July | 2020 | Mayfields Community Trust

Managed to start mowing main path verge and cleaning/reorganizing information boards in spite of the rain on August 27, 2020. Spotted Mike Devil’s Bit Scabious on the way back – good to see benefits of all Mike’s efforts with this species.

Mike and Malcolm planted an Oak tree behind the new bench on August 26th to provide even more shade there in future. It was grown from an acorn a few years back and passed on to us to grow on and plant out.

We were horrified on the way back to find a bag of illegally dumped medical waste between the playground and the MCT-managed woodland area. We would be grateful for any information on its origins.

As the grass gets very worn in front of the other 2 benches that MCT has installed on Mayfields North, on August 17th we inserted 4 paving slabs in front of the new bench. We put a weed barrier under them after stripping away the turf to reduce weeds in the gaps and made them flush with the surface for safety reasons..

Over the week up to August 16 we managed to dig holes for the installation of a new longer bench on Mayfields so that it could be installed on the 16th by Malcolm & Louise, Paul & Lesley Abbott, Mike Ridealgh, Adam Ridgeon Cousins and Pam Brown. Thanks are due to the Dringhouses & Woodthorpe Ward Committee for their financial support towards the bench.

A helpful session with Mike Ridealgh on 5th August. We managed some more trimming of Crack willow branches overhanging the path and cut these up for composting. Mike and Malcolm then cut up the branches deposited in the compost area earlier to keep the surface flatter and safer. Some illegally dumped garden waste deposited there during lock-down was posing a trip risk.

A large branch of Crack willow was left hanging insecurely after recent wind. As soon as MCT heard Malcolm went out (on July 30th) and cut down the hanging branch in several stages. Off cuts were dragged to the MCT composting area to be safely cut up later.

Before (above) and after (below) trimming.

Useful session in spite of light rain on July 26th. Malcolm did some tidying behind the information board at the north end of the site while Pam and Louise did litter picking and more tidying near the main gate.

We also worked on path verges behind houses at the north end of Goodwood Grove.

Malcolm couldn’t resist another quick shot of the wildflower meadow when walking across Mayfields North (just because he thought it looked lovely).

Mike and Malcolm had a valuable 3-h session on Wednesday 22nd, mowing, trimming and strimming at the southern west half of the main path and beside the path across to the railway underpass. The latter is important to protect the young trees that MCT planted there 3 or 4 years ago.

More trimming on Sunday 19th, this time between the gate and the playground. Meanwhile Pam and Louise helped dispose of off-cuts and took some excellent photos after a litter-picking session.

A lovely day on July 17th for mowing alongside main path.

After 3 days of effort from Mike Ridealgh and Malcolm the trimming back of (mainly) nettles, bindweed, brambles and velcro plant behind houses towards the southern end of Hob Moor Terrace was almost completed on 15th July.

Pam Brown, Louise and Malcolm had a valuable hour-and-a-half session working beside the gate on Sunday 12th July. We’re deciding what’s best to plant there now. It’s important as it’s beside the main site entrance.

It has been a productive start to July, with Malcolm, Adam, Mike, Lesley, Paul, Louise and Pam all working on the site at various times with appropriate social distancing. The meadow is looking excellent just now as are all the path verges (on July 8th). The grass has recovered well following the rain after being trampled by socially-distancing walkers crossing the site. We have also been working behind Hob Moor Terrace homes and alongside Nelsons Lane, as well as beside the path to the railway underpass.