Weekly update, 11th July

What the volunteers have been up to:

Friday Group (Little Wittenham), 7th July

It was back to weeding for George and the team last week - they were pulling thistle, ragwort and dock from Ferry Field at North Farm. The next session is 14th July.

Sunday Group (Little Wittenham), 9th July

This month the group got to visit Bushey Bank. Bushey Bank is a fascinating part of the Earth Trust Farm - it's an area of chalk grassland that benefitted from the UK's first formal biodiversity offsetting agreement. Work was carried out in 2013 and within a couple of years our surveys showed that things had already vastly improved for wildlife. The bank is fully of different wildflowers and plants, including pyramidal orchid and wild licquorice. Adam and the team spent the day doing some weed control, which helps to keep the right balance of species. The next session is 13th August.

Coming up...

A Midsummer Night's Dream

This is our final call for volunteers to help with A Midsummer Night’s Dream next week. On Wednesday 19th July, The HandleBards pedal-powered, all-male theatre troupe arrive by bicycle at the Earth Trust Centre and we're still looking for a few more volunteers to help with ticketing, car parking and assisting people to the seating area. Drop us a line if you want to see (most of!) the show for free! Let's hope the weather gods are smiling on us next Wednesday... And if you or your friends and relatives are planning to attend the performance you'd better be quick, there's only around 40 tickets left! 

Farewell from Alison

"It is with sadness that, as one of your two Volunteer Development Managers, I need to say farewell. I’m off to pastures new at the end of next week to help some of the low carbon community groups in and around Oxford. It has been an absolute pleasure meeting so many of you at events and out with the Land Management Team. My favourite memories of the Earth Trust will be the fun and productive times I’ve had with our wonderful volunteers!"