A rake’s progress on Area B

 

Regular readers of this blog have no doubt been quietly wondering about the state of play regarding the troublesome knee belonging to your usual correspondent. Well, still glowing from the X-rays that had bombarded it a mere two days previously, the knee in question was returned to duty on The Common this morning, having been absent for the two previous sessions. We can report that it doesn’t seem to have suffered from the outing. 

For many days before, the mornings had barely managed to dawn. Heavy cloud and deathly still air made for a depressing atmosphere: the sort that almost makes you yearn for the bright lights of the dental hygienist’s chair. Happily, today was noticeably better, leading us to wonder what the strange blueness was in the sky.

We were returning to the patch known as Area B in order to finish the job of cutting and clearing it, which had not been possible to achieve earlier in the cutting season for a variety of reasons. 16 stalwarts of our volunteer corps turned up and were soon hard at work shifting the material which had been previously cut and left in ‘windrows’. Although I arrived on time, of course many of them were already there; here’s the sight that greeted me.

Prior to that of course the sheets had been laid out; full marks for the keenest!

On arrival, after signing in, you must choose your weapon.

The winch crew needs to get set up too, despite being dazzled by the bright buckets.

Then it’s full steam ahead.

This area can be treacherous for the unwary, as there are numerous holes where Alder saplings have been removed. Team Leader Margaret was unwarily walking backwards when the inevitable happened, and she landed on a thistle to general amusement. Luckily the moment was captured on camera, although she complained about being left sitting on a little prickle ahem.

I mentioned above the need to choose your weapon/tool wisely. Margaret went back to the tool store to fetch Andrew’s chosen device. As can be seen from this video, it’s evidence that here on Area B a rake was making progress (I thank you!)

There was not a great deal of vegetation to move on this extra session, and it had the merit of being dry and light, so we had actually finished in under an hour. The hour mark is traditionally time for the refreshment break, but the closest Sunday to 11^th November is of course Remembrance Sunday, and at 11.00 we mark the occasion with a two-minute silence. Today we spent a while trying to attract the attention of these stragglers as silence does not come naturally to our merry band.

However, the group was ready on time to respect the silence on a beautiful morning; this being taken just before the start.

At the end of the two minutes we managed to refrain from congratulating ourselves for being quiet for a little while by clapping and cheering, as football crowds seem compelled to do, but we were soon back in chatty refreshment break mode.

Once the (work) party is over, there’s still the clearing up to do. The drag sheets need folding in the approved way; here Ken is receiving Julie’s expert tuition (having already suffered my less expert guidance).

And the winch rope has to be put away in its big yellow bucket… but first it has to de-kinked as it tends to curl up on itself in use. (Mention of Kinks of course always sets Noel off on a rendition of the hits of that iconic group – this time ably assisted by John D with some useful station names.) Firstly, the rope has to be walked out as far as it can go; this answers the age-old question of “how long is a piece of string?” Team Leader Kevin drew the long straw, and was sent off in the direction of Warren Road. He went a long way…

… and then further still.

Meanwhile, the kinks themselves need attention. Here’s Sheila unravelling the knitting

But that’s not all; the next trick is to shake the rope violently, like skipping little girls used to do in my primary school playground.

At the end of it all we could look back at the end result – a good job done.

Even then, more work was needed, as Team Leader Margaret discovered a tripping hazard on the boardwalk in urgent need of attention – although fellow Team Leader Kevin speculated that she had lost £1 again!

On a less pleasant note, we’ve been here before, but there has been a recent increase in the amount of dog excrement left on and beside the boardwalk, despite the notices reminding dog owners of their responsibilities.

Including me, many of our volunteers are dog owners themselves, and we know well what is expected of us. It is all the more galling and of course unpleasant therefore to be presented with the leavings of other peoples’ pets. This time we removed at least nine faeces, with at least one already bagged up but left there nonetheless! Here are some of them bagged up ready for proper disposal.

