The award-winning pub, which has a reputation for giving nature a helping hand, is donating £5k to improve habitat at this very special reserve owned by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust.

The reserve covers just over 5.5. acres, but is a gem due to the four important types of wildlife habitat contained within it: meadow, broadleaf woodland, hedgerow and scrub.

Andy Link, chef/patron at The Riverside says,

“The Goggin is a wonderful little reserve, but with a few tweaks could be an even better haven for wildlife.  This is where we stepped in, as Herefordshire Wildlife Trust needed urgent funds to bring these habitat improvements to fruition.”

“I guess it’s an unusual move for a pub to step in to create this kind of impact, but here at the Riverside we have a long history of helping nature, from providing hedgehog houses in our grounds, to growing pollinator friendly plants, to planting native hedging and a traditional orchard for the benefit of wildlife.”

Andy adds,

“The Goggin is particularly special to me, as I grew up on a farm not far away.  It’s also within walking distance of the pub, so our guests can visit.”

The Riverside Inn sits on the banks of the river Lugg, and Andy is keen to help increase the biodiversity there as well.

“In conjunction with Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, we will be planting natural hedging along part of the river bank, creating reed beds and leaky dams to create wetland patches that are so hugely important for biodiversity.”

Andy is also planning a series  of fundraising events at the pub.  These will revolve around talks on nature and a chance to try one of his hugely popular tasting menus.

Jamie Audsley, CEO of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust says,

“The Goggin is a very special place, kindly gifted to us in the will of John Bayliss in 2021.  We have been keen to find the funds to make this lovely nature reserve even more beneficial for nature, and we are delighted that The Riverside Inn has become our first Nature Reserve Guardian to do just that.  In the years to come, yet more species will frequent this site, providing a haven in a world that is sadly seeing the decline of so many species.”

About The Goggin

The two lovely meadows provide a home to small mammals when the grass is long meadow and are a fantastic food source for pollinators such as bees, butterflies and beetles when the wildflowers bloom in spring and early summer. The grass is cut for hay each summer then the meadows are grazed by sheep or cattle.

Key species to spot in the meadows in spring and summer: vetchling, perforate St John’s wort, pignut, knapweed, cats-ear, hawkbits, birds foot trefoil, early purple orchid, marbled white butterfly, six-spot burnet moth.

The fields are separated and bordered by mature hedgerows comprising blackthorn, hawthorn, hazel and field maple. Hedges can act as highways for many birds and animals as they move through our countryside, the thick vegetation hiding them from potential predators.

Key species to spot in the hedgerows: blossoming blackthorn in early spring, yellowhammers and chiffchaff.

The small area of woodland is particularly lovely in spring. The species of woodland flowers which bloom here indicate this may be the site of an ancient woodland.

Key species to spot in the woodland: bluebells, primrose, wild gooseberry, yellow archangel.

Scrub is an area of low, bushy growth and usually includes young trees and shrubs. This is a wonderful habitat where small birds will nest and small mammals such as mice and voles will shelter.

Key species to spot in the scrub: bramble – a good source of food for birds and mammals, blackthorn – another good food source, the fruits are known as sloes.