Recent news #volunteering

Come and join our alternate Tuesday morning Work Group. A great opportunity to give something back to your community and local nature.

We meet fortnightly at 10am on a Tuesday at different locations around Crofton and Sparrow Woods - join our mailing list to be reminded the meeting points as they do sometimes change from the plan. 

Bromley Council's contractor, idverde, kindly lend us tools - or you are welcome to bring your own.  The tasks are very varied. At the moment we are coppicing - part of a cycle of every 7 years or so cutting down hazel and holly. This allows more light to the ground through the tree canopy - which is great for our local flora and fauna. Coppicing has been undertaken for hundreds of years in these woodlands. Without it ivasive species take over and the woods become very dark with less variety of plant life - you can see that from some of the areas which are not Council owned and therefore un maintained. 

For the fit and keen there is plenty of tree felling and lopping, and for the less fit plenty of branch trimming and piling up. There is also litter picking, and plant identfication. So whatever your age or level of fitness there is plenty for all!

No need to commit to every fortnight - plenty of members just come when they can around their other commitments. 

We have a short break around 11.30am and finish around 12.15 - although you are welcome to leave earlier.

Come along and make a positive differencce!

The next Woodland Work Group meeting is  on Tuesday 17 September, and we then meet every fortnight. Come and join in - all fitness levels accommodated. We will be meeting at the dead end of St Thomas Drive, and then walking into the woods to St Thomas Glade for a session of scrub clearance. 

If you are not very familiar with the woods – don’t worry, I will wait at the entrance to the woods at the end of St Thomas Drive until 10.am. 

I do hope that you will be able to join the Work Group. Adult non-members welcome. Please come prepared – heavy shoes are a must, as well as gardening gloves, saws, loppers, and secateurs if you have them. Idverde equipment will be available. You may also want to bring a drink. The session will finish at 12.15pm – although you are welcome to leave sooner. BUT, you need to tell the idverde ranger, or myself that you are leaving early, or we will worry that we have lost you in the woods.

Date for your diary: Coffee Morning and Cake Sale Saturday 5 October 10am to noon The Friends of Crofton and Sparrow Woods popular get together for a chat over a drink and excellent cake at Petts Wood Methodist church.

Caroline Potter is leading the first Saturday Work Group session of the Autumn next Saturday – 30^th September. She is planning to focus on the area behind the horses’ field (nearest road access Broadcroft Road), starting at 10.00am. 

Pease do come along and join – even if you only have a little time. Please bring your own equipment if you have it – although gloves and some spare tools will also be available. 

Meet in the field area end of the footpath from Broadcroft Road.

Every other Tuesday morning outside the summer we meet at 10.00am  at different locations around Crofton and Sparrow Woods for two and a quarter hours. 

We are a mixed ability (and age) Group - there are tree choppers and light-task workers, but between us we work to help maintain the Council-owned areas of the woodland. 

For example, we coppice hazel etc to open up areas to light to the benefit of ground flora and insects. We clear areas around oaks to ensure that their roots get the nutrients to thrive.  We try and re-open St Thomas Open Space so that it is more open again. 

All this is done in partnership with idverde, Bromley Council's contractor, as the area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Many of us are working or have other committements, so we are used to people not coming every fortnight, and having to leave early.

Fancy joining us and seeing if is for you? Well, the plans for the next few sessions are on this site for the first time. 

Come suitably dressed - and for mud if it has been wet. 

Want to ask a question? Call Jane Andrews on 07968 269008, and she will try and get you the answer!

The grassy south end of Eynsford Close Recreation Ground has been allowed to grow over the summer. To encourage more meadow plants, the vigour of the grass needs to be reduced. Here is Jenny from the Working Group sowing yellow rattle seeds. The pretty yellow flower pictured below is parasitic on grass roots, and will help provide more space for meadow wildflowers. Fingers crossed for next summer!