Half a work party is better than no work party!

Under leaden skies and with the prospect of heavy rain, 14 of us gathered at Sustead for the first work party of 2026.  With our leader sunning himself in Australia, John stepped in to give us the plan, which was for a short morning, breaking for an early coffee before the rain arrived.

A small team, consisting of Andrew, Nigel and Seán, went off to inspect the condition and slipperiness of all the bridges.  Several required additional staples and, although there were some early signs of rotting timbers, all were deemed sturdy, stable and safe to cross.

The rest of the group headed to Spurrell’s Wood to continue the process of dry-hedging the boundary between the wood and the perimeter path.  The dry hedge serves as a barrier to discourage people from entering the woodland and disturbing wildlife.  As it rots down, it also provides good habitat for invertebrates as well as shelter and food sources for amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Brian did sterling work clearing a blocked grup leading to the ditch bordering the thatched cottage – thank you, Brian!

At 10.15 we enjoyed coffee and doughnuts at the outdoor classroom. As always, it was a pleasure to catch up with everyone and we were impressed to hear about Andrew G’s plan to embark upon a sponsored walk to raise money for the Felbeck Trust.

Our next work party is on Thursday January 29^th, probably at WBOA with a small group visiting the Aylmerton Surveyor’s Allotment.

Seán Dempster

January 15^th 2026