Volunteer | Chair of Great Wood Community Hall
