Welcome to Jordans Village
Find out about the village, its history, what's on, and about the various groups you can get involved with. Jordans Village was originally established and built by the Quakers, or Religious Society of Friends, who have been meeting here since the 17th century. For information about Jordans Village Limited, the Community Benefit Society which owns and manages the Jordans Estate, please visit www.jordansvillagelimited.co.uk
Find out about the village, its history, what's on, and about the various groups you can get involved with. Jordans Village was originally established and built by the Quakers, or Religious Society of Friends, who have been meeting here since the 17th century. For information about Jordans Village Limited, the Community Benefit Society which owns and manages the Jordans Estate, please visit www.jordansvillagelimited.co.uk
Jordans Village Community Newsletter
The July 2025 issue is out now! Click here to view it in your browser.
For PDFs of back issues, and historic newsletters, please visit the Downloads page of our website.
The newsletter is published on the 1st of each month.
Please send copy to estateoffice@jordansvillage.co.uk before the last day of the month.
For PDFs of back issues, and historic newsletters, please visit the Downloads page of our website.
The newsletter is published on the 1st of each month.
Please send copy to estateoffice@jordansvillage.co.uk before the last day of the month.
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What is biodiversity? And what is happening on Manor Farm Field North to promote it?
We’re holding a series of activities from dawn to dusk on Saturday 12th July to celebrate the biodiversity in our village and understand how & why we should support it. All activities are FREE but numbers are limited so please reserve your place on the safaris using the links below. Activities are suitable for all ages. Everyone is welcome but no dogs (except guide dogs) please. Please wear sturdy shoes and long trousers (we can’t rule out ticks in the long grass). Jordans Biodiversity Day - Saturday 12th July - Agenda -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7am – 9.30am: Morning Bird Safari led by local expert Dave Parmenter BOOK ON EVENTBRITE Morning Bird Safari led by local expert Dave Parmenter Tickets, Sat 12 Jul 2025 at 07:00 | Eventbrite Dave is extremely knowledgeable about the resident and migrant birds of South Bucks and will help us to understand who is singing on Manor Farm Field in July! If you’ve never seen a bird through a powerful telescope, be prepared to be amazed. Followed by coffee and croissants. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11am -1pm: Bumblebee Safari led by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust BOOK ON EVENTBRITE Bumblebee Safari led by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust Tickets, Sat, Jul 12, 2025 at 11:00 AM | Eventbrite Bumblebees are in crisis. Linda Wells from BCT will explain why and what we can do to help. She will guide us on a bumblebee safari across Manor Farm Field, using nets to gently catch and identify a variety of different bumblebee species. We may also find cuckoo bumblebees if we’re lucky! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3pm – 5pm: Tea and Cake on Manor Farm Field North – no need to book An opportunity for you to visit this usually closed field and enjoy some tea and cake while finding out about what we’ve been doing to restore wildlife over the past year. Highlights include the wildflower meadow, hedge laying and hunting for amphibians and reptiles. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9pm – 11pm: Bat Safari with Berks and South Bucks Bat Group BOOK ON EVENTBRITE Dusk Bat Safari with Berks and South Bucks Bat Group Tickets, Sat, Jul 12, 2025 at 9:00 PM | Eventbrite Claire Taylor from BSBBG will reassure us that we won’t come across any vampire bats but she will upskill us on what to look for and how to identify a number of bat species that we might expect to find in our corner of the Chilterns. Expect to use bat monitoring equipment to take part in a sunset survey. For more information: jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com Follow us on Instagram: jordans_biodiversity_project Click here to download this article with links 
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Manor Farm Fields Biodiversity Project
Biodiversity Project News - March 2025
News from Manor Farm Field Biodiversity Project
With the help of over 20 volunteers - aged 3 years to 73 years - we’ve planted a ’scalloped edge’! Nearly 500 plants of Alder, Blackthorn, Willow, Hawthorn, Crab Apple, Wild Rose, Wild Privet, Hazel and Spindle will be maintained as shrubs, forming an intermediate zone between the vertical trees and hedges, and horizontal grassland. This will produce habitats and food sources for a variety of mammals, birds and invertebrates - an increase in the diversity of plants and the diversity of animals! Thank you to everyone involved!
