Abingdon Green Gym Blog

 this tribute, to our fondly remembered member Janet, was written by Eleanor D It is a year since our fellow Green Gymmer, Janet Dale, died and we miss her very much. Janet and I shared lifts to Green Gym on Saturday mornings. This wasn't just because it made logistical sense in view of where we lived, but because we thought it might make us both more punctual. I wouldn't say it worked but we did try! It was Janet who suggested we do some Green Gym sessions at Riding for the Disabled at Southmoor, where she had volunteered for some years. Rather than helping with the horses, we cleared ditches. Some of us also joined in fundraising events, such as quizzes and bingo nights. When Covid struck and Green Gym sessions were suspended, Janet and I went litter picking, sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with a group. Janet was always a keen walker, as was her husband, Jeff. Janet and a group of Green Gymmers used to go for walks during the week. We went to the Ridgeway, Le...

 this weeks' blog was written by Eleanor D We were at Old Berkeley Golf course, next to Abrahams Wood on Boars Hill, working for the Oxford Preservation Trust. It was a fine, sunny day but as it was Easter Saturday there were just ten of us. Our task was to clear rush and creeping bent grass from the stream to make room for ivy leaved crowfoot, which is quite a rare plant. You can see a photo of it. Rod d’Ayala arrived, to instruct us on what to do, which was quite a relief as we wouldn’t have been sure we were doing the right thing! We set to work digging up rushes with forks and small mattocks and pulling grass out of the water course while Sally scythed rushes. Rod showed us how to make bunds out of sections of turf and lay them across the stream in order to slow down the flow of water and spread it out. We put the rushes into the two wheelbarrows to transport to piles under trees at either side of the stream. We were glad of our break, as the work was tiring and the sun was sur...

 This Weeks' blog was written by Margaret This weeks’ activity saw 11 intrepid Abingdon Green Gymers travel to a site near Stoke Row. We were to join in with the Sonning Common Green Gym to celebrate their 25 th anniversary of starting up, along with members of other green Gyms from Bicester, Chipping Norton, Wallingford and Newbury. We set off early on our journeys to get to Burnt Platt for 09:15, which is owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. There was about 50 – 60 green gymers present when all assembled and our task for the morning was to clear a large expanse of heathland from bracken in between forested areas to enable the open heathland to expand its current population of heather. Also part of the task we were to create wildlife corridors (small dead hedges) using the raked up bracken to give enclosed paths to enable vulnerable animals to hide in and get from one end of the heath to the other without being in the open. Around the edge of the heath a larger dead he...

This weeks' blog was written by Kevin  It was a windy morning when 8 members met at the Hinksey Golf club carpark. John the owner of the land was there, the area covers a golf club, nature reserve and veterinary practices. The first job was try and block gaps in a copse that lines the south side of the golf course, made by walkers taking a short cut across the part of the course, which will become a problem as the course is being extended on the other side of the copse. John had left some piles of cut branches and brambles for us to plug the gaps, hopefully it will deter future wanders onto the course, although there is always someone who thinks they have a right to go wherever they please. The task completed with what we had available, we stop for refreshment and catch up. We noticed the the copse was populated by some big burrows and talking to John later he informed us that they have camera traps set up around and that there were 5 or 6 badger sets spread across the golf...