The first volunteer session of 2018 took place last Saturday morning. Despite the temperature of just 4 degrees, several committee members and volunteers arrived. Today’s theme was to assess potential projects for later in the year, taking advantage of the dry weather and trees that have lost leaves to consider new places for new trees to be situated, as well as thoughts on new areas that can be planted up.

Although winter has only just started, already in places there were signs of Spring flowering plants already starting to appear, including the bluebells and primroses we’ve previously planted. We also found a foxglove which looks like it has arrived without being planted, a good sign of the potential seed-bank in the “mini Glade” area.

Last Sunday saw another very well attended volunteer session with over a dozen committee members and volunteers tackling this month’s tasks.

It was disappointing to see that all the pears and apples had been taken by, we assume, local squirrels. Last month we saw around a dozen potential fruits which were looking good, but others got there first!

Pear tree, but without the pears!

One of the main tasks was the weeding of The Mound area, which had become very overgrown with bindweed, plants working their ways around the small tree saplings. You can see in the photos the impact of 2 hours’ work on the area. Continue reading →

Last Sunday morning saw another weekend volunteer morning session. Although volunteer numbers were low because of the Summer holidays, we welcomed new faces and undertook many tasks.

The pond was becoming a little overgrown with the grasses at the edges making most of the Summer warmth. As can be seen in the photos committee member Donald Albrecht and 2 other volunteers get to grips by removing grasses to create a more open water area.

Pond clearing by Donald Albrecht

Pond clearing in progress

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