Our next volunteer event: Saturday 22nd March 10am - 1pm
We’ll finish mulching the new plants and try to manage the nettles! Please join us.
This is a drop in event - come for as long as you are able, there is no obligation to stay the whole time. Everyone welcome! We try to ensure there are tasks suitable for all abilities and encourage breaks, chatting and cake eating! Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and no dogs please. Do let us know if you can come along so that we make sure we have enough equipment and refreshments!
Contact us on Instagram @jordans_biodiversity_project
Or email jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com
Jordans Biodiversity Group
1st March 2025
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Biodiversity Project News - December 2024
Two key things have happened on Manor Farm Field north in the last month:
1) On 3rd November we hand sowed 48kg of wildflower seed which was no small task! This is a mix of the perennial plants we would expect on grassland in our corner of the world plus some annuals to provide some colour and essential food sources next year while the perennials establish. The warm temperatures early in the November meant the seed is already germinating - relief that we didn’t just put down a lot of expensive bird seed! With the right weather conditions and grazing at specific times we hope the wildflower meadow will flourish.
2) With the expert help of Rough Around the Hedges (a volunteer group supported by the Chiltern Society) and the Chiltern Rangers, our hedgelaying trained volunteers and support volunteers have been laying the north hedge. It was very overgrown and mostly prickly hawthorn & blackthorn so this is no small feat! Laying the hedge ensures its survival, it will sprout from the base and cross stems next Spring, so thickening up and providing food and habitats for wildlife. We plan to finish it on 5th December so if you have an hour or two to help out or just want to visit to see what we have done, you are very welcome. It’s a thing of beauty! This work even made it into the Chiltern Rangers’ Autumn newsletter! Chiltern Rangers Autumn Newsletter
On 15th November, Jordans Biodiversity Group took part in the Pride of Bucks celebration. It was great to share the work we are doing to support biodiversity in our village with many other community focussed groups locally as well as hear and learn from what others are doing too.
Upcoming work events on the field - volunteers needed
Thursday 5th December 10-3pm - finishing laying the north hedge
Saturday 11th January 10-1pm - clearing overgrown areas within the new perimeter fence
Saturday 18th January 10-1pm - planting small shrub plants within the new perimeter fence to create an intermediate habitat (between the hedges/tree line and the grassland)
Saturday 8th February 10-1pm - hedge maintenance on the hedge along the Seer Green Footpath
There is no obligation to stay the whole time.
We are so very grateful to everyone who volunteers at our work events. You are many different ages and abilities but always bring enthusiasm for the project and passion for the natural world! Newcomers welcome! We try to ensure there are tasks suitable for all abilities and encourage breaks, chatting and cake eating! Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and no dogs please. Do let us know if you can come along so that we make sure we have enough equipment and refreshments!
These activities are kindly supported by Bucks Community Board and Chilterns National Landscapes but there is more to do. If you are able to support the work on Manor Farm Field north, please donate to: Jordans Biodiversity Group, Acc no 52891630, Sort code 23-05-80. We are very grateful!
Contact us on Instagram @jordans_biodiversity_project
or email Jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com
Contact us on Instagram @jordans_biodiversity_project or email Jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com
Bob, Emma, Gordon, Liz and Paul, 1st December 2024
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Biodiversity Project Year 1 Summary - Report to JVL's Management Committee
Since my last report to the Management Committee in October 2023:
• A further working party was held on Saturday 4 November, with about 30 people coming. Four further scrapes were created, and a wild flower mix was sown.
• The Bucks Community Board and the Chiltern Conservation Board have given the project significant grants for fencing, hedge laying, harrowing and replanting with wild flowers, and the planting of the scalloped edges.
• We have contacted the owners of the field to the north of Manor Farm Fields, and they are agreeable to the re-laying of the mature hedge on the north side. We have had meetings with a local volunteer group, “Rough Around the Hedges”, to agree a programme to carry out the re-laying.
• The Jordans Biodiversity Group has started a programme to record butterflies, birds and plants, and a photographic record of how the field changes over time.
• A showing of the film “Six inches of soil” was held with the Jordans Picture House on 4 June, attracting over 60 attendees from Jordans and beyond.
