A big thank you to everyone who helped with our litter pick this weekend. We had an excellent turn out, including some members of the council.

Your efforts are clear to see in the piles of rubbish that were collected and are appreciated by everyone who uses and enjoys the common and woods.

Thank you again.

Sadly there has been another incident of fly tipping on the common. This time at the edge of the woods by the junction between Lane End Road and Horns Lane. We have reported it to the Councils fly tipping enforcement team and hopefully their will be sufficient evidence within the rubbish to identify the culprits and prosecute them.

Growth of the bushes had seriously reduced visibility to oncoming traffic when following the footpath and crossing at the top of Horns Lane but thanks to a couple of volunteers it has been significantly improved.

We were a little light on volunteers but even so we manged to give the triangle a good trim along the edges of the paths.

We have cleared the path that leads across the bottom of Horns lane was blocked by some fallen branches.

Another huge thank you to the volunteers from Red Kite who spent a morning working hard on the common clearing overgrown bushes and installing bollards.

On Saturday morning a fire was started in the woods behind the houses at the end of Barbers Wood close. Fortunately it was dealt with by the Fire Brigade before it spread. Fires must not be started in the woods for any reason. It is very dangerous particularly as we have not had any rain for some time.

Thanks to everyone who helped out with our Spring Litter Pick.

Sadly we collected a lot of rubbish predominantly from the road margins around the common. The usual collection of bottles, cans and fast food wrappers, but also other rubbish that had been fly tipped at the edge of the woods. A huge number of nitrous oxide gas cylinders were also collected, clearly legislation to control there misuse is being ignored and is having no effect.

It was bright sunny day last Tuesday when we had the pleasure to welcome a group from RH Amar, a local company based on the Cressex Business Park, to the common.

After a brief introduction we took a walk, following the figure-of eight woodland path through the woods finishing back at the memorial hall. It was a very pleasant lunchtime stroll, and we look forward to seeing them and any of their colleagues again soon..

With equipment paid for using a generous donation from Red Kite Community Housing, our volunteers ventured a little beyond the common to clear the public footpath that runs between Limmer Lane and the field at the top of Horns lane.

The path had become overgrown and before our volunteers set to work was completely impassable.

With a few concrete bollards we have been able to protect a couple of locations from being used as parking places and spots to dump rubbish.

A huge thanks to the hardy volunteers who despite the horrible weather cleared lots of litter from around the common on Sunday morning and also thanks to those who also contributed at other times over the weekend.

The triangle has again been cleared to encourage wild flowers next year. Thanks to all our volunteers who helped especially Ian whose mowing machine made it a lot quicker and easier for the rest of us.

Parts of the fallen tree had been removed by local residents for firewood leaving the canopy on the amenity grass. Dragging this into the woods has cleared it from the grass and created a very good winter nesting site for local wildlife.

The rapid growth of nettles and other plants had obscured the information board. A little brush cutting has cleared it.

Our volunteers restoring the bollards along the edge of the bridle path to help protect the woods.

Thankyou gentlemen…