The Friends of the Byes (FotB) is an environmental and education project working to improve The Byes area in Sidmouth between the Toll House and Lymebourne, incorporating the orchard and Sid meadow, bringing diversity and improved usage to the area.

FotB was established in 2010. Over the years this part of the Byes has seen many changes including the establishment of an enclosed, dog-free Community Orchard, creation of open meadows, tree copses, wildlife corridors and planting of hedging and specimen trees. FotB works with the council, the National Trust and other groups in the Sid Valley.

FotB volunteers meet every Saturday morning between 10am and noon to carry out practical conservation work, with a range of tasks suitable for all ages and levels of physical ability. Activities range from planting trees and hedges and the aftercare of watering and pruning, carrying out botanical surveys and working together with local groups and schools offering hands-on experience in nature and education on biodiversity.

Ian McKenzie-Edwards is a long-term FotB volunteer. Ian said: “I enjoy planting out and strimming. Nature gives us such a lot, and this feels like a way of putting something back.”

New recruit Sandra Ventris saw the sign for volunteers and joined four weeks ago having moved to Sidmouth only a short while before.

She said: ”It's such a beautiful setting and I've learned a lot in a short time. I've been pruning and helped with a botanical survey.”

Another volunteer, Carol Carless, said: “I love everything about volunteering for Friends of the Byes. I enjoy working with this lovely, friendly group of people. We're very diverse and everyone brings their own contributions and life experience. In recent weeks I've been pruning and watering plants. I find it very satisfying and always leave smiling.”

Kati Fitzhenry is the Chair of Friends of The Byes. “We always welcome new volunteers, and seeing what we can achieve together as a group is very uplifting,” she said. “It's wonderful to see trees and hedges we planted years ago flourishing.”

As well as practical conservation work, The Friends of the Byes is looking for help with ‘soft skills’ like publicity and fundraising.

 If you would like to support FotB’s work, contact them via Sponsorfotb@gmail.com. For more information check out FriendsoftheByes on Facebook. Kati can be contacted via fotbsidmouth@gmail.com or by calling 07817 014329. Better still, just drop by on Saturday morning and say hello.