• Two small working parties from the JBG have removed some injurious weeds.
• Following a request from the Estate Manager, members of JBG removed a stand of poison hemlock from the South Field.
• The annual grazing licence for the North Field has been renewed.
We had hoped to graze the field with cows in early May, but this did not take place due to the difficulty of liaising with the farmer whose cows graze the south field. However the funding allows us to do a hay cut, which is needed to reduce the height of the grasses so that other plants can compete. The cut also removes the grasses’ biomass which would add further fertility to the soil. It will be carried out shortly by John Chapman, who runs a regenerative farm near Amersham.
For the rest of the year, we are planning:
• A Jordans Biodiversity Activity Day on Saturday 3 August, when there will be a range of activities, including an early morning bird walk, an activity for children supervised by the Chilterns Rangers, and a bat walk in the evening. Do come!
• A volunteer morning for Saturday 10 August to remove barbed wire and some undergrowth in preparation of hedge laying.
• A fencing contractor will install a new fence to run from the north-east corner of the field to the corner in the north-west, a few meters out from the existing boundaries. This will protect new whips from grazing cattle. At the same time he will replace the existing fence on the west side, and renew the gate posts, which are not in a good condition.
• “Rough around the Hedges” will organise a training course for volunteers wishing to learn hedging skills in September, and the trained volunteers will then work on the hedge laying later in the autumn over three consecutive weekends.
• Shallow rotavating will take place in one third of the field in the autumn, followed by the sowing of a wild flower mix.
• Young whips will be purchased and planted on the north side next to the relayed hedge over the winter.
Robert Hall, 19th June 2024
Wildlife Monitoring Update
We are very pleased to announce that our project has received support from both the Bucks Community Board and Chiltern Conservation Board! Their funding awards enable us to begin some significant work on the field this year. Things to look out for over the Summer:
• We will be fixing the gate and installing new fencing which will protect a new scalloped edge intermediate habitat from future grazing (the scalloped edge will be planted in the winter)
• We have been disappointed that the field hasn’t been grazed in early Summer this year but the funding allows us to do a hay cut. This is needed to reduce the height of the grasses so that other plants can compete and also removes the grasses’ biomass which would add further fertility to the soil (we need to reduce the fertility to favour naturally occurring plants rather than the crop of rye grass that makes up much of the field currently).
• We’ve had mixed success with the wildflower seed sown last autumn - perhaps when the grass is cut you may get a glimpse of corncockles, yellow rattle and the odd poppy! • Our butterfly surveys to date have recorded very few species: Peacocks in April, an Orange Tip, Small Heath and some Whites in May. It’s a stark reminder why landscape restoration is so important to create the habitats that enable local biodiversity to flourish.
Bob Hall, June 2024
Wildlife Monitoring
We will continue to monitor the butterflies, plants and birds on Manor Farm Field North over the next few months so that we can understand changes to biodiversity on the field over time. We are looking to build a small team of people to help us to do this - you might like to just be involved in plant monitoring for example, or all three.
What it involves: Butterfly monitoring – we will be visiting the field once a month April to September, which will take about an hour and always in fine weather; Plant monitoring – monthly from May to July which will take about 1.5 hours each time; Bird monitoring – two outings between April and August to look and listen for birds. We will be using the scientific survey methods of the national monitoring schemes to build our own datasets as well as contribute to the national surveys.
If you have good plant, butterfly or bird ID skills or want to learn alongside us please be in touch jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com or call Emma on 07940 816710.
Keep in touch with the project and find out about upcoming events on Instagram jordans_biodiversity_project .We’ll also make sure to post information here.
Image above: A Small Skipper (Image credit Mary-Anne Hall)
Bob Hall & Jordans Biodiversity volunteer group
May 2024
What it involves: Butterfly monitoring – we will be visiting the field once a month April to September, which will take about an hour and always in fine weather; Plant monitoring – monthly from May to July which will take about 1.5 hours each time; Bird monitoring – two outings between April and August to look and listen for birds. We will be using the scientific survey methods of the national monitoring schemes to build our own datasets as well as contribute to the national surveys.
