Voluteers Update – June 2023

TREE & HEDGE WORK

The Tree inspection mentioned in the last update took place late in January and as usual the
outcome has been rather costly. We were aware that a couple of mature trees on Welbeck Road
boundary were having a detrimental impact on the wall. Their roots were causing the wall to bulge
and lean towards the road and the Inspector agreed that something needed to be done. He advised
that both trees should be removed within 90days and the roots chemically treated so that no further
root damage would occur.

This work was carried

out satisfactorily in
March at a cost of
£414, but we were able
to sell the cord wood
to a supporter for
£100. In the autumn
we will need to plant
two replacement trees,
but MDC Planning have
been very helpful and
allowed us to plant
these in areas where
they are less likely to
be vandalised. The
final cost could be as
much as £800. We had
the usual negative
response from the
Working on the Welbeck Road Hedge usual suspects.

This work created a good supply of wood chippings which we used to mulch around the young trees,
including the Three Oaks

Less costly, but more drawn out was

the annual task of cutting the Welbeck
Road hedge down to 1.4 metres. This
hedge has been a bit of a
disappointment as we get very few
birds nesting in it which is partly due to
the fact that it is mainly Hazel, which
just shoots skywards. This year we
tried to take the Hazel wands and
weave them horizontally through the
mature growth at the bottom of the
hedge. It’s not exactly “hedge laying”,
but we hope that is provides places for
nests and essential cover to keep any
nesting birds safe from predators. We
usually get it done in one working
party, this time it took three.

Mulching round the Oaks

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT PLAN
We are well into the busy end of the mowing season. We are mowing path edges, the orchard, the
track to the Store & the area where we park cars. As the year progresses the grass growth slows and
we will have an easier task.

In Area 6 (above the Orchard, near Seat 6) we have created six areas which we manage to create
varying heights of grass, nettles etc. The intention is to provide different stages of growth to suite a
greater variety of invertebrates. Two areas are cut in May, two in June and the final two are left
alone. This process is rotated over a three year cycle.

MEADOW

Rattle Plug Campaign 2022-23

In terms of growing the plug
plants, the Campaign was
reasonably successful – in April we
planted out 975 plugs, many with
multiple plants growing in them.
This was 10 more than last year.
In an attempt to give the Rattle a
better chance of growing, we dug
out a square sod of grass 4/5 to a
square metre and turned the sod
over then planted three/four plugs
per sod. The idea was to stop the
small plants from being swamped
by the stronger grasses. Planting Out Rattle Plugs

We concentrated our efforts over three working parties in an area where the grass was strongest.
Unfortunately it appears that the grass has won this particular competition!

However, all is not lost for the work we did last autumn, when we scarified the meadow and
broadcast seed by hand, has produced the best crop of Yellow Rattle over 80% of the meadow that
we’ve ever had. If we can reproduce this result over the whole area we should build up enough
Rattle to self perpetuate.

Rattle in the Meadow

ORCHARD
We are up to date with pruning and we’ve had a good display of blossom

Unfortunately, we have had one of the fruit trees vandalised beyond saving. This was a tree that was
part of the original planting in 2016, a traditional variety of cooking apple called Baron Ward.
Ironically it has struggled to grow, but this year it put out a considerable amount of blossom and
looked as though it was going to come good at last. This is the third orchard tree we have lost & all
three have been trees adjacent to the path & easily accessed.

WELBECK ROAD WALL

We have talked to two
structural engineers and
both believe that the
damage to the boundary
wall, caused by tree roots
mentioned on Page One, is
serious enough to warrant
the wall being dismantled
and rebuilt. We have
received quotations from
two builders; one was for
£8840, the other for
£5400. We have sought
advice from MDC Planning
regarding what planning
approval we need to seek
and the opinion of the
Conservation Planning Welbeck Road Wall
Officer. This advice has
informed the Planning Application sent to MDC and we should hear from them by 18 July.

We understand that MDC have contacted NCC Highways and they have decided that the application
does not have a detrimental impact on highway safety and capacity. Therefore, there are no
highway objections. It remains to be seen what closing the footpath will cost (potentially £300 to
£700) or whether there is any way we could get the cost reduced.

Building Control have been contacted and they have no interest in the work planned.

WORKING PARTIES
These continue to attract a small group of volunteers, which seems to be more irregular than in the
past. There are a number of reasons for this, but the majority appear to have their origin in the age
& health of the group. Over the period since the last Trust Meeting we have had 25 Working parties
and averaged 4.5 volunteers/WP. This is better than the last period, which is probably due to the
better weather.

Regular Maintenance
Most of the Carving, has been coated in preservative, which is a twice yearly event. Some areas
near the ground have been left to dry out and will be treated later.
We are currently weeding under the Seats. This is a slow job as we are doing it by hand. Two have
been finished, four to go.
STORE BUILDING
We are still experiencing some ingress of water in the bottom left hand corner. We did try to
improve drainage in this area by removing the sedum & growing medium from a 10cm strip adjacent
to the upstand and filling this strip with gravel. This didn’t work. The only thing left to try is to
remove everything down to the original felt over an area covering where the leak is showing and re-
cover it with more felt. This work was started on 01 June.

The ground along the side of the store

where the roof is at its lowest has been dug
away to make the height 2.4 metre (the
minimum height for applying Anti-climb
Spikes). This trench was set with brambles,
most of which failed to take, but has slowly
filled with thistles creating something of a
natural barrier to those wishing to access
the roof.

This might be tempting fate, but the above

measures together with modifying the Lock
Boxes on the doors seems to have greatly
reduced the number of times people have
been on the roof. The up-coming School
Holidays might prove me wrong!

FUND RAISING
The Pop-Up Fund Raiser Event in Mansfield,
16 – 19 January produced £126.10 over the
four days. Fortunately, we didn’t have to
staff our stall all the time as Councillor Anne
Callaghan & Jane Beachus very kindly looked
after our interests when we were absent.
Interestingly, £25.00 of this was given as
donations by people interested in what we
were doing & £30.00 was given by Jane
Beachus.

We have started to work on The Christmas Raffle 2023 which is going to be a larger event than in
previous years. Last December, our Patron, Sir Alan Meale donated a hamper containing a variety of
Wines & Spirits, with the intention that they be raffled off at the Christmas Fair. This didn’t happen
because the 2022 Fair didn’t happen, so in an attempt to maximise the value of the prize the
decision was taken that we would sell raffle tickets over an extended period leading up to this year’s
Christmas Fair where the winning ticket would be drawn. Ideally we need to sell the tickets in areas
of high “foot fall” to offer a chance of winning to more people. To that end we have contacted a
number of venues in the Mansfield district with a view to us being allowed to sell raffle tickets on
their premises. This is a work in progress.

The Spring Plant Sale held on May 28 was a success making £320.41 in pre-event sales and “on the
day” takings. This is the most we have ever taken, and much better than last year’s total (£282.10).
Many thanks to all who helped.

Bob Thacker
03/06/2023