UPCOMING EVENTSHi all
Quick plug at the top of this message – if you belong to other Clubs or Groups, or Residents Societies or anything like that – please feel free to forward this message on to them – it all helps promote the work of the Woodlands Group – and there are some potentially
interesting social notices at the end, which folk might be interested in.
Here’s your reminder that this Saturday, 19 November, is a Woodlands Group work day.
This month we’re in the woods – Spring Croft Wood (or maybe better known as Pond Wood) – meeting near the Pond at 10 o’clock. If you’ve never been to the pond before, it’s just on the south side of Redhill Road, between Westfield and Bowes Wood neighbourhoods,
with the buffer between Knights Croft and Manor Forstal neighbourhoods just on the other side of Redhill Road. if that still doesn’t help you locate it, drop me an e-mail or give me a ring.
This month we will be clearing debris from the Pond – or rather Simon will be in the pond, handing the debris to the rest of us who’ll be on the bank. Simon, being the village Pond Warden, is our resident expert on ponds and the wildlife they support – so
basically we just do what he tells us – which could include relocating some bramble plants from the prolific bluebell areas of the wood (where the bramble can shade the bluebells out) to “protect” a dead hedge that might be built near the pond.
Other jobs this month are: felling and or pulling any remaining laurel (an invasive weed when it comes to native woods); ditto with the big “New Ash Green” maple species, that are ok on neighbourhoods, but have no place in the woods; we’ll also be repairing
the woven fences we built a few years back near the Westfield kissing gate and along the woodland boundary.
Plenty to keep us busy till 2 ish. Meet at 10 for the tools talk and divvying the jobs out, tea break around 11.30, finish around 2.
Some dates for your diary:
New Ash Green Orchard – as seen on TV! The BBC seem to be repeating the first series of the Great British Food Revival (which featured us and our orchard for a couple of nanoseconds) – certainly episodes 1 & 2 are on this week, though no sign of episode 3 next
week yet. And I seem to remember we were in episode 3! So if you missed it last time keep an eye out over the coming couple of weeks.
December work day – Saturday December 17th – less of a work day and more of a Christmas Social. In the orchard for a bit of
seasonal tidying up and glasses of Christmas cheer! We’ll also be making a start on the flaming torches for the Wassail – read on!
The 7th New Ash Green Wassail – Saturday January 7th at 4.30 in New Ash Green Village Hall – if you’ve never been before,
this is well worth trying to get to! There’ll be mulled cider in the Village Hall, and probably some Morris Dancing. There will definitely be
flaming torches to light the way to the orchard where we will do the customary things – toasting the trees, celebrating the orchard’s continued survival and singing a couple of hearty songs including the New Ash Green Wassail. The Wassailing tradition of old
called for the making of lots of noise to round off the proceedings – so bring something (or someone) noisy! There may also be
home grown and produced “cider” for the toasting! Should all be over by 6.30 or 7 o’clock. And gathering by flaming torchlight in the orchard is truly atmospheric.
Hope to see you at some or all of these events.
best wishes
Jerry