Editor's note - Joanne, one of our newer NCVs was volunteered to write the blog this week. It is clear from her entry that she realises just how privileged she is to be given this honour.......
My
homework…
Just when I thought I had escaped office life, a tyrannical boss and
administrative tasks, I am volunteered to write a blog. It is enough to make
you go and do a shift on the cash out at Morrisons.
So..17 volunteers and Paul, cheered by the thought of free cake, dressing up and a day’s Autumn
sunshine, set off to Hackfall, where the tasks were pond cleaning, path clearing,
vista enhancing and sycamore sapling removal. The dressing up party were soon
assembled in waders and (bizarrely) life jackets and attacking the reeds with
skill (well enthusiasm anyway).
Ruth tries on some full body waders for size and Ros E. swaps her waterproof
trousers and wellies for the far more chic look of thigh high waders.
Meanwhile John scorns such footwear and opts for an early coffee break.
Mike wields a mean rake and Julia dons a life jacket in order to win this week's
'Health and Safety Conscious' award.
Once dragged from their watery home the reeds
lie in a layer of black and stinking mud. Sorry chaps -
we now need to move them away from the edge of the pond.
Julia is less enthusiastic about this part of the job ....
.... whereas Dean sets to with the wheelbarrow and a big grin!
There were so many heaps of reeds to be shifted
that some of the path clearing gang had to be
drafted in to help (thanks Howie and Pat!)
A
second group were soon busy on paths and sycamores, having to eat their way
through the blackberries to achieve their task.
Angela creeps off to the back of the bushes
where all the best blackberries can be found.
The
third group tackled the stream and vista from the folly; this was a difficult
and dangerous task involving bill hooks and sickles, and - more unbearably - one
member of the team singing.
The vista clearing group - the three wise men.
Inspired his surroundings Tony (the new) gives Jan and
Dave L. an impromptu lesson on tree identification.
Lunch
was a jolly get together, where the cake was eventually produced. The fountain
did its stuff regularly and impressively, although this did cause some
consternation and the need for some rapid removal of
fancy dress outfits…
There she blows (again and again...)
In
total this was an excellent day’s work with visible results, and 18 volunteers,
tired but satisfied, returned home to remove the mud from their finger nails.
No amount of wet wipes will remove this much mud from a pond clearer's arms.
We all went home smelling to high heaven of Channel's new fragrance
("Eau de Hackfall" *)
*registered trademark
Joanne (Hopefully after such irreverence I will not be asked to blog again!)
Editor's second note - Joanne has done such a good job, and did it so speedily, that I feel she should become a regular contributor!
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