Opening Work Session. Our work programme for 2024 started on a bright sunny morning on 7th January with a well attended session in Burnt Hill Wood led by our Waverley Ranger, Vicky Keller. We were delighted to welcome new members, Jean and Mike Curry with their son Matt and also Ellis Bowman, a new D of E candidate. Together we cut out a mass of laurel and other invasive shrubs at the summit of the wood and were impressed with how Vicky got the bonfire going at the first attempt and kept it alight throughout the morning.
Social Event. After that strenuous morning it was a great pleasure for everyone to meet up again in the afternoon to enjoy a Social in St Martin’s hall, the first such event since 2019. 30 members and Friends together with some invited guests were able to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere as well as the refreshments and the fascinating Wildlife Quiz prepared by Martin Angel for which the three winners were presented with attractive books by Heather Angel generously donated by the author. In a fitting conclusion our Chairman shared a few thoughts about the past year and an outline of what lies ahead in the year ahead.
Essential Work. In January, a small group led by Charles Fearnley with his folding ladder completed the annual task of cleaning all our 20 bird nesting boxes positioned throughout The Bourne. We also responded to a request from neighbours to clear a small fallen tree from The Bourne Stream.
A New Project. At the end of January we also managed to squeeze in an opening work session for a project we are helping with in the picturesque Churchyard of St Peter’s Church in Wrecclesham. This was a very satisfying exercise because a large amount of embedded litter was removed and three new nest boxes installed. We are now working hard to get a new conservation group formed there to undertake biodiversity tasks in that part of Farnham.