In April 2021, in the midst of the Covid pandemic, a street WhatsApp message was sent to Pewley Way residents by an eagle-eyed resident who had spotted the sale listing for New Warren Farm and its surrounding fields. The fields are at the far end of  Pewley Way, Pewley Hill and Addison Road, and also accessed via Warren Road.

They are close to the hearts of local residents who used them and Pewley Down nature reserve extensively during Lockdown for much-needed walks and fresh air at a time when it was really needed.

Residents from the local community and community groups met online 3 days after the original message had been sent, a volunteer team was assembled to work on a plan to buy the fields, and the “Saving Pewley Down Fields” campaign swung into action.

The team swiftly made contact with local conservationist and benefactor of the Rosamund Meadow, Julia Stephenson, who confirmed she was interested in bidding for the fields to save them for conservation. The two parties then teamed up with local school Holy Trinity Pewley Down who were interested to purchase a smaller portion for the school to use as an open green space for environmental education.  Our final partner was Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT), who specialises in managing privately/ community owned greenfield sites for bio-diversity and wildlife protection.  We then began promoting the campaign to raise additional funds to ensure Julia’s bid was successful.

3 action-packed and nail-biting weeks later, having raised over £500,000 of additional funds from local donors, the auction for the Fields began. It was early the following day we learnt that we had managed to place the winning bid - beating many interested parties including developers. The battle to preserve the Fields from development and protect its wildlife had been won.

Of course buying any property is never that straight forward and it was many weeks later that the transaction finally completed and we could call the fields (or Pewley Meadows  as we call them) safe.

The Meadows are now owned and held by Julia’s Master Charitable Trust, with an acre and half bought separately by Holy Trinity Pewley Down. SWT have a 500 year lease to manage the 37.5 acre site, together with the adjacent Rosamund Meadow, as a swathe of chalk grassland where local species will be encouraged to thrive in their local habitat.

The Friends of Pewley Meadows was formed as a community group to help SWT manage this rare chalkland area. By becoming a member you can play a part in developing the activities and helping to  promote the conservation efforts for the wildlife, flora and fauna on the site.