June 16, 2024 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Our regular session will be on Sunday the 16th, meeting, as usual, by the container in the picnic field at 10am.
We will be giving the pathways some love, cutting back the grass, nettles and brambles, and making sure they are passable. We’ll be strimming and lopping. Decent gloves and long trouser recommended for the stings and thorns.
You meet the very best people when walking your dog. Occasionally I mention the projects we’ve got going on, and sometimes those conversations pay off with an offer to help out. We were very lucky when Bert’s owner Steve stepped up to take on the job of replacing the wooden bridge next to the wildflower meadow, which was vandalised earlier this year. He was joined by fellow dog-walker Ben to build it.
We also owe a big thank-you to Webbs Builders Merchants, who generously supplied all the timber for the project.
First order of the day was removing the old bridge. Although there were still some years of life left in the old walkway if left alone, the damage done by the hooligans that trashed it revealed that the underlying structure had started to rot. As such, it wasn’t possible to repair: We had no choice but to rip out the whole lot.
On the morning of the build two of our volunteers, Irene and Ian, joined me to dismantle it. We had a variety of tools available for the job, but the lump hammer and a crowbar turned out to be what was needed in the end.
The walkway across the top of the bridge had been built over a platform of old railway sleepers, which took some effort to haul out of position. We already have some alternative uses in mind for them, even though they have started to rot from within there is some life in them yet.
In the third photo, above, you can see the stonework that supports either end of the bridge and protects the banks of the burna from being eroded away from under it. Luckily for us these are still in excellent condition.
As the last of the sleepers was removed, Steve arrived on site with the wood for the new one. The drive to the bridge was a tad perilous after extremely heavy rainfall the night before, but he made it there and back without us having to dig the van out.
Steve and Ben were a bit camera shy, but Bunny the dog was happy to be snapped inspecting the framework of the new bridge. She was impressed with the use of a spirit level to make sure everything was where it should be.
The first iteration of the final touches had some chicken-wire put down as a non-slip finish. On reflection we decided to replace this with some non-slip strips, which look nicer and remove any chance of a boot getting caught on the wire.
All that’s left is the clean-up. Once the ground has dried out a bit (if the rain ever stops!) we’ll get the tractor over there to relocate the wood from the old bridge. What we can we will salvage and repurpose, what we can’t will become food for bugs and fungus, and join the rich biological tapestry that is HBUF.
Thanks again to Steve and Ben, Irene and Ian, and to Webbs. Their generous donations of their time and materials are what made the new bridge possible. The non-slip strips and concrete to stop the bridge floating away were donated by one of our trustees. If you would like to help out in some way with what we are doing at HBUF then watch this space, we’ll be publishing some suggestions on how you can help soon.
September 17, 2023 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Our monthly session to look after the forest.
We meet at the top of the picnic field at 10am before heading out to tackle whatever needs to be done each month.
Join us when you can, for as long as you like.
Check back here or subscribe to our mailing list to find out what we are up to this month.
contact@hbuf.org
September 17, 2023 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Our monthly session to look after the forest.
We meet at the top of the picnic field at 10am before heading out to tackle whatever needs to be done each month.
Join us when you can, for as long as you like.
Check back here or subscribe to our mailing list to find out what we are up to this month.
contact@hbuf.org
September 3, 2023 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Each year we give the wildflower a bit of a trim. This keeps the grass in check and helps the wild flowers to thrive.
Wildflowers are happy in ‘poor’ soil, and taking the cuttings away helps them by reducing soil fertility. The extra nutrients from the cuttings only encourages the grasses, which will then crowd-out the flowering plants
The grass will be cut in the week before, so the wildflower seeds get a chance to escape. On the day we need to rake up and remove up the grass cuttings.
It’s a lot of work, but it’s good fun. Our volunteers are a fabulous group of people.
We’ll be working in the wildflower meadow from 10am until about 12. All ages welcome (there’s a job for everyone).
September 3, 2023 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Each year we give the wildflower a bit of a trim. This keeps the grass in check and helps the wild flowers to thrive.
Wildflowers are happy in ‘poor’ soil, and taking the cuttings away helps them by reducing soil fertility. The extra nutrients from the cuttings only encourages the grasses, which will then crowd-out the flowering plants
The grass will be cut in the week before, so the wildflower seeds get a chance to escape. On the day we need to rake up and remove up the grass cuttings.
It’s a lot of work, but it’s good fun. Our volunteers are a fabulous group of people.
We’ll be working in the wildflower meadow from 10am until about 12. All ages welcome (there’s a job for everyone).
On Monday the 8th May we’ll be taking part in the Big Help Out, King Charles’ initiative to encourage more people to volunteer in their local communities.
On the day, volunteers will be given a tour of the site, to learn a little about our history and the type of tasks our volunteers get to do throughout the year.
That will be followed by a chance to get hands-on, building some ‘dead hedging’ to protect some of the local wildlife, and improving the habitat for some of our smaller residents.
It’s a great opportunity to get involved if you haven’t been out with us before, or to reconnect if you haven’t visited for a while.
To find out more, and to register, checkout our events page.
May 21, 2023 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Our monthly session to look after the forest.
We meet at the top of the picnic field at 10am before heading out to tackle whatever needs to be done each month.
This month we’ll be doing some sprucing up the Miyawaki Forest area to prepare for our sunflower planting in June.
Join us when you can, for as long as you like.
contact@hbuf.org
May 21, 2023 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Our monthly session to look after the forest.
We meet at the top of the picnic field at 10am before heading out to tackle whatever needs to be done each month.
This month we’ll be doing some sprucing up the Miyawaki Forest area to prepare for our sunflower planting in June.
Join us when you can, for as long as you like.
contact@hbuf.org
May 8, 2023 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
On Monday the 8th May we’ll be taking part in the Big Help Out, King Charles’ initiative to encourage more people to volunteer in their local communities.
The session will start with a tour of the site, to learn a little about our history and the type of tasks our volunteers get to take part in throughout the year. From planting to trees and taking care of the inhabitants to driving the tractor.
That will be followed by a chance to get hands-on, building some ‘dead hedging’ to protect some of the local wildlife, and improving the habitat for some of our smaller residents.
It’s a great opportunity to get involved if you haven’t been out with us before, or to reconnect if you haven’t visited for a while.
You can register on the Big Help Our web site, or by RSVP’ing below.
The session will be from 1pm-4pm. We’ll meet in our usual spot, by the container in the picnic field. Check out our map if you haven’t visited before.
