This weekend London Wildlife Trust helped transform a neglected patch of land in Southwark into a brilliant Breathing Place for the local community and its wilder members.

As part of this year’s BBC Springwatch series, a Springwatch Action Team (SWAT) was formed from local conservation groups and residents, and challenged to makeover a green spot in Surrey Square, off Old Kent Road, in just two days.

It was really hard work, but we did it! There was a great atmosphere as everyone got stuck in, determined to make the deadline. It was amazing to see the little square in the Kinglake estate come to life as the team penetrated the wilderness and opened up the site.

It was full of buddleia, brambles and nettles, and in general the biodiversity of the site was fairly limited. The team got started off clearing nettles and buddleia, before adding informal seating and a path through the wildlife area, as well as creating a bug bank, a deadwood hedge and a mini beast mansion (as seen in the picture on the right).  They also buried buckets for stag beetles and put up home-made homes for birds and bats.

As the four o clock deadline struck on Saturday, a hot and sweaty team stood back to admire their handiwork. A new Breathing Place was born, which locals were already getting very excited about. There were cheers all round, and a few slices of cake. The plan is to keep the site maintained and to return in Autumn to plant wild flowers.

The transformation got lots of coverage on BBC London – watch the reports and see the snaps

Find out more about the BBC's SWAT and Breathing Places project.

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