We can only urge all dog owners exercising their pets along the boardwalk to do the right thing please, and clear up after them. There’s a bin for the purpose at the car park end of the boardwalk so we don’t feel there’s any excuse not to use it.

And finally, here is Team Leader Margaret’s message of thanks:

Hello All.

We were so lucky with the weather today, warm and sunny after such a grey week. They say the sun shines on the righteous! Thank you to the 16 volunteers who made short work of the arisings on area B. Thank you also for the very peaceful observance of the two minutes silence at 11.00.

We look forward to Duncan's blog as we seem to have supplied him with ample material today. Thank you Duncan for the time and effort you take in keeping us all informed and entertained. It is very much appreciated.

Enjoy the rest of the day and hopefully see you in two weeks’ time when we take our annual trip to School Common.

If at any time you have suggestions about how the working parties run please have a chat - we are always open to ideas. Also, if there is anyone who would like to join the leaders team you would be most welcome.

Margaret for the team leaders

Keeping calm and carrying on

 

Regular readers of this blog (should any exist) might recall that your usual correspondent was last time deficient in the working knee department to the tune of one. Sad to say that deficiency remains, and the resources of the NHS are being mobilised to explore the reason. Therefore, a doctor’s note was again required, and so once again Team Leader Julie has stepped into the blogging breach and supplied the following words and pictures; no mean feat considering how busy she was cracking the whip over the remaining volunteers. 

“We were flying without Team Leader Margaret today. A good start was made by Julie attempting to gain access to the container with her shed key (must put that on a different coloured key ring!). Anyway, Kevin had brought the correct key so we were able to load the trolley and wheelbarrows. As we were running two sites today we had to drop equipment at the Bradfield Road spur first and then move on to the central area.

We feared people had heard of Margaret’s absence and opted to steer clear…but soon our trusty volunteers began to arrive. Kevin was very pleased to see Noel arrive to man the winch and soon had him striding over to take up his post…

The central area was soon up and running…

Next, a group of volunteers went over to the Bradfield Road Spur to clear the cut reed and grass which will allow the snowdrops to thrive later on.

We were also cutting back scrub next to the boardwalk and there appeared to be some discussion about what was going to be done initially…or are they saying ‘you must be joking’?

It wasn’t long before we were joined by the group from the central area who cleared the remaining area there in super quick time!

It was a glorious morning - look at this beautiful blue sky.

Luckily the central team remembered to bring the refreshments with them too. Our tea/coffee break is always welcome - and we were treated to choccie biscuits today!

After our break we continued clearing the Bradfield Road area - apart from Noel who persuaded one of our newer volunteers to go hunting for ‘Santa's grotto’ with him…

This was an area we uncovered a while ago on a winter work party - and in our pre-Christmas excitement all agreed would make a great Santa’s Grotto …. Having looked out the old photo it looks a little underwhelming now ….

…. I think you had to be there!  More worryingly it was December 2021 Noel…which may explain why you couldn’t find it!! Where does the time go? Frightening!

Anyway, 12.00 arrived and we called a halt to proceedings and loaded the equipment on the trolley.

Well, apart from Andrew who was not to be defeated by a single bit of uncut grass or nettle…

True dedication to the task..

It is thanks to our wonderful team of dedicated volunteers that the Bradfield Road spur is now clear and ready to welcome the snowdrops

The boardwalk edges in that area are clear..

…and the central area clear of reed..

Well done to all of our volunteers - and a big pat on the back to the 13 hard working souls who enjoyed the sunshine as they worked today.”

Here is Team Leader Kevin’s message of thanks:

On a glorious autumn morning with the sun shining, 13 volunteers turned out to clear the last of area G and the Bradfield Road spur. The working party was initially split into three groups with a couple of volunteers going off to cut back branches protruding onto the boardwalk. Area G was cleared and the volunteers moved to join the others on Bradfield Road which had been cut earlier in the week by new Grillo operator Michelle, and Kevin. The cleared site now awaits the first signs of spring which are the snowdrops showing themselves.

