Sunday 24th May 2026 - Spring Bank Holiday weekend - no workday

Balsam bashing at Styal on Sunday 17th May 2026

Eight MNTV volunteers met with Ranger Stu in the Quarry Bank Mill car park at 9.30am before piling into Stu’s vehicle and one of our cars and driving to near Manchester Airport’s runway which was close to where we’d be working.

The task had changed from pulling weeds that were growing around the base of a hedgerow to, instead, doing some early balsam bashing around a little used path, fields and wooded area near a steep slope.  The idea was to pull and snap/crush the stalks of the balsam plants in these areas before they flowered and burst, spreading their seeds far and wide, and potentially up the slope, making it very difficult to get to the new plants that would grow there next year.

We spread ourselves out over the first area, a small wood with a slope at one side, and got that cleared before our coffee and cake break (thanks to Jean for bringing such delicious cake for us all).

After our break we moved along a path into a large field and started pulling up the balsam there.  We stopped for lunch around 1pm, just as the skies went grey and the rain fell but, by the time I’d got my waterproof trousers on, it had stopped (!) and we had glorious sunshine for the rest of the afternoon.

After lunch some of us stayed in the field to finish off and the rest moved along towards two large oak trees on the far side of the field where more balsam was found.  By 3pm, this area had been cleared, so we all got together for a group photo by the Rangers truck.

It was a great day, and we managed to get a lot done but sadly not all of it so we may be back again this season to pull some more balsam.

Sue B

Brash bashing at Alderley Edge on Sunday 10th May 2026

Today's workday had been planned for Lyme Park but was changed to Alderley Edge the day before as Lyme's entrance was closed due to roadworks on the A6.  So, the lucky 13 met in the car park at Alderley Edge and after picking up tools carpooled to the start of a footpath near Squirrels Jump.

Even though it’s close to the road the path was difficult to see so we worked with loppers and silkys (pruning saws) to clear the overgrowth.  We even brushed away the leaves!  This was the only task Ranger Izzy had for us at short notice and as we were such a big group we made short work of it.

We’ve worked at Alderley a few times this year so knew a meadow area just a couple of minutes drive away that could do with a bit of TLC.  But the first priority was lunch and relaxation in the sunshine.

We had made a pathway through the brambles at the entrance eighteen months beforehand but it was already starting to disappear and because it's a popular area for dog walkers we cut back the new growth.

We also dug up brambles in the middle of the meadow.

And cut down the last of the encroaching birch saplings.

Many thanks to Jenny for all the time she spent talking to Ranger Izzy to arrange the day at Alderley Edge.  It was really enjoyable with lots of variety and the opportunity to complete some work we had started on previous visits.

Jean

Sunday 3rd May 2026 - Early May Bank Holiday weekend - no workday

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