Keeping in Touch - edition 11 - Christmas Special

Seasons Greetings One and All

I started typing this as I sat watching the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 Final.  This means it's nearly the end of the year and the next day was our final workday for 2021 at Lyme Park.  MNTV’s 2021 season began after the second nationwide lockdown on 18th April with a workday at Formby and although we have had a couple of cancelled workdays and a few changed venues we have worked pretty much every Sunday since then.

MNTV have worked so hard during the 2020-21 season.  Between September and December 2020 for workdays and May 2020 and March 2021 for the Committee the group managed a total of 683.25 hours of which 133.50 were Committee hours.  This may have been our shortest year ever but with 2022 just around the corner to finish off the MNTV year I’m hopeful that there will be a full year of volunteering for you to come.

With Covid restrictions having eased but people still hesitant about travelling and sharing a dormitory I wanted to let you know that there will be no weekends in 2022.  My plan is to bring weekends back to you with a bang in 2023 with our annual Christmas weekend hopefully making it a big celebration of all we have been through since Covid-19 appeared.  Where this will be I’m not sure but once I have some more firmed up plans I will of course let you know.

It’s 27th December now and I have found some time to finish this edition of Keeping in Touch - Christmas Special.  I emailed your worksite leaders two days ago with the programme so they could sign up to what they wanted to lead.  Yes, I was working on Christmas Day, all in the name of MNTV!  The 2022 program has taken some planning and it’s not totally confirmed but I wanted to give you an idea of what we have in store.  Here are some of the highlights:

Your first workday of 2022 is on 9th January at Alderley Edge and Daniel is already planning his bake for the day.  We will be back at Alderley a further three times during 2022.  Our first longer distance workday is at Formby on 27th February.  The task is not confirmed but I have been informed there’s plenty to do.  On 20th March my hope is to set up a workday with the Ranger Team at either Marsden Moor or on the Stubbins Estate.  If not I have other options.  On 3rd April we travel to Erddig to join forces with our friends from Merseyside.  We will be over there again with Merseyside in July.  At the end of May Merseyside join us at Dunham and we will see them again in July at Dunham.  On 5th June although a Bank Holiday Gardener Paul at Biddulph Grange Gardens has requested our company to help with the annual task on Dahlia Walk.  We will be back at Biddulph at the end of October.  On 12th June we again join Merseyside on their patch at Chirk Castle to see what's been going on since we were last there in September 2019.  Also in June we have the first of three visits to Hardcastle Crags.  We will be there in July and August too.  The 3rd July brings us the second of three visits to Speke Hall to help Head Ranger Ian with tasks across the estate.  We will be there again for the final time in August. 14th August brings us our late summer visit to Hayfield to help the guys there with many different tasks that will no doubt need doing after so long a break with no volunteers.  11th September brings us one of many visits to Formby.  Chris and the rest of the team at Formby is delighted to have our help as there is always so much to do.  On 2nd October we will be at Lyme Park.  They love having our help and can't wait to see us.  We will first be there on 23rd January.  Dunham Massey, one of our most popular worksites, is included in the 2022 programme many times with and without Merseyside and we will be there without Merseyside on 27th November for, at the time of writing, some plantation thinning in the parkland.  This will be our last visit to Dunham in 2022.  We end 2022 on 18th December with a visit to another of our favourite worksites, which is again included many times in the 2022 programme, The Styal Estate.  The team there always enjoy having us and provide a variety of tasks.

Your worksite leaders are eager to get back baking and out there volunteering.  If you would like to have a go at leading then please let one of the Committee know or just send me a quick email.  My thanks go to my worksite leaders for agreeing to lead.  

So that is the programme out of the way.  Now for the fun stuff.

A little bit of news from Hayfield:

I had an email recently from Iain Thistlethwaite who some of you may have met to say he is leaving the National Trust on 2nd January for pastures new.  He asked me to pass on this message: "Thanks to you for organising the planned workdays and the group for all their hard work on our sites.  It's been a pleasure to work with them on the occasions I have been out."  I wished him the best of luck from us all.

Pictures of workdays since September ... I think they can be summed up by saying we work in all weathers!

Tooled up for bracken bashing at Hardcastle Crags, 22 August

Lunch in the sun during the bracken bash at Hardcastle Crags, 22 August

Clearing 'grits' on the old Edale Road on 5 December

How to recycle or reuse Christmas cards:

I get very few Christmas cards but my Mum and Dad get a lot and although they do recycle the majority there are some that they are able to make into gift tags.  As well as gift tags, below are a couple of ideas that you could use your Christmas cards to make

Further details of ideas can be found at https://www.countryliving.com/uk/create/craft/a3005/recycling-christmas-cards/

1. Decorations

There's no need for Christmas cards to only be useful at Christmas.  Turn them into stylish New Year's Eve decorations.  Cut them up, stick pieces together to make decorative garlands and bunting.

2. Place Settings 

If you have an intimate dinner party planned for New Year's Day or any other time of the year for that matter you could upcycle your Christmas cards into lovely table place tags.  Cut squares, rectangles or a shape of your choice from your festive cards.  The white back section is particularly useful as you can paint or ink your guests names onto this. 

3. Next year's Christmas decorations

If you are guilty of being a bit of a sentimental hoarder then this one is perfect for you.  It means that you can hold onto your greetings cards from loved ones for another year.  By the time next Christmas comes around you'll be ready to upcycle them into some amazing Christmas decorations, like the ones below, including tree hangings, wreaths and shelf ornaments.  Put the most beautiful ones in a frame.

And my favourite ... 4. Gift tags

In keeping with the Christmas theme old greetings cards also make great upcycled gift tags.  Cut out the central motifs from the cards then write your message on the back.

Now there's no need to wonder what to do with Christmas cards once the festive season is over.  It's time to get creative!

For those of you who like a little treat then the below recipe is for Truffles.  They were a big hit with my friends and colleagues who get lumbered with my creations.

Simple Chocolate Truffles

You will need two baking trays, baking paper, food processor and heatproof bowl

Ingredients:

300g Oreo biscuits

150g Cream cheese

300g Milk or dark chocolate - you could use half and half like I did

Method:

1. Line two baking trays with baking paper

2. Grind Oreos into crumbs

3. Add cream cheese and mix until mixture reaches a stiff consistency

4. Take teaspoons of mix and roll into balls and place on tray 

5. Place truffles in fridge to chill for an hour

6. Melt chocolate

7. Dip each truffle in chocolate and carefully lift it out with a fork, tap on side of bowl to remove excess

8. Place covered truffles back on to tray and before the chocolate sets sprinkle with a little bit of what you fancy - I used Sugar Strands

9. Return trays to fridge to let the chocolate set

10. Enjoy!

I think that is everything I need to say apart from I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and if you were able to see family then that is all the better.  I on behalf of the Committee would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year or Hogmanay.

I hope to see you some time in 2022.

Ally