Nature's rich bounty was celebrated at the Watton Acorn Fair, the first such event to be held in the market town.

Eastern Daily Press: From left, Pauline Harper, Pam Medlock and Val Everett at the Acorn Fair in Watton. Ms Harper and Ms Medlock were volunteering at a stand about composting, part of a joint project between Garden Organic and Norfolk County Council. Picture: STUART ANDERSONFrom left, Pauline Harper, Pam Medlock and Val Everett at the Acorn Fair in Watton. Ms Harper and Ms Medlock were volunteering at a stand about composting, part of a joint project between Garden Organic and Norfolk County Council. Picture: STUART ANDERSON (Image: Archant)

More than 200 people visited the Queen's Hall today (Saturday January 21) to learn about the plants and animals of our region, and how we can better protect them.

Visitors browsed stands covering everything from hedgehog conservation to 'worm wee'- the liquid deposit that can be extracted from a compost heap and used on plants.

Children enjoyed colouring and other activities on the hall's stage, and visitors young and old bought tickets for a tombola which raised money for the PACT Animal Sanctuary.

The fair was organised by Pamela Morgan who is the outreach worker of the Growing Together Project.

Eastern Daily Press: Pamela Morgan from the Growing Together Project at the Acorn Fair in Watton. Mrs Morgan stands in front of her display showing conservation surveys in church yards in the Weyland area. Picture: STUART ANDERSONPamela Morgan from the Growing Together Project at the Acorn Fair in Watton. Mrs Morgan stands in front of her display showing conservation surveys in church yards in the Weyland area. Picture: STUART ANDERSON (Image: Archant)

Mrs Morgan said she was delighted with the turn-out at the fair, and the way groups such as the RSPB and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust had linked up with the project.

She said: 'We called it the Acorn Fair, because it started small and has just grown and grown into a huge oak.

'This is all about showing how everybody, even with the smallest of green space, can do something positive to encourage bird life or mammals. Even with just by growing a pot of chives, you're encouraging pollinators.

'We're hoping to give them the motivation, passion and enthusiasm to go out there and do their bit for wildlife.'

Eastern Daily Press: From left, Pauline Harper and Pam Medlock at the Acorn Fair in Watton. Ms Harper and Ms Medlock were volunteering at a stand about composting, part of a joint project between Garden Organic and Norfolk County Council. Ms Medlock holds up a bottle of 'worm wee' - a liquid that can be used in gardening, made from compost. Picture: STUART ANDERSONFrom left, Pauline Harper and Pam Medlock at the Acorn Fair in Watton. Ms Harper and Ms Medlock were volunteering at a stand about composting, part of a joint project between Garden Organic and Norfolk County Council. Ms Medlock holds up a bottle of 'worm wee' - a liquid that can be used in gardening, made from compost. Picture: STUART ANDERSON (Image: Archant)

Mrs Morgan started the Growing Together Project in conjunction with the Wayland Partnership last year after receiving a grant of about £20,000 from the People's Postcode Lottery.

She said: 'They have given us a grant so to that we can go out into the villages of Wayland and help conservation in the area and promote a better environment for wildlife.'

'A responsibility'

Mrs Morgan said we had a 'responsibilty of stewardship' to look after the environment, and taking care of our green spaces not only benefitted plants and animals, but also our own mental well-being.

She said it was disappointing to see birds and animals that once thrived were now in decline.

Mrs Morgan said: 'We've lost over a third of our hedgehog population in the last 10 years. Starlings, tree sparrows, house sparrows - things that we grew up with and were abundant in the area are really having trouble now.

'We can do our bit just to feed and encourage them.'

Mrs Morgan said there was one easy step homeowners could take to encourage wildlife, that was to leave one area of grass unmown.

She said: 'Let the grass grow.'

To find out more, visit wayland.org.uk