Stow Heath : a bog blog

39 minutes ago
2 min read

Does ‘daisy.storeroom.themes’ sound familiar? If so, you are on top of the navigation aid that Felbeck Trust use for locating our sites. Thursday 19th February was the turn of Stow Heath to receive volunteers and Trustees and some special visitors/helpers, all of whom found their way for a morning of clearing, croming, hedging, bridge building and eating donuts.

The site has sprouted several new pop-up ponds, with existing ponds having grown in diameter in the recent wet weather. Many sections are extremely muddy, and there was a danger of boots being sucked off into the quagmire.

We were pleased to welcome members of Side by Side* - Ben and Rebecca, support workers, and Raiden. Much can be said about the benefit that care-experienced young people can gain from opportunities such as a Felbeck Trust work party. The group were challenged by the cold and damp weather but seemed to enjoy the friendship and sense of achievement from the tasks they undertook.

There were four areas to be tackled. It took three Simons and a Stu to build a new bridge to replace the corduroy path over a particularly muddy section. Waders and waterproofs were worn and the task was tackled with a real sense of ‘men’s shed’ camaraderie.

Over on the south side of the site, John and three ‘cromers’ wielded long handled drag rakes, their long tines bent at right angles, to great effect in clearing one of the many ponds on this pretty site.

New volunteer Jake was introduced to hedge-laying by Trevor as they created a secondary barrier to the post and rail fence that was established on the previous work party.

Peter took the Side by Side visitors to one of the many trees on the site that are hugged by thick ivy stems. This introduced them to a way of managing ivy where trees may be in danger of falling. Thick ivy stems are cut in two places close to the ground thus ensuring that the ivy will not grow any further.

Work parties go ahead whatever the weather and the group enjoyed time together over the half- time coffee and donuts that always provide second wind and energy for the final hours.