Group shot (mainly the Fleet Premier Inn Team)

David Pottinger writes:

On Wednesday 2 October, a large team of volunteers from Premier Inn (PI) took part in a conservation event at the dry heath at Fleet Pond. It was part of a series of team-building activities that were being carried out prior to the opening of the new PI hotel in Fleet on Monday 7 October.

Collecting birch to take to the fire (a distance away)

The weather was great and a lot of work got done, mainly clearing birch, and was supervised by Rangers as well as members of Fleet Pond Society (some of which are in the photo above).

PI volunteers hard at work, here cutting a clump of birch

FPS volunteers starting a fire – smokey work!

It’s not all hard work, there’s also time for a chat and catchup…

David Pottinger writes:

The new volunteering season has now started and with a very busy beginning! Last Sunday, volunteers from Fleet Pond Society (FPS) and others met in the morning to clear alder and scrub, producing a very impressive fire (glimpsed in the picture above).

In the afternoon, the 1st Aldershot Scouts arrived at another part of the Pond to help clear that – as you can see, the rain did not deter them!

The brave Scouts – the bad weather didn’t deter them!

Then, on the following Monday, volunteers from Dimension Data arrived.

Rachel Jones, who was the Countryside Ranger in charge of the events, says:

“The team at Dimension Data turned up at Fugelmere Marsh regardless of the black sky and rain fall!

A goal was set out on the challenging terrain to clear scrub up to a tree line. In two hours this was accomplished with only a few bits left out. This job was important to help the Countryside service team to manage the rare marsh habitat for wildlife that’s dependant on it.

Thank you to the team for their time out of the office and apologies for the weather :)”

Volunteers from Dimension Data hard at work

Finally, tomorrow, Friday 13th September, SSE return to complete conservation worked started the previous Friday.

Many thanks to all who contributed, the volunteer work makes a significant difference to the overall state of the nature reserve and is greatly appreciated.

If you or your organisation would like to get involved in such activities, please contact Hart Countryside Services (see here for contact details) or else FPS via:

Colin Gray, 14 Kenilworth Road, Fleet, Hampshire GU51 3DA

Tel: 01252 616183
E-mail: colin.gray@talktalk.net

We look forward to seeing you!

Colin Gray writes:

“We will be joined by the 29th Odiham Scouts and the 7th Fleet Guides this Sunday, so it could be a busy morning!  There are two tasks in need of attention and we might decide to break the session into two teams.

On Coldstream Marsh there remains a block of scrub to clear on the bank along the new diversion channel. Up on the Dry Heath there is more birch to clear. Both will probably need waterproof boots in view of recent rains and high water table and on Coldstream it might be best to  wear wellies.

We will assemble as usual at the Countryside Workshop at 9.15 a.m. and head off for Coldstream Marsh. Once at the gate we can  decide who wishes to tackle the Coldstream Marsh task and who would prefer to walk on to the Dry Heath.”

Further details of meeting arrangements and related information can be found here, including the Sunday programme schedule up to June 2013.