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The Background
The Witchford Village Society Open Spaces Group (OSG) consists of volunteers from Witchford working for conservation and for access to the countryside. The group is associated to the Witchford Village Society and is a member of the Woodland Group, and although the group works closely with the Parish Council, it remains independent. We meet every two months to plan the management activities for the open spaces and rights of way that we help to maintain.
The summer of 2009 was the 20th anniversary of the founding of the OSG. During these 20 years we have been very successful on public rights of way, helping to achieve the opening up of all those routes that were blocked in 1989, and the reopening of the path across the old airfield. Today we are active on waymarking and maintenance. In addition the OSG has helped to create areas for conservation, benefiting wildlife and public enjoyment, areas that we continue to manage. For example, we have Sandpit Drove Conservation Area with its restored pond and Sparrowhawk Way circular path through woodland and meadow. We have also begun to create an area for public enjoyment and increased biodiversity at the Old Recreation Ground, following the award of a £1000 grant two years ago. We have restored a pond and planted a hedge, and will soon provide a picnic area with tree planting.
The Old Recreation Ground
During January volunteers placed tree guards around the hedging plants to protect them from rabbit damage. Hopefully this will allow the plants a chance to put on some growth this spring and summer. We also replaced some of the plants that have died. We shall have another volunteer session at the Old Rec on March, date to be confirmed.
Work has continued on the installation of the oak sleeper picnic table and bench next to the restored pond, but completion has not surprisingly been held up somewhat owing to the bad weather.
The pond is now fully replenished with water, in time for the frogs’ breeding season in February and March. We had some frog spawn last year and as the pond (which is still relatively new at 1½ years old) matures we shall hopefully have more
Sandpit Drove
Volunteers will be meeting in Sandpit Drove on Sunday 14 February, starting at 10.00am. We intend to repair the bird and bat boxes that have been damaged by woodpeckers, clear the ditch beneath the footbridge on Sparrowhawk Way, check out and fix tree guards, and look at creating another path through the trees between the pond and Broadway. We will be pleased to receive any help so please do come along for this valuable conservation work.
Sandpit Drove Community Conservation Project Funding Application
The OSG in conjunction with the parish council has made an application through East Cambridgeshire District Council for funding to create a wildflower meadow on the whole of the meadow between the pond and Sparrowhawk Way in Sandpit Drove. We are looking for partners this undertaking, and will be pleased to hear from anyone who has suggestions or would like to be involved should we be successful.
Rights of Way Walks Leaflet
The parish council is progressing with the new Witchford Walks leaflet that will replace the leaflet prepared several years ago. The new leaflet will contain the walks presented by Terry King in the Witchfordian during the last year. The OSG will work closely with the parish council to have the leaflet ready by Spring 2010.
News and announcements of village events will be posted here.
If you would like to advertise your local event on this website, please contact us at the email address shown at the top of this page.
Welcome to the web page for the Witchford Village Society Open Spaces Group. You can find out more about the group in the section below. Diary dates for the activities that we organise are on the Announcements page.
Contact us
You are always very welcome as a participant in the activities of the Open Spaces Group, and your contribution to conservation and the improvement of amenities in the village and surrounding countryside much appreciated.
For more information about the Open Spaces Group and the Woodland Group, contact:
Shelagh Monteith: 665707 witchfordparishcouncil@eastcambs.gov.uk
George Jellicoe: 663402 jellicoe@tinyworld.co.uk
Richard Braund: 665222 richardbraund50@hotmail.com
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