Styal Wood Fair - Sunday 29 September 2013

No workday today, instead we set up our stall in Meadow Mill behind Quarry Bank Mill on day two of the annual Wood Fair.  Twelve of us took turns throughout the day manning the stall and talking to passers-by about what MNTV did, where we did it, how old you had to be to volunteer with us, etc etc.

Beneath Sue's gazebo we covered a trestle table with photo albums and put up display boards to one side.  The photos on the boards were from the earliest days of the group (1990s) but the work they showed is timeless (rhody bashing, footpath work, fencing, pond dredging...).

By the time we packed up at 16:00 we had given out about 40 of our new-look leaflets and hopefully some of those who took them will enquire further about us.  Perhaps one or two will come on the "Recent Enquirers Days" in October?!

The weather was beautiful all day with lots of warm sunshine and after lunch there were lots of people in the Meadow.  At one point Simon Hiley (Styal Lead Ranger) said they were ten minutes away from closing the gates to stop people coming in.  There were several other stalls for the public to visit (wood turning, craft stalls, 'old' tools, Cheshire Search & Rescue) and some things to have a go at (archery, wood chopping).  The Apple Day events were up by the Apprentice House with apple tasting, apple pressing and an appearance by the Manchester Organic Growers.

Thanks to Matt for organising the day.