ACCESS: A Retrospective and Update

Update as at 9/12/2025

In around 2022, I wrote on this homepage with the hope that ACCESS, an organisation established almost 20 years previously, would experience a revival. The original plan was to redevelop the website, introduce new sections, and breathe new life into our activities. However, circumstances have shifted, and these ambitions have not materialised as intended.

ACCESS Achievements Over Two Decades

During its 20-year history, ACCESS has made notable contributions to the local community. Among our achievements are:

Saving Little Oak Plantation, securing its designation as a Local Wildlife Site, and ensuring a Total Tree Preservation Order (TPO) was established.
Successfully opposing Taylor Wimpey’s proposal to build a 99-house development on the Forest Grass land behind Forest Road.
Researching previously unrecognised footpaths, which were subsequently acknowledged by Nottinghamshire County Council, preserving them for future generations.
With community support, submitting and having recognised a number of sites of local heritage by the local council.

None of these successes would have been possible without the active involvement and support of the community.

Challenges and the Decision to Pause

On 19th March 2019, a meeting was held where it was agreed to place ACCESS into ‘slumber mode’ due to a decline in community interest, despite appeals for new, younger committee members to succeed the existing team. The adoption of a new local plan was anticipated, but this did not come to pass. The situation was further complicated a few months later by the onset of the COVID pandemic, which severely limited all forms of social interaction.

Maintaining the Website and Subsequent Events

Despite these challenges, we continued for the next few years in ‘acting roles,’ keeping the website active and updated. The intention was to provide new residents with insights into the community’s development and to make available any useful information we had published.

Regrettably, support continued to dwindle. Among the remaining original committee members, one underwent a heart bypass and was also battling cancer, another had nearly lost their sight, and a third was contending with cancer and advanced age. Given these circumstances, it was decided at a meeting on 21st August 2023 that ACCESS should be formally dissolved. This decision had not previously been communicated on the website, though it was likely that most residents were already aware. I am now addressing this omission, with and by some assistance in website programming.

A Personal Reflection and Future Hopes

On a personal note, I am reluctant to let ACCESS fade away entirely. Our community deserves better, and I have been pursuing several initiatives that I hope to share with you in the New Year. These efforts are aimed at deepening our appreciation and understanding of our local heritage and environment.

Therefore, I repeat my earlier request: please continue to watch this space for future updates.

Peter Olko

About the Photographs

All the photographs featured above were taken within our local community. If you click on a picture, you will be able to view the next one; click again to explore the full current range.

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Oakwood Fields Meadows - Nature Plan (2)

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Here is the constitution:

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In about 1999, in furtherance to the building of Sherwood Business Park, the development company decided to landscape the field(s) (click link) that abutted between the footpath leading from near the Doctors surgery on Forest Road to Sherwood business park, up to Little Oak Plantation.

This work involved removing and storing much of the clay subsoils from the Industrial site during its construction, the provision of a sound barrier in the form of a heightened walkway (not very effective) and the setting of 1000’s of conifers.

Over the following years, through water logging and neglect, many of the trees died and the whole area became overgrown. Following pressure by Ashfield District Councillor Tony Theaker and some of the local community, Ashfield District Council, took over ownership of this area but despite management plans (Click link) being formulated nothing was undertaken to ensure that this downturn was reversed.

Following many complaints about its condition, in 2016, ACCESS approached the Council, who stated that finances prevented them from carrying out any vast improvements but thought that this would be an invaluable area to be developed for and by the local community.

With this in mind, a meeting was called, following which, it was decided that a volunteers group would be established. A constitution was formulated in conjunction with ADC, advertised, committee members organised, and working parties set up. It was thought, by many, that this might provide an outdoor nature area for the children of the Primary school. Mrs Dawn Roberts, Head, was an enthusiastic supporter and indeed one of the committee.

The group firstly spent many days removing the plastic tree guards, which had initially protected the young trees, but were now strangling and restricting them. Over about 1 year, 2500 guards were removed and transported away from site.

BOB

BOB2

Bob3

What started with enthusiasm within the committee was somewhat dimmed by personal circumstances which fell on them. Personally speaking I tried to support my wife in providing end-of-life care to her uncle over many months, as well as supporting my own family members who had health problems. I also know that the majority of committee members either suffered serious health problems themselves or family members did. My wife and I moved out of the area for nearly 9 months, whilst renovations were carried out to our house. Unfortunately, no sooner had we returned then Coronavirus struck the world with its restrictions. My friend, Kevan, who did all the programming behind the old ACCESS site also died unexpectedly through Kidney failure and with his loss, I lost the ACCESS website, which I am now trying, being self taught, to build back up.

As Chair of the group, I must apologise for the lack of communications during these difficult times. I have spoken to the majority of the old stalwarts of the group and the word “old” is perhaps apt, as the majority of those who formed the committee are now in their 70’s or mid 70’s and have health problems themselves. In general, they do not wish to continue as committee, but like myself are prepared to assist and guide any new members to take this on.

If you are interested in assisting in moving this forward, please contact me, all responses will be treated in the strictest confidence. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Regular updates will be posted here.

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The following are links to articles or information about the Council's nature area behind Forest Road. This was originally called "Forest Road Nature Area" in 2006, and underwent a name change to reflect its more general proximity to Little Oak Plantation, when a volunteer group was established in the late 2016/2017. This group has collapsed due to Covid and the general age of the committee, many of whom have suffered illness themselves or other family illness related problems, which mean that they can no longer commit to this group.

We are looking for persons to take this over and ensure that this community asset is maintained and made available to the public, otherwise we will seek to return any small funds we have either to the local school for related nature projects or to the Council. Peter Olko - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

BOB2

Volunteer Friends of Oakwood Fields - Background

Ecology plans for Forest Road Nature Area

Constitution of the Volunteer friends of Oakwood fields/Meadows