A big thank you to all our volunteers for all their hard work over 2016 and especially to our helpers from Askham Bryan who have made such a difference to the site over recent months.

It was great to have Dave Moore back at our Sunday volunteer session on Mayfields on December 4. Dave was able to advise MCT on the safest way to use a new Brushcutter on loan from a Trustee (upper photo).  Dave and Tom compared its performance with that of a Grass Trimmer (lower photo). We were impressed by the Brushcutter’s efficiency when used in the strimmer mode behind Goodwood Grove houses.

On December 1st our volunteers from Askham Bryan did an excellent job, mowing the meadow at 6 cm ready for winter use, and clearing brambles etc. and strimming the grass behind the houses along the southern half of Hobmoor Terrace.

Top photo shows Ellie, Tom, Lauren and Adam after clearing brambles growing through a local resident’s fence and the lower one the cut grass at the Nelsons Lane end.

A few more photos (thanks Adam!) of our Askham Bryan Volunteers (Ellie, Adam, Lauren and Tom) working on improving Foxglove Corner at the N.W. corner of the site we manage.  One shot though shows a fascinating root growth pattern on one of the brambles at the site.

We had a good full-day sessions on November 3rd and 10th, helped by out students from Askham Bryan as well as Malcolm and Mike. We hope to have a session on Sunday 13th November too and volunteers would be welcome to come and help finish getting the meadow ready for winter use if they turn up at about 2 O’clock (weather permitting!). Photos below show the current state of play after Thursday’s session, and some of the soil fauna we try to protect. We always take care to save frogs on the site.