We are a dispersed group of some 35 plus members living predominantly in the north of England and south of Scotland. Much of the work revolves around volunteer wardening at the Kirk Yetholm house, occasional work parties, publicising the Borders area within the UK and overseas and generally encouraging and campaigning for a sustainable future for all.
Our Borders Facebook page is the main medium of contact - particularly well read by country members in Europe and USA! Click here: https://www.facebook.com/BordersFriendsofNature/
Contact us here: kirkyetholm@friendsofnature.org.uk
Kirk Yetholm FoN house is run by a mix of volunteer wardens and paid staff, so if anyone is interested in wardening (or work parties!!) please get in touch.
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News
22.10.21 Global Day for Climate Justice: Saturday Nov. 6th 2021
COP26 meets in Glasgow 1-13 Nov for the crucial global climate talks.
Saturday 6th Nov will see actions across globe in solidarity with the peoples march in Glasgow at midday. Details: https://cop26coalition.org/gda/ For those not in the cities there maybe a vigil in front of your local Town Hall or lighting candles with friends and loved ones at noon? Growing the conversation and urgency with friends and neighbours...
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31.07.21
New Beginning... New Normal? Kirk Yetholm reopening.
Well, here we go, the doors open from tonight... let's hope this finally marks the start of the journey out of this 16 months of pandemic and restrictions to our lives.
Bittersweet feelings in that we open without Barney, our beautiful 15 year old hostel spaniel beloved of so many guests and friends (pictured). The thought of all the lives lost from Covid-19 but also from those we will not see again, as sadly time waits for no man...
So on we go as we all try and do our bit for wellbeing and make the world a slightly better and happier place for everyone and for the nature we both live in and rely on.
Simon, Maureen and the Volunteers
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05.06.21 Today is World Environment Day
This year the theme is “Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.” The World Environment Day 2021 calls for urgent action to revive our damaged ecosystems. What better way of showing hope for the future than tree planting...?
We are supporting long established charity 'Trees for Life' in their project of rewilding Scotland through land purchase, long term management and the fact that several of our volunteers are involved.
Dedicate a tree(s) for Birthday, Celebration or a Memory... or just write a message to a friend, a loved one, or your thoughts at this time - the choice is yours. You can write near anything on our 'tree wall' page! It makes fascinating reading the dedications from UK and beyond
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25.02.21 We have decided to schedule 1st August for opening our house at Kirk Yetholm. With the recent UK Govt. road map to coming out of lockdown and Scotland perhaps being a little more cautious, this seems a realistic best guess. Our priority remains the safety of our guests, volunteers and the local community - we do not want to encourage movement and mixing of people until majority of the population has been vaccinated.
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Jan 2021 opening date for Kirk Yetholm is likely to be at earliest May 21 due to ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Web page and booking engine will be updated nearer the date. Volunteers will be contacted once the operational pattern decided. Likely that only private rooms will be offered with no/limited access to communal areas such as lounge and kitchen under Govt. guidelines.
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14.12.2020 Tree Planting.
Target reached for 125 trees planted via 'Trees for Life' grove in Highlands to celebrate 125yrs of Friends of Nature. Link to grove: https://treesforlife.org.uk/groves/g5482/
Borders Chapter also funded planting of 125 trees with Borders Forest Trust during 2020:
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18.03.20 Kirk Yetholm Friends of Nature House... CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
With a heavy heart we regret to announce that we will not be opening on 3rd April as planned due to the deepening Coronavirus (Covid-19) situation.
In a small building with shared facilities it is inevitable that close contact will be made with others staying no matter the level of preventative measures such as hand and surface cleaning. We also have a duty to the wider community to reduce contact and spread of this virus.
We look forward to seeing you later this year or in 2021...
Wishing everyone strength and courage at this time. Look after especially those with health conditions and the elderly. We will overcome this situation so do not lose sight of hope!
Simon, Maureen and the volunteers at Kirk Yetholm Friends of Nature House
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03.02.2020 We support tree planting.
A Mountain Ash (Rowan/Sorbus aucuparia) was planted at Kirk Yetholm on Monday 3rd February 2020 to mark the 125 years of Friends of Nature. We hope the leaves and berries will be a favourite for wildlife in the years to come. Trees can last up to 200 years and will be a permanent reminder of the Naturefriends movement. With luck it will certainly outlive us!!
Donated by Kirk Yetholm FoN House
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