FALL BACK DAY TASK 2ND APRIL 2017
The task will be a return to The Furze, in Butcherlands, to continue coppicing, cutting and burning in the glade. After Petworth, take the B road to Balls Cross, turn left after the pub and turn and, after half a mile, turn right into the track to Hilland Farm. As before we will park off the farm track. The leader for the day is Scott Robertson tel 01243 552113 or 07815 021331.
Changes to tasks
Please note that the tasks with the National Trust on 24th and 31st July have had to be swapped. On the 24th we will be working at Harting Down and on the 31st at Woolbeding. Peter Etheridge is the task leader for both dates so please contact him on 01243 783365 or 07833 703418.
For many years we have been working at Ebernoe Common in the summer clearing bracken from areas where the wild daffodils grow and yesterday I went to see the daffodils in flower. What a lovely sight – all our hard work has paid off. Claire Wilton 13.3.17
Changes to tasks
The tasks for the 3rd of July and the 31st of July have been swapped – see the current programme for details.
CHAIR’S WALK SUNDAY 22ND MAY
This year’s walk will be around Amberley, starting from the Amberley Station car park at 10.00 including downland and riverside, stopping at the Bridge Inn for lunch. The morning walk will involve a relatively gentle uphill ascent on the South Downs Way, taking in the Burgh, from where we will descend to North Stoke and the River Arun, a walk of about 5.5 miles. For those who wish to continue after lunch, there will be a shorter amble upstream and through Amberley village, distance of around 2 miles. For further information, contact Scott on 01243 552113 or 07815 021331.
The task leader for the 20th March has changed, please see the current programme for details.
The task leader for the 28th February has changed, please see the current programme for details.
We had a great day last Sunday in the woodland at Woolbeding clearing Himalayan Balsam which was just beginning to flower and needs to be removed before it sets seed and spreads further. Happily you can pull it up with roots quite easily and often don’t even have to bend over to do so and by the end of the day we had completely cleared the area we had been asked to tackle. After lunch Ian led us on a lovely walk along the River Rother admiring the damselflies and butterflies.
DETAILS FOR THE CHAIRMAN’S WALK 2ND AUGUST
CHIDHAM SHORELINE
This year’s walk will be a seashore amble around the Chidham peninsula which should provide opportunities for bird and butterfly spotting. We shall start from the small car park next to the turn-off for the Cobnor Centre, the most southerly point on Chidham Lane, SU794035, at 10.00. Chidham Lane is the first left turning from the A259 west of the Bosham roundabout. We will stop for lunch at the Old House at Home in Chidham village. The walk will be around 5 miles long. Please contact Scott Robertson on 01243 552113 or 07815 021331 if you are coming, and particularly if you need a lift.
DETAILS FOR TASK ON 5TH JULY
Thorney Island
The task will be to clear an overgrown section of a footpath within the army-controlled area of Thorney Island, continuing work already started by the Chichester Harbour Conservancy rangers. We shall park outside the army zone at Eames Farm on Thorney Road (SU 756 043) at 10.00 am and decant to two cars. For further information please contact the task leader, Scott Robertson on 01243 552113 or 07815 021331.
NEW TASK FOR 26TH APRIL
Heyshott
We are returning to Heyshott on our Fall Back Day to continue with the disposal of the previously cut timber and scrub on a bonfire. Parking is provided at the Gaben Business Centre. The leader on this occasion will be Scott Robertson tel 01243 552113 or 07815 021331.
CCV FEATURE IN LATEST ISSUE OF WILDLIFE
You may be interested to know that CCV featured in the April 2015 edition of Wildlife, the Sussex Wildlife Trust’s magazine. On page 26 under the heading ‘More Than a Helping Hand’, information about our work with the Trust is described alongside a photo of some of us in ‘football team’ pose at Graffham Common with Jane Willmott, the Trust’s Living Landscapes Officer.
New Task for 12th April.
We shall be returning to the eastern section of the Graffham Common Reserve to continue working with the Reserve Manager, Graham Ault, on the creation of a new bridleway around the perimeter. This time the main task will be to remove an old fence. Leader for the day will be Rodney Wildman tel 01243 262833 or 07939 865191.
An additional task has been arranged for Sunday 22nd March at Lavington Common with the National trust. Meet 10am at GR949185. Task leader Richard Wilson 01243 528056.
We had a great day last Sunday 5th October on a joint task with Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group at Crablands Meadow, Selsey. We were improving habitat for southern marsh orchids and water voles, the sun shone and we were provided with tea and coffee and homemade cake! Here are Scott and Jill, the two Chair persons, looking happy. Claire 7.10.14
CCV Task on 31st August 2014 Drovers
We have awarded our Fall Back Day to the National Trust and Calum Summers, the Senior Ranger, has asked us to do some work in woodland at Drovers, about a mile north of Singleton, just off the A286. We shall be removing redundant tree guards, along with a bit of tree clearance and lower branch removal. There may also be an opportunity to explore this site and hunt for dormouse nuts. We will meet in Singleton in front of the school, either on the road or in the car park opposite, where Calum will pick us up in his NT truck at 10.00. Anyone requiring a lift to Singleton, please contact the leader, Scott Robertson. Tel: 01243 552113 or 07815 021331.
CCV WALK 1ST JUNE
This year’s walk will be around Stoughton including the top of Kingley Vale and the woods and valleys north of the village, with a pub lunch at the Hare and Hounds. Our meeting point will be the car park at Stoughton Down (grid ref. SZ814126) at 10.00. The overall distance is 6 miles – 3.5 in the morning with a gentle ascent and stunning views and an optional extra 2.5 miles after lunch through Inholmes Wood.
