All posts by David Pottinger

Volunteer Event This Sunday, 12 February

Conservation, Events, Volunteering

There will be a volunteer event at Fleet Pond this coming Sunday and all are welcome to attend (see below for registering).

Colin Gray, Chairman of Fleet Pond Society, writes:

“The task for the coming Sunday will depend on how the water levels have settled after the recent rain. The target area is Coldstream Marsh (see map here), accessible from the “workers only” stile near to where the Coldstream Ditch flows under the footpath into the marsh. Alder and sallow scrub need to be cleared from this area. Soil conditions will be wet and muddy so please bring your wellies or borrow a pair of ours from the workshop.

Meet as usual at the Countryside Workshop, Old Pump House Close, Fleet, GU51 3DN at 9.15 a.m. Please park in Kenilworth Road as parking is very restricted at the workshop. Bring water if you need it but we will have our usual choice of warm beverages mid-morning.

Should you come later and cannot find us at Coldstream Marsh, call me on 07966 441671 and I will let you know if we have had to change location.”

For further information and booking for this event (which is essential as tools and resources have to be planned beforehand), please contact Hart Countryside Services:

Phone: 01252 623443
 Email: countryside@hart.gov.uk

The Sunday volunteer tasks are supervised by a Hart Countryside Ranger, Nick Macfarlane, together with members of Fleet Pond Society.

A full listing of the Sunday volunteer events for the 2016/17 season can be found here. Why not give it a go?

Final Point on the FPS Photo Competition 2016

Events, Photography

Evelyn Auld, FPS Photographic Competition Organiser, writes

“I would like to make it clear that if competition entries have not been acknowledged they have not been received. So I would like to ask anyone who thinks they have entered but have not had a reply to contact me as soon as possible.”

You can contact Evelyn via the competition email address: photocomp@fleetpond.org.uk

Best of luck to all who have entered the competition!

A Pictorial Review Of 2016

Events, People, Photography

Holly and Colin

Holly Reeves (TAG Farnborough) and Colin Gray (FPS) at the formal opening of the Hemelite Bay Jetty in June 2016

David Pottinger writes:

Here’s my selection of images and videos that appeared on this blog during 2016. They are mostly in chronological order, January to December.

They vividly illustrate the many ways in which Fleet Pond Society (FPS) benefits and interacts with the local community. As you can see, a lot more goes on than you might imagine! If you’d like more details of any of the activities, you can track down the original articles via the search box on the top rhs.

Last year was also an important one for FPS, it reached it’s 40th birthday and there were a number of events to celebrate this.

If you’d like to support FPS, please consider joining, we’re really keen to get new members and it’s just £10 a year (with the newsletter emailed) or £15 via post (see here for joining). Membership fees help us carry out a multitude of tasks that extend and complement those performed by Hart Countryside Services.

In addition to individual contributions, we also greatly appreciate the funds and services kindly provided by a number of local organisations and companies.

Finally, on the theme of pictures, please note that the deadline for the FPS Photographic Competition for 2016 is fast approaching – Sunday 8 January 2017. You can find the details here. Best of luck!

2016-01-15 Team at Bridge s

The year started with the opening of a new bridge at the bottom of Guildford Road

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYDfLr72Q3Q&w=560&h=315]

A fascinating video was produced by John Sutton that reviewed conservation progress at the Pond

Pat McKenzie 2016 s

Pat McKenzie with Cllr Steve Forster

(Hart District Council Chairman’s Award for Fleet Pond Society’s Volunteer of the Year 2015)

Comp 2015 Vicki Jull - Winner s

2015 FPS Photographic Competition: the winning picture by Vicki Jull

Bluebells MidMay 2 s

The bluebell patch at the Pond in full bloom

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Terry Austin testing water quality as part of the Water Blitz project

Holly and Colin 2

The opening of the Hemelite Bay Jetty (above, below and top)

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Carnival 2016 6

The colourful FPS float at Fleet Carnival 2016

Carnival 2016 2s

Members of the FPS Carnival Team

2016-07-18_Murals 0

The impressive artwork at Fleet Station featuring Fleet Pond

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRZOm3-Zx5c&w=560&h=315]

Full of Life video from Hart District Council featuring FPS volunteers

ehps-pond-digger

FPS volunteers helping Elvetham Heath Primary School in making it’s own pond

water-rail-fleet-pond

A picture of the elusive Water Rail captured at the Pond

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Rushmoor Mayor Jacquie Vosper with Michael Thompson of FPS

(Volunteer Recognition Event)

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Included just for fun, spotted in a garden very near to Fleet Pond – Santa’s on his way!