Various jobs at Formby on Sunday 26th April 2026

Seven of us met up with nine from the Merseyside group to spend a sunny day at the seaside in Formby.  Ranger Chris explained the jobs and gave us the option of driving round to the new car park on Victoria Road.  With it being such a nice day and it being only a 15 minute walk through the woods and sand dunes we opted to walk.

Task 1: 400 saplings required tree guards

They already had the plastic guards around them but the winds proved these were not sufficient protection, so it was a case of inserting a stick at the side and, using cable ties, fastening them to the guards.

Task 2: Planting a bench

This was not just any bench. It had been made by one of Formby's volunteers out of pine that had been chopped down to make way for the new car park.

Task 3: Putting up a new sign at the exit to the site

We had our combined brew/lunch break in a new picnic area where again the benches and tables had all been made with local timber and built by volunteers.

We had a great day working with our Merseyside colleagues, made all the more pleasant by lovely weather.

Thanks to Chris for his help and guidance and to everyone for their hard work and great company.

Christine

Dead hedging and other jobs at Alderley Edge on Sunday 12th April 2026

Well they do say “April showers” and that’s just what we got today, sunshine and occasional hail.

We started off with a long list of jobs. First up - clearing mud from the field entrance ready for the cavers next week.  Here is our newest member getting stuck in. She enjoyed her taster session so much she joined the group.

We planted some “sticks dipped in honey” (yes - really!) in the tree nursery. It  reminded me of that playground joke “what's brown and sticky?” The honey promotes root growth and is an anti-bacterial.  It was pure local honey and tasted great as well.

We were going to build a cold frame cover but didn’t find any screws so instead we went to fill the gap in the dead hedge nearby. The hedge had been laid by a corporate group in the winter and walkers had destroyed a bit of it to use a path through the woods.

We collected more brash from the surroundings and added some taller stakes then filled the gap with some bigger logs and made the whole hedge a bit taller. To finish it off we planted some of the honey-dipped twigs to create a bit of life in the dead hedge.

All in all a nice way to spend an April Sunday. Meeting new people and improving the environment.

Jenny

Sunday 5th April 2026 - Easter Sunday - no workday