If you have good plant, butterfly or bird ID skills or want to learn alongside us please be in touch jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com or call Emma on 07940 816710.
Keep in touch with the project and find out about upcoming events on Instagram jordans_biodiversity_project .We’ll also make sure to post information here.
Image above: A Small Skipper (Image credit Mary-Anne Hall)
Bob Hall & Jordans Biodiversity volunteer group
May 2024
Rain, Sunshine & Cake
Thank you to the super effort of seventeen volunteers who joined the Jordans Biodiversity Group for an hour or three on Saturday 12th August for our inaugural work event on Manor Farm Field. We managed to clear two areas approximately 5m x 5m in which we will sow wildflower seeds, put in fourteen new fence posts to shore up the west fence so that it is stock proof (the cows are now back in!) and fill two rubble bags of thistles! Thank you also to the Chiltern Rangers who kindly lent us the tools for the job!
We’ve had some great feedback. Volunteers said they enjoyed the physical exercise outside in a natural space, that it was great being part of community effort to benefit biodiversity, that it felt “wholesome” and like a “natural gym”! It was also wonderful to see people of all ages - from teens to retirees - supporting each other and having a good old chat!
Our next event will be on Saturday 4th November between 10am and 1pm. Our task will be to create two more seed beds (we want to have 4 in total in various aspects of the field), sow the wildflower seeds, and if the weather remains mild, no doubt there will be some more injurious plants to pull. There will be a mix of heavy work and light tasks so something for everyone :-) Again, you are welcome to stay as long or as little as you can. It’s helpful to know in advance how many people to expect so please let us know if you can make it.
If you want to keep up to date with activity in the field follow us on Instagram.com/jordans_biodiversity_project
Any questions, please be in touch jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com Emma 07940 816710
Bob Hall & Jordans Biodiversity volunteer group
September 2023
We’ve had some great feedback. Volunteers said they enjoyed the physical exercise outside in a natural space, that it was great being part of community effort to benefit biodiversity, that it felt “wholesome” and like a “natural gym”! It was also wonderful to see people of all ages - from teens to retirees - supporting each other and having a good old chat!
Our next event will be on Saturday 4th November between 10am and 1pm. Our task will be to create two more seed beds (we want to have 4 in total in various aspects of the field), sow the wildflower seeds, and if the weather remains mild, no doubt there will be some more injurious plants to pull. There will be a mix of heavy work and light tasks so something for everyone :-) Again, you are welcome to stay as long or as little as you can. It’s helpful to know in advance how many people to expect so please let us know if you can make it.
If you want to keep up to date with activity in the field follow us on Instagram.com/jordans_biodiversity_project
Any questions, please be in touch jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com Emma 07940 816710
Bob Hall & Jordans Biodiversity volunteer group
September 2023
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Jordans Biodiversity Project - Launched in July 2023
The project to manage the land in Manor Farm Fields north field to promote the natural wildlife of this corner of the Chilterns began this month. The aim is to reduce the fertility of the soil to favour local plants and wildflowers and the insects, birds and other animals that would naturally live in this precious habitat, while also producing hay as a crop and allowing grazing to continue.
How we do this depends on the size of the grants we can secure - with little funds we can manage the grassland to support this change and it will take many years, with more funds we can harrow and plant wildflower seed to speed up the process.
While we wait for the results of our funding applications, there has been some activity in the the field that you might have noticed:
If you have any questions about this project and how to get involved, or would like to make a financial donation, please contact us at jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com or call Emma on 07940 816710.
Bob Hall & Jordans Biodiversity volunteer group
July 2023
How we do this depends on the size of the grants we can secure - with little funds we can manage the grassland to support this change and it will take many years, with more funds we can harrow and plant wildflower seed to speed up the process.
While we wait for the results of our funding applications, there has been some activity in the the field that you might have noticed:
- The cows who have been busy eating up the rich rye grass which we need to deplete, were moved to the south field to allow slower growing plants a chance to flower this season;
- A small working party spent a few hours cutting some problematic plants which we need to keep in check, and have cut back two trees that had fallen across the west fence - in doing so creating two log piles for the benefit of fungi, insects and insectivores!
