THE RARE meadow clary flower grows in less than 30 places in the country and, thanks to the Wychwood Project, Oxfordshire boasts many of them.

But more help is needed for the nature conservation charity run by volunteers to help keep Oxfordshire's countryside a thing of beauty.

The organisation works tirelessly to cut back, cultivate and care for flowers such as the rare meadow clary at Wigwell Nature Reserve – owned by Thames Water which has been in decline since the 1950s.

Oxford Mail:

Wychwood Project conservation officer James Aylward said: "Our most recent work party was at the Wigwell Nature Reserve where we were tending to the meadow clary.

"The reserve is made up of nine acres of land in Charlbury which is very sympathetic to wildlife and is one of three nature reserves directly managed by us.

"Nationally the meadow clary is a very scarce plant, there is just 26 sites with it in the country and Oxfordshire has a massive stronghold.

"It is massively important for us to tend to these plants as its declined a lot due to things such as fertilisers and there is little of it."

The striking blue to deep purple flowers is just one of the many plants and areas which the charity work hard to maintain.

Last Thursday four members of the team rolled up their sleeves to get stuck into clearing, cutting back encroachment and managing thistles.

Oxford Mail:

The volunteer who has been in nature conservation for more than 15 years said: "There was four of us on Thursday at Wigwell Nature Reserve, but we are always looking for more volunteers to help out.

"We usually work every third Thursday of the month and every first Sunday of each month."

The Wychwood Project was started in 1997 before becoming a charity in 2000 and the group look after the Wigwell Nature Reserve, Grimes Meadows near Witney, Woodstock Water Meadows and Foxburrow Wood in Witney.

It works with many local authorities and residents with around 600 members signed up to helping it continue to conserve and restore Oxfordshire's landscape.

Over the coming months the Wychwood Project is working on a number of tasks including dry stone walling in Ascott-under-Wychwood and conservation in Woodstock Water Meadows.

The Wychwood Project Forest Fair is back on Sunday, September 4, to Cornbury Park which attracts family and friends in their thousands to enjoy all things green.

Each yeah there is a programme bursting with children’s games, rural craft demonstrations, live music plus food and drink and conservation and community groups will provide information to visitors.

Wychwood Project director Sharon Williams said: "We rely on volunteers to help us make the show a success and if you can assist in any of the activities for an hour or two please get in touch with the team."

For more information see wychwoodproject.org