The Friends of Mitcham Common group aims to widen the public interest and understanding of the Common and is open to anybody who shares our love of the common. The Friends:
- Foster and develop interest and understanding of the wildlife and it’s habitat on Mitcham Common
- To aim to work in partnership with the Mitcham Common Conservators to maintain and protect the Common and it’s wildlife
- To provide members with information on activites relevant to these objectives
We are not part of the Board of Conservators who administer the common. We are, on the whole, supportive of its policies, but provide challenge to the Conservators and the way they run the Common.
We are supporters of the Wandle Valley Forum.
Our history
The Society evolved from the “Mitcham Common Preservation Society”. This was a pressure group formed in 1956 to counter the escalating use of the common as a rubbish dump and also against several, proposed large- scale road schemes.
In the intervening years, conservation has become a mainstream policy such that, in 2004, we changed our name to ‘Friends of Mitcham Common’, which more accurately defines our present position.
Development proposals involving the common still crop up periodically, and with a membership base of some 350 people, we are in a strong position to organise a protest if the need arises.
We produce our own magazine ‘Magpie’ three or four times a year, to keep members abreast of developments. We also provide support to the Warden and Conservators in the form of donations for projects. Recent examples include £500 for Police motorbikes and another £500 for the forthcoming 7 islands pond de-silting.
While these represent only a small percent of the total of these respective projects, the value to the Conservators, knowing there is a dedicated group they can rely on, far exceeds the monetary value. We hold our A.G.M. at the Ecology Centre where members can discuss current problems. A guest speaker is normally invited.
Friends of Mitcham Common 