DIRECTIONS: Take the B2178 out of Chichester through East Ashling and turn right at Funtington following the signs to Walderton, turning right again onto the B2146 and yet again when you reach Walderton. Carry on through Walderton and Stoughton and the car park is on the right a mile after Stoughton just as the road takes a sharp left turn. Please let me know in advance if you are planning to join us and I can warn the pub in advance of the expected numbers. (Scott Robertson 01243 552113/07815 021331).
The last two Sundays at Salterns Copse have been really enjoyable, sunshine all day and coppicing – my favourite activity. On 22nd December we had baked potatoes and tradition was upheld with carols sung while warming ourselves round the fire. We met a friendly robin in the car park who hopped in Ian’s boot today to check for crumbs – we had to give him something after being so bold. It was a frosty start but Peter’s merry wit and chocolate biscuits spurred us on and we soon warmed up with some frenzied coppicing and Richard managed to get a fire going even though all the wood was soaking wet. What a good way to end the year. Claire 29.12.13
CHANGE OF LEADER FOR TASK AT LEVIN DOWN ON 24TH NOVEMBER 2013
The leader will be Scott Robertson 01243 552113 instead of Alan Walker.
our 30th Anniversary on 17th February with a gathering of past and present members and user bodies. We had a buffet and celebratory cake at The Fishbourne Centre and looked at photos of the group at work over the last 30 years. Scott our Chairman thanked everyone for their hard work and presented Simon with a gift to mark his 30 years as treasurer – our new treasurer is Richard Wilson. A lovely bouquet of flowers and garden centre vouchers were presented to me for long service in various roles with which I was surprised and delighted. Thank you. Claire Wilton February 2012
NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Just a few thoughts from Chairman Scott at the start of 2013, the 30th year of CCV.
It’s a fantastic achievement by the group to be still very active after 30 years with many longstanding members still turning up regularly to work on a wide variety of tasks in a number of locations. Some of the tasks have changed and some of the reserves, but the enthusiasm, the banter and the resulting improvements to the landscape are constant.
I’m pleased that we have welcomed several new participants recently, which has enabled us to bring sizable work parties to some of our events. The landowners and wardens have invariably been appreciative of the combined effort and its impact.
It’s a very challenging time for all of us who are doing our best to assist with the management of the countryside, and who have an interest in the wildlife and a love of the Downs and all the other green areas that we are fortunate to live amongst. National and local government are developing policies which may place these precious areas under considerable threat. The relaxation of planning laws, the commitment to the environmentally damaging fracking process of gas excavation and local planning proposals for expanding settlements into greenfield sites are all potential threats to our open countryside. I feel it is our duty to be vigilant about such moves and to actively campaign for the preservation and protection of our natural environment. It’s now so easy to sign an online petition or send an email to a local politician, MP or government minister.
I’ll get off my soap box now and thank all those CCV members who do such a lot behind the scenes to make our programme of activities work so well and be such fun. Organisation of our quarterly programmes, liaison with the agencies who employ us, care of the tools, risk assessment, first aid training and money management are all important and time consuming. The task leaders, and all those who provide lifts are key to the success of each event. Many thanks to all those who make it all happen.
I look forward to meeting lots of you, both present and past CCV members, at our 30th anniversary celebration on the 17th of February.
A Happy New Year to you all.
Reflections from the programme organiser – February sees CCV’s 30th anniversary when we can all meet present and past members and some of those from nature reserves and other venues where we have or still do work. One or two of the original members are still active in the group – well that dates them doesn’t it. But it also speaks well for the holding power of what we have been about. That aside, it is so very good to see that the spread in age group of volunteers is beginning to open out again. Whether tough retirees or dedicated D of E’s they are all to be loved ; least ways when they are laying hedges, dragging loads to the fire, or trying to puzzle out a stone wall (or chatting a bit). Alan Walker December 2012
Reflections from the programme organiser – I could apologise to all those who went to Ebernoe Common in May to “ bash “ the bracken and miraculously found it possible to strip the entire common in the course of a few hours, if they then returned in August to find the bracken far from gone away! May be it was a bit early in May but the main issue has of course been the extraordinary and daunting pattern of weather we have had this year. We seem to have seen a fair range of butterflies but the numbers of all species apart from red admirals and peacocks have been low. I have not seen any hairstreaks at all even up at Heyshott but maybe someone will reassure me that they did not disappear for the year. We have seen some frogs though! And lizards! And orchids! Those of us who joined Scott for the walk he led from Burpham on 19th August were delighted with the number of species of flowers and their quantities as we headed round towards the Angmering Estate. The little pink flower which I could not identify at the time but have seen of old, is I think Moss Campion – someone correct who is more learned if they will. I gather from a good source that the farmer local to there has won a national stewardship award. Alan Walker August 2012
The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers has now changed its name. From now on it will be known as The Conservation Volunters (TCV).
Reflections from the programme organiser – As we have returned to sites that we have worked on last year or at the beginning of this, it has been good to see how much has been achieved and to good effect. All the wardens and staff who have been the source of our work have been pleased and clearly wanting the group to return. New- comers can join the group knowing that it does have a good reputation. I am now back to the numbers game : from Levin Down on 26th February 13 buzzards were seen circling at one time! Alan Walker March 2012.
We enjoyed a Christmas Meal at The Walnut Tree in December 2011