Thank you for your efforts. I’m sure it will look lovely in spring.

Kevin on behalf of the Team Leaders

Meanwhile, the clocks have gone back, the trees are becoming colourful and dropping their leaves – mainly in my garden it seems - and this is also the time for fungus fruiting bodies to emerge. This impressive lot was adorning a cut tree stump on Clipped Hedge Lane. OK, it wasn’t on the Common, but then nor was I.

Housemaids wanted

 

Doris, our faithful old housemaid, has had to be let go, on account of her great age and infirmity. (She could possibly still perform light duties of an upright nature, and we’re happy to provide references for the dear old lady.) There being a distressing shortage of housemaids, your own correspondent has been down on his knees blacking the stove, licking the floor clean, and so on. This has led to a painful condition of one knee, specifically the right one (the wrong one is fine), and the medical people have decided it is something known colloquially as ‘Housemaid’s Knee’. This nomenclature doesn’t seem acceptable in these modern times, but who is your usual correspondent to argue with the representatives of the NHS? However, it does provide a doctor’s note to explain my absence from the latest working party on the Common, so, as so often before, we are grateful for Team Leader Julie’s report of that event.

“We had 14 volunteers working today on what turned out to be quite a pleasant morning - we were actually getting a little warm when the sun emerged.

We were two team leaders down today and had been advised that a few regulars would also be missing. So we set up just two sheets initially…

but we were soon unfolding the other two as more arrived and set to work.

Noel was instructing Andrew on the winch and they made a good team for the session. So thanks go to Andrew for offering to join our winch team …. not an easy job at all. (But what's his singing like? Ed)

It was very boggy approaching the winch site so volunteers stood aghast as a load that they had painstakingly raked onto a sheet was tipped back off again to be spread across the ground near the winch site.

I only wish I had a picture of Margaret and Sheila rolling the tipped reed and grass to help spread it! It was impressive! It did make life much easier for those guiding the sheets though.

We don't often get good footage of what life is like at the winch end of the rope. Here we see the team steering the sheet to one side, and then tipping it out, which is quite a physical task.

The frogs were out in force today - here are two caught on camera - one trying to hide and the other escaping over the boardwalk.

Inevitably, people seemed to be glad when coffee time approached. Margaret was working away when dulcet tones shouted “it is 2 minutes to 11 you know”!!

Here she is still looking astounded!!

We were visited again by John - a very welcome sight - we promised not to load him on a sheet when we restarted after the break!

Everyone has their own technique for getting the cut material onto the sheets, raking it in rolls or pitch forking it on. Here Margaret is being assessed by the undisputed expert.

This picture reminded me of a very similar one we had of John at work many years ago (possibly even before colour photography was a thing) … the techniques remain the same decades on!!

Anyway, however people did it we cleared most of the area….

Just leaving a couple of sheets loaded and ready to be winched in two weeks’ time…

Along with a corner of the area still to be loaded on to sheets…

We will return in two weeks with the ambitious plan to complete this area and to clear the Bradfield Road spur ready for the snowdrops to bloom ….”

Here is Team Leader Margaret’s message of thanks:

It's that time on a Sunday when you receive the heartfelt thank you. Particularly to the thirteen volunteers who turned out this morning. An excellent morning for working. Not too hot or too cold and you all functioned like a well-oiled machine. So good that Noel was able to don his tutor’s mantle and teach Andrew the wonders of the winch. Thankfully after last time’s troubles with the Grillo (NWT took away the broken one and we have another on loan), John and Kevin were able to finish cutting before the end of September. Thank you chaps.  We still have material in the central area to clear in two weeks’ time, when we will also be cutting the Bradfield Road spur ready for the snowdrop display.

Please watch out for a separate email from us regarding the Pit. George has a potential plan, but it will very much rest on how much time any of you will feel able to commit to eradicating the dreaded crassula. So watch this space.

Thank you again and we wish you all a restful afternoon - you have earned it.

Margaret (for the team leaders)