Families in Cheltenham can join a free Big Butterfly Count afternoon on Sunday 19 July at Daisybank Field, the recently saved community green space at the foot of Leckhampton Hill. Hosted by volunteer-run Daisybank CIC alongside volunteers from the Gloucestershire branch of Butterfly Conservation, the event runs from 2pm to 4.30pm and includes guided walks, identification help, a butterfly trail and children’s activities.
The field is accessed over the stile at the end of Pilford Road, GL53 9AG. There is no car park on site, but roadside parking is available on Old Bath Road. The L bus service also stops near the top of Old Bath Road. Visitors should avoid parking in Pilford Road itself, as it is a private road.
The gathering marks one of the first community activities since Daisybank CIC bought the 4.13-acre pasture field in November 2025 for £80,000. Local residents formed the group to block a potential sale at auction and raised £35,000 through crowdfunding—with the rest coming from local businesses, individuals, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and two parish councils. Leckhampton With Warden Hill Parish Council had earlier secured the land’s status as an asset of community value, buying the six-month window needed to pull together a bid.
The field sits within the Cotswolds National Landscape and holds priority habitats connected to the Site of Special Scientific Interest on Leckhampton Hill. It is home to adders, bats, deer, foxes and a rich mix of grassland life—part of why Butterfly Conservation’s volunteers are lending their expertise. The charity has recorded nearly 50 butterfly species and more than 1,700 moth species across Gloucestershire.
Daisybank CIC says the count will help people learn to identify butterflies while contributing to a national survey. All activities are free.
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