Weekly update, 29th August

Phew! What a scorcher of a weekend that was! I hope you all had a lovely bank holiday and are refreshed and ready for September.

Thanks to all who got in touch to help at the Earth Trust 10K next Sunday (10th September). There's still time to sign up, if you haven't already, to lend a hand to make this event run (no pun intended) smoothly. If you can spare a few hours next week to pop in and help with preparations that would also be very much appreciated - there are medals to make, goody bags to fill and signs to laminate! Drop me a line at volunteering@earthtrust.org.uk. In other news get your diaries out as we have a big upcoming date that needs your help! Read on for more details.

Have a great week everyone!

Hannah
Volunteering Development Manager

What the volunteers have been up to:

Thursday Group (Abingdon), 24th August

The group had a very busy day at Thrupp Lake last week: they cut and raked St David's Meadow, cut back vegetation encroaching on the circular walk, and installed a memorial bench. The next session is 14th September.

Friday Group (Little Wittenham), 25th August

George and the team continued with their work to replace fence posts on Castle Hill. The deer proof fence prevents deer and cattle from getting on to, and potentially damaging, the Scheduled Ancient Monument. The next session is 1st September.

Coming up...

Autumn Water Festival

A big date coming up for the diary is Sunday 1st October which is our fantastic Autumn Water Festival - our annual autumnal celebration of water and wetlands. As with all our festivals, we'll need a small army of volunteers to help with a whole range of areas including welcoming visitors to the site, running children's craft activities and games, helping in Poem Tree Cafe and more! It's set to be a fun day and whether you could spare your whole Sunday or even just a few hours, pencil us in and drop me a line.

Weekly update, 22nd August

Happy Tuesday! Hope you're doing well and getting geared up for the last long weekend of the year!

Just the one major call out this week, scroll down for info...

Hannah
Volunteering Development Manager

What the volunteers have been up to:

Friday Group (Little Wittenham), 18th August

Last week the team were out on Castle Hill replacing some fence posts. The deer fence is important for keeping large animals, including the cattle, from damaging the scheduled ancient monument. The next session is 25th August.

Coming up...

Earth Trust 10K and Children's Fun Run

The 10K Run is fast approaching (Sunday 10th September) and we could really use pairs of hands to help out on the day. We need helpers to get the runners signed in in the morning, marshals on the course to cheer participants along the way, and last but not least help handing out the goody bags when they finish. If you might have a few hours to spare to help us make this a fundraising event to remember drop me a line! 

Weekly update, 15th August

How are we all doing? Missing summer? We sure are! Not that a bit of cloud or rain ever stopped us... The vast majority of organised volunteering and activities go ahead whatever the weather so stick an extra layer on and come try something new!

Why have I started this post with a picture of an adorable pup you ask? Scroll down to the 'Coming up' section to find out!

Hannah
Volunteering Development Manager

What the volunteers have been up to:

Thursday Group (normally Abingdon), 10th August

Last week the team took a break from the Abingdon reserves and headed to Mowbray Fields in Didcot to give the meadow a summer cut. Grassland management is important to help maintain conditions for all the wildflowers, including orchids, that grow here. The next session is 24th August.

Friday Group (Little Wittenham), 11th August

It was the last of the weed control sessions for the group last week. They were working on Bushey Bank pulling thistles ahead of it being cut for hay. Bushey Bank is an area of chalk grassland that benefitted from the UK's first formal biodiversity offsetting agreement. The next session is 18th August.

Sunday Group (Little Wittenham), 13th August

This month the group were working over at the North Farm part of our site. They were removing an old electric fence and clearing the fence line in one of the fields, in preparation for a new fence being installed. This is the last field on the Earth Trust Farm without a permanent stockproof fence so once the new fence goes up it will be able to be safely grazed. The next session is 10th September.  

Coming up...

Calling all responsible dog walkers!

Do you use any of our sites to walk your four-legged friend? Perhaps you come regularly to enjoy the space and natural settings while getting your canine companian exercised and thoroughly worn out? You could be perfect to help shape our proposed Earth Trust Good Dog Walking scheme. The aim would be for Earth Trust Good Dog Walkers to be identifiable (with a badge or similar) when out walking their dog, and for them simply to model to others what responsible dog walking looks like and to answer questions from others who might be interested in finding out more. The hope is that we can create a positive culture of responsible dog walking across our sites by setting an example of how it's done.

We’d like to consult with some dog walkers about our proposals before launching a pilot scheme: 7.30pm on Thursday 17th August. If you’d be willing to spend an hour or so of your time helping to shape our Good Dog Walker scheme please contact Clare Sulston or 01865 409404. If you can’t make the meeting but would still be interested in being part of the scheme please still get in touch, and do share the information with any of your friends or relatives who are regular visitors.

