Tag: volunteering

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Dead Hedge

We have a new wildlife habitat on site that will help to reduce the amount of waste that we burn and support biodiversity.

We have created a ‘dead hedge’ along the riverbank opposite the Clubhouse.   This will replace the aging wooden fence with a new habitat.

Insects and invertebrates love rotting wood and the dead hedge will be a perfect home for them.

Insects and invertebrates are a vital part of a healthy garden. They help pollinate flowers and crops, They eat pests and are food for larger animals (such as small mammals hedgehogs and birds), They also help to recycle nutrients and improving the soil.

The fence was created by our members on Community Spruce days using stakes pollarded from a tree in the wildlife garden, together with recycled fencing wire.

Members are asked to put their woody waste on the dead hedge rather than taking it to the bonfire area.

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First Community Spruce of the year: Sunday 13 March 2022 

Each month during the growing season we hold Community Spruce days to undertake site tasks ranging from planting vegetable plants for sale through to trimming hedges, repairing fences and planting wildflowers.

Our first one for 2022 will be held between 11am-1pm on Sunday 13 March.  There will be a range of tasks including seed sowing.

Our allotment site is a co-operative and each member is equally responsible for helping to maintain the site.

We also welcome members of the local community to our Community Spruce days.  They have helped with a range of tasks from planting trees and hedges to litter picking.

Refreshments will be provided.

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Community Spruce – achievements

Thank you to all members who have contributed to our Community Spruce initiative over the past year. Here’s what we’ve achieved together:

  • Tidied the site, removing two skip loads of rubbish.
  • Refurbished the toilets,  including replacing the broken toilet seat in the ladies loo, painting the walls and doors and putting new lino down.
  • Clive’s kitchen has been cleaned and a new fridge, kettle and microwave installed for members’ use.
  • The communal polytunnel has been cleared and cleaned ready for growing plants for open day.
  • The bonfire area has been cleared and new compost bins made.
  • The grass has been cut throughout the year.
  • The hedging has been pruned and overgrown areas cut back.
  • The office has been cleared.
  • We’ve planted new wildflower verges and hedging around our perimeter and planted wildflower seeds in the wildlife garden. This work is part of our re-wilding initiative, which will increase the biodiversity on our site and help support our fellow plant and animal communities which are now seriously threatened by climate change and loss of habitat.

We have been helped by teams of corporate volunteers, a great new initiative  set up by Linda, which brings donations to the site and gets work done quickly.  The 19th Bromley Scout Group also helped plant new hedging and seed bombed the wildlife garden.

There will be more opportunities to join in Community Spruce activities in 2020 as we continue to work to make our allotment site a peaceful, wildlife haven and an important community asset.