Ain't no party like a working party

Goodbye kissing gate, hello better access:
Mark and Chris doing the necessary

Last week's working party (held on Friday, 7 March) was a great success. Blessed with a beautiful spring afternoon, around 13 of us went down to the woodland with one mission in mind: to remove some internal fencing and get those kissing gates out!

We had only 90 minutes to do a fair bit of work and, at the start, it seemed like we'd bitten off more than we could chew. But we needn't have worried. After a quick health and safety briefing delivered by committee member Steve Fowkes, we rolled up our sleeves and got stuck in. 

We concentrated our efforts in the middle of the woodland and by the end of the session had successfully removed one of the troublesome kissing gates, most of the fencing on either side of it and a rotten old tree that was blocking the path. That part of the woodland is now much more open and easier to access. Result! 
 
Another kissing gate and a fair bit of fencing still needs to go, but we're definitely getting there. And now that the weather's looking up, we'll have plenty of opportunities to head back out there and make more improvements.

Watch this space to see how we get on, and to find out how the management plan is progressing.

Busy bees get to it: Nina clears the brambles
while rest of the team have a go at the fence

Baby on board: there's no stopping
Nikki, even with an imminent due date!

Reach for the stars: Andy gets to grips
with creepers

Fancy footwear: Ilze makes a bramble heap