Category Archives: Volunteering

Sunday 13 April – Weaving Willow

Conservation, Volunteering

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Weaving willow around poles on the bank to reduce erosion

Rachel Jones, the Countryside Ranger, says:

“A fun day was had by all on Sunday with so many hard working volunteers. We had a nice mix of jobs to do so we split up into teams. We collected brash along the foot paths, patched up fences, repaired eroding banks and painted part of the new view point.

Of course there was also a bonfire to get rid of all the excess!  A lovely sunny day and a great turn out, thank you all”

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Letting passers-by know what we’re doing

David Pottinger writes:

On our Sunday volunteer days, a lot of walkers and visitors to the Pond ask about what we’re doing and who we, Fleet Pond Society (FPS), are. As each monthly activity is different, we’ve decided to use a whiteboard to give some information on the job in hand. There are also leaflets on Fleet Pond and FPS to take away.

Of course, new members are always very welcome! Please see here for how to join FPS (it’s just £10 a year, plus £5 extra for postage if you prefer hardcopy of the newsletters).

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Sandy Bay on the blue skies Sunday

Photos: Rachel Jones (top) and David Pottinger

 

 

The Lions’ View – Putting In The Final Touches

Education, Volunteering

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The metal legs have been painted green (see above and below)

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David Pottinger writes:

On Friday 4 April, the Last of the Summer Wine Team, under the leadership of Terry Austin, got together (plus Hart Rangers) to put the finishing touches to the spectacular new viewpoint on the eastern side of Fleet Pond, to be called the Lions’ View.

This impressive project has been initiated and lead by Fleet Pond Society and has been very generously funded by a grant from Fleet Lions (hence the name).

The viewpoint has quite a fascinating and unusual story behind it, please see this link for details: The Eastern Viewpoint – Past And Future

The official opening ceremony for the Lions’ View will be on Good Friday, 18 April at 11 am.

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Inserting the Lions’ View Entrance Board

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 Sorting out the path and surrounding area

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Putting in another seat at the end of the platform

Volunteer Event This Sunday – 13 April 2014

Conservation, Events, Volunteering

Following on from the very popular Sunday volunteer event in March, the next one is this coming Sunday, 13 April.

Colin Gray writes:

“This coming Sunday is our last chance to burn up all the cut material from past tasks so the reserve is tidy for summer. The fire site is as before on the N E edge of Fugelmere Marsh.”

For further information and booking (which is essential as the tools and resources needed have to be planned beforehand), please contact Hart Countryside Services – details here.

A picture from the last event (see Fifteen Herons Flying for more details).

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Sunday 9 March – Fifteen Herons Flying

Conservation, Plants and Animals, Volunteering

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The ever popular baked potatoes being prepared

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… and then enjoyed

Rachel Jones, the Countryside Ranger, writes:

“Another great turn out for the Fleet Pond Society Volunteer March Sunday!

Wow what amazing weather! We were all rewarded with Brimstone and Peacock butterflies, and we counted up to 15 Herons flying over the Islands!

The aim was to clear as much brash as possible from along the footpaths at Fleet Pond. These extra branches and logs were from the recent storms and previous volunteer parties. With the logs, the team made log piles in the woods which will be valuable dead wood for insects.

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Taking a well earned coffee break

The brash was pulled out of the Eastern marsh now thankfully the area is just about dry enough to venture out there! Terry and Nick worked on the view point and it’s looking great! There was lots of interest from passers by.

We have a team out on Fugelemere Marsh burning all the brash, some dragged from the marsh and some from nearby footpaths. We also reduced the huge pile off the dry heath.

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Well, that’s one way to get the job done!

There is still much to clear and tidy but this was a really great effort from all and we are very grateful to all our volunteers.”

Ed. Some excellent pictures of herons at Fleet Pond can be seen on the Fleet Pond Society Group Pool on Flickr – see here.

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Dedication – working on after the main event has ended…

Ed. If you are interested in the butterflies that can be seen at the Pond (as mentioned above), why not take a look at these articles by Peter Martin?

Butterflies At The Pond – 2013

Butterflies Around The Pond – Have You Seen Any?

Photo credits: David Pottinger and Rachel Jones.

Terry Austin Honoured By Hampshire’s High Sheriff

People, Volunteering

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From left to right: Claire Lloyd, Terry Austin and Rupert Younger

Cathy Holden writes:

Fleet Pond Society are thrilled that their Vice Chairman, Terry Austin, has been the recipient of the Hampshire High Sheriff’s Community Award for North East Hampshire. This prestigious award is given to members of the community who deserve special recognition for their community activities.

Terry is a tireless worker for the Pond, responsible for the planning and implementation of several innovations such as the Fleet Pond Clearwater Campaign DVD, Kenilworth Road boat launching platform, the dipping platform at The Flash and the History Board and leaflet amongst a myriad of other projects. He also leads the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ team of volunteers on a Friday morning; this team, nicknamed because several of them are retired, complete numerous jobs to help keep Fleet Pond and its surrounding Nature Reserve a site of great benefit to the local community.

Terry is pictured with his award, alongside Rupert Younger, High Sheriff of Hampshire, and Claire Lloyd, the Award Panel Chair for North East Hampshire.

The ceremony took place recently in the historic atmosphere of the Great Hall at Winchester, where the winners and their guests enjoyed a champagne reception in the shadow of King Arthur’s Round Table.

Terry himself is extremely modest about his win and said: “I feel honoured, delighted but also slightly embarrassed as I could not have done the things attributed to me without the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ team and others.”

The High Sheriff and his team visited Fleet Pond on one of the wettest days in February and Terry gave them a tour and updated them on the Pond Restoration project.

Photo credit:  Jason Allen, courtesy of Hampshire Life.

Ed. Further information on Terry’s impressive achievements at Fleet Pond can be found here.