During the restrictions on our activities required during the Coronavirus lockdown the Bourne Conservation Group is looking for ways to maintain contact with our Members and Friends, and if possible to make our work known to a wider range of people One way we can do that is through our
local Garden Watch.
The Bourne Conservation Group has had to move swiftly to respond to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and to the latest Government regulations and guidelines. Other organisations with which we work locally such as Waverley Council, Natural England, Surrey Wildlife Trust and RSPB have all
cancelled volunteering effort and group activities. Our Group has in a similar way stopped all work sessions until further announcement. BCG is in a difficult position as two thirds of our regular attendees are over 70 as well as a number of our Friends. Nothing that we do as a group must
jeopardise their health and safety or indeed that of any of our members.
Sadly, the Farnham Walking Festival for this year has been cancelled and that of course includes the two walks due to be led by BCG members.
Fortunately, as a result of our work over the winter, our core sites of the Crossroads, Middle Bourne Lane Garden and the Old Churchyard are all in quite good condition although there are always a few seasonal tasks to be done. The photo of the heather bank in Middle Bourne Lane Community Garden shows plants in bloom which is providing good sustenance for the bees.
Our Committee will review the situation again during April in line with the latest guidelines and will then decide what activities if any can be planned. Our Members and Friends will be updated by email as soon as there is any change or please follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bourneconservation.org.uk/ . We shall also post updates on our website.
The Farnham Walking Festival is being held between 16th May and 7th June this year. Our Group continues to support it and is leading two walks, as follows:
Continue reading “Farnham Walking Festival 2020”As our Members and Friends know, there is a referendum about the Neighbourhood Plan on 12th March.
The Bourne Conservation Group recognises that each vote is entirely a matter for the individual. As a Group, however, we encourage everyone to use their vote and to vote YES. We are not alone in adopting that approach: the Farnham Society have produced a leaflet which will be posted through letter boxes next week.
Continue reading “The Farnham Neighbourhood Plan”
The Bourne Conservation Group (BCG) took on responsibility ten years ago for maintaining the Old Churchyard in Vicarage Hill. This peaceful and historic site had fallen into neglect and become overgrown with invasive plants. Working at all times in consultation with the Vicar and Churchwardens to safeguard the many graves of former parishioners, BCG has cleared and restored the site so that it is now welcoming to visitors as well as wildlife.
Continue reading “Bourne pondlife has a new home in the Old Churchyard”Having once again been invited by the Farnham Society to participate in the September Heritage Open Days programme, we decided to offer a slight variation on the walk that we last did in 2015: “The Bourne – Change in the Village”.
On the due date (19th September) the weather was good and sixteen walkers and a Jack Russell met up with Richard Sanders and Noel Moss outside St Thomas’ Church at 2.00pm. Having heard about the geology of the area and the building of the present church from Noel, the group moved on to the Old Churchyard where Richard described the social changes that took place at the end of the nineteen century which had been so well recorded by George Sturt.
With the kind agreement of the owners, the group entered the garden of Vine Cottage, Old Church Lane, where Noel read a passage from Memoirs of a Surrey Labourer about George Sturt and Fred Grover working together in the garden on a damp afternoon. The tour stopped at the cottage Little Willows, where Fred and Lucy lived for a while, and at the end of Sturt Walk before moving on to hear a reading about William Cobbett playing with his brothers on the slope below Middle Bourne Lane.
Farnham celebrated in style and looked back on a fantastic year for Farnham in Bloom at the Farnham in Bloom Community Awards evening organised by Farnham Town Council held at Squires Garden Centre on 10th October.
The contribution made by the Bourne Conservation Group was recognised and we were represented by Martin Angel and David Dearsley, who are shown receiving our certificate from the Mayor Farnham, Councillor Pat Evans.
We congratulate the many organisations and individuals who won awards and the hundreds of people who contributed to the town’s success.
Our AGM is a chance to meet other members in a relaxed setting and to take part in a discussion about conservation issues of importance and interest to our group AND, most importantly, to enjoy really good tea and cakes afterwards. We hope to see many members and friends there.
The time is 2.30 pm on Sunday 1st September – the place is 19 Stream Farm Close.
The essential business is to elect a committee for the next year and to adopt the Financial Statement.
If any member would like to stand for election to the committee, please contact the Secretary. There are two vacancies.
The Bourne Conservation Group has recently been through a very busy period because of our support for Farnham in Bloom, in preparation for the judging in early July. In the middle came the Bourne Show which is the subject of a separate report. We produced a News Sheet for the benefit of visitors to our stand and it is worth sharing more widely. It is available in downloadable form here:
Once again, our Group had a significant presence at this year’s Show which was blessed with fine weather. The Show was well organised as usual and it was good to see Vicky Hill, our Membership Secretary, playing a key role.
Our own contribution got off to a brisk start with Bryan Snashall getting all the gear to The Green before 9.00am and subsequently picking up the plants and books. We had great support from family Snashall.
The Set Up Team in the morning worked brilliantly. The gazebos seemed to go up in no time at all and all was ready well before 10.00am for the stall holders to lay out their wares. Special thanks go to those team leaders, Sheila Musson and Richard Sandars. Thanks also to Mike Suter who grew all those lovely hostas for us which made us a lot of money.
Continue reading “The Bourne Show 2019”