If you have any questions about this project and how to get involved, or would like to make a financial donation, please contact us at jordansbiodiversity@gmail.com or call Emma on 07940 816710.
Bob Hall & Jordans Biodiversity volunteer group
July 2023
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A note about how we protect your privacy.
Privacy Notice
Jordans Village Limited values privacy and transparency, and so we wanted to tell you about how we do that.
Our Privacy Policy went into effect on 1st May 2018.
Who We Are
Jordans Village Limited is a society registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in England under the Co-Operative & Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (registration number 7533R). We are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of our members, residents, and tenants, and visitors to our office, village, and website. In particular, we want you to know that Jordans Village does not sell, rent or trade email lists with other companies and businesses for marketing purposes. Our Privacy Policy provides detailed information on when and why we collect personal information, how we use it, the limited conditions under which we may disclose it to others, and how we keep it secure.
Google Analytics
When someone visits www.jordansvillage.co.uk or www.jordansvillagehall.co.uk we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We don’t make, and don’t allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website.
WiFi
When you use Wi-Fi in Jordans Village Hall, we may collect data about:
i. your device;
ii. the volume of data which you use;
iii.the websites and applications which you access; and
iv. your usage by access time, frequency and location.
Mailing Lists
As part of the registration process for our monthly e-newsletter, we collect personal information - simply your name and email address. We use that information only for a few reasons: to provide you with news which you’ve asked us to tell you about; to contact you if we need to obtain or provide additional information; and to check our records are right. We don't rent or trade email lists with other organisations and businesses. We use a third-party provider, MailChimp, to deliver our newsletter. This system has the facility to gather statistics around email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies to help us monitor and improve our e-newsletter. For more information, please see MailChimp’s privacy notice. You can unsubscribe to general mailings at any time of the day or night by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any of our emails or by emailing our Estate Manager via estateoffice@jordansvillage.co.uk
Access to your personal information
JVL holds personal data due to its legitimate business interest and to meet its legal obligations. You are entitled to request to view, amend, or delete the personal information that we hold. If you wish to make a request, please write to Chris Jenkins, JVL Estate Manager at JVL Estate Office, The Green, Seer Green Lane, Jordans, Buckinghamshire HP9 2ST
Jordans Village Limited values privacy and transparency, and so we wanted to tell you about how we do that.
Our Privacy Policy went into effect on 1st May 2018.
Who We Are
Jordans Village Limited is a society registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in England under the Co-Operative & Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 (registration number 7533R). We are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of our members, residents, and tenants, and visitors to our office, village, and website. In particular, we want you to know that Jordans Village does not sell, rent or trade email lists with other companies and businesses for marketing purposes. Our Privacy Policy provides detailed information on when and why we collect personal information, how we use it, the limited conditions under which we may disclose it to others, and how we keep it secure.
Google Analytics
When someone visits www.jordansvillage.co.uk or www.jordansvillagehall.co.uk we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is only processed in a way which does not identify anyone. We don’t make, and don’t allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website.
WiFi
When you use Wi-Fi in Jordans Village Hall, we may collect data about:
i. your device;
ii. the volume of data which you use;
iii.the websites and applications which you access; and
iv. your usage by access time, frequency and location.
Mailing Lists
As part of the registration process for our monthly e-newsletter, we collect personal information - simply your name and email address. We use that information only for a few reasons: to provide you with news which you’ve asked us to tell you about; to contact you if we need to obtain or provide additional information; and to check our records are right. We don't rent or trade email lists with other organisations and businesses. We use a third-party provider, MailChimp, to deliver our newsletter. This system has the facility to gather statistics around email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies to help us monitor and improve our e-newsletter. For more information, please see MailChimp’s privacy notice. You can unsubscribe to general mailings at any time of the day or night by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any of our emails or by emailing our Estate Manager via estateoffice@jordansvillage.co.uk
Access to your personal information
JVL holds personal data due to its legitimate business interest and to meet its legal obligations. You are entitled to request to view, amend, or delete the personal information that we hold. If you wish to make a request, please write to Chris Jenkins, JVL Estate Manager at JVL Estate Office, The Green, Seer Green Lane, Jordans, Buckinghamshire HP9 2ST