The Billy's Lake Project is a Community Conservation Project that was born out of the Acorn Community Centre in 2010, and which has grown over the years and now has an established Volunteer Working Party who meet weekly to help us maintain the land both for the conservation of wildlife, and for public enjoyment. We also run outdoor youth activities and Forest School there for children in Wecock Farm.
Our Vision is “to provide people in our community access to new opportunities, improved physical and mental health and well-being, and to provide an environment where both nature and people can thrive together”.
The lake is used by local anglers and provides a safe and free fishing lake for everyone, especially those who may not be able to afford fishing memberships elsewhere. Two years ago we received funding to enable us to install a solid footpath around part of the lake as a continuation from the main footpath, and also fishing platforms suitable for wheelchair users. We don’t stock the lake, and we are very much a community lake – encouraging families and anglers to enjoy the natural lake.
We run fishing workshops for children during every school holiday, which is run by local volunteer angling coaches. If you have a passion for angling, enjoy working with children, and would like to become a volunteer angling coach please get in touch with us.
We have also recently set up a Volunteer Warden Scheme whereby a group of local anglers regularly patrol the lake in order to build relationships with the local community and aim to reduce antisocial behaviour and poor fishing practices.
Have you ever wondered why it is called Billy’s Lake? We get asked this question all the time, and have recently been honoured to meet with a gentleman by the name of Bill Hunt who turns out to be the location’s name sake! Bill grew up on the Berg Estate, specifically Silverdale Drive, in the 50’s and 60’s. The estate was full of young families at that time and when Bill’s school friends found out that he had access to Soake Sandpits (as it was known previously) at the back of his garden, they would all come knocking after school, running out back to go on their next adventure and get up to mischief. Since our chance meeting with Bill, we’ve had several people contact us telling us about their memories of the lake, and how the term ‘Billy’s Lake’ was coined at school and later appearing on maps. Do you have memories of Billy’s Lake – we’d love to hear them!