Weekly update, 8th August

It's Volunteer Blog day! We had a super busy day at Come out and Play in Cholsey yesterday with lots of happy families and small humans enjoying the fun and activities we had to offer. I was also in attendance and had this awful task for a while...

...It's a tough job but someone had to do it.

We still have a whole calendar full of kids activities with the summer holidays still upon us that could all really benefit from volunteers - we're a staff member down after a dislocated knee within the team, (ouch!) so take a look below and see if you fancy having some real life fun in the real life outside!

Until next week, have a good one,

Hannah
Volunteering Development Manager

What the volunteers have been up to:

Friday Group (Little Wittenham), 4th August

The team were over in Paradise Wood last week collecting logs produced from the winter thinning work. Paradise Wood is a national research woodland so it's important that it's kept in the best condition with regular maintenance. The next session is 12th August.

Saturday Group (Abingdon), 5th August

Wellies were required for Lucy's monthly work party at Abbey Fishponds on Saturday. The group were pulling Himalayan Balsam from the reedbed and fen, plus cutting and raking the grassland areas and trimming the encroaching vegetation from the footpath. With Abingdon Green Gym in attendance too it was a busy day! The next session is 2nd September.

Coming up...

Summer holiday activities

Dates for this week's super fun kids activities that could really use some spare pairs of hands:

• Wednesday 9th August: Wildlife Wednesday at Wallingford Castle Meadows: A chance for families to come and explore the nature on their doorstop and enjoy lots of games and activities. 
• Friday 11th August: Discover and Play: Forest School for under-5s in Little Wittenham Wood. 
• Tuesday 15th August: Night Safari: Families can come and see wildlife by night at Mowbray Fields and help set up live traps ready for Wildlife Wednesday the next day. 
• Wednesday 16th August: Wildlife Wednesday at Mowbray Fields: see above. 

Still more to come so stay tuned next week! Take a look at our events listings for more info or email us.

Weekly update, 1st August

Happy Tuesday! Check out this smooth newt that Mike our excellent volunteer got a snap of from Thursday Group at Abbey Fishponds last week! I love things like this so keep the photos coming folks! The more cute and diddly the better...

This week we continue in the quest for help at children's activities - we really need the extra pairs of hands! If you think might be able to help out, that would be properly brilliant - see below for more details.

Have a wonderful week,
Hannah
Volunteering Development Manager

What the volunteers have been up to:

Thursday Group (Abingdon), 27th July

The group visited Abbey Fishponds last week and put their scything skills to the test in the grassland areas. They were also pulling invasive Himalayan balsam from the reedbed and fen. The next session is 10th August.

Friday Group (Little Wittenham), 28th July

Friday Group were back on Round Hill last week continuing with the fencing task. There was also some scything action for this group too as they cleared vegetation on the green lane by Church Meadow. The next session is 4th August.

Coming up...

The summer holidays continue...

It's a lot of fun volunteering with our Communications and Engagement Team who run our programme of children's activities! It's a chance to get outside, try something different and enjoy games and activities with young folk. There's a lot to be gained and we hugely value any extra help we can get with these activities. We have the following that still really need some helpers:

• Monday 7th August: Come Out and Play in Cholsey
  This is 10am-2pm at Cholsey Pavilion and is the last of our free sessions supported by Whittard (through TOE2 with funds raised by the 5p plastic bag charge). We will have natural craft activities, bug hunting, nature detective trails, small mammals and moths plus Sasha Norris and her rescued animals (previous guests have included owls, rabbits and hedgehogs). We would be very grateful for any help setting up from 9:30am and could stick around until 3pm to pack everything away. Bring a packed lunch with you and we'll ply you with all the tea/coffee and biscuits you can manage! 
• Tuesday 8th August: Woodland Adventure
  An expedition for 5-8 year olds to use detective skills to explore, build and play in the woods. If you could arrive for 9:30 and stick around till midday that would be cracking. 
• Wednesday 9th August: Wildlife Wednesday at Wallingford Castle Meadows
  Again this is a 9:30am start and if you could help out till around 1pm it would make a huge difference to the running of the day. 

More dates to come as August progresses! Take a look at our events listings for more info and get in touch if you can join us.

10K Run

A quick reminder that we still need lots of helpers for the Earth Trust 10K in just over a month's time (Sunday 10th September). If you're interested in cheering on and directing runners as a marshal, handing out water at the water station or presenting finishers with their medal and goody bag, get in touch! We'll also be looking for volunteers in the run up (no pun intended) to the day - we'll be making the medals, preparing goody bags and getting signage ready in the few weeks beforehand.