Kennington Memorial Field - 11th November 2023

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Blog by Eleanor. Photos by Helen and Kevin.

After a frosty start, the day turned bright and sunny as the Green Gymmers met in the sports field car park for our session at Kennington Memorial Field. We were also joined by two Kennington residents.

Kennington Memorial Field is managed by Oxford Preservation Trust and was established as a memorial to six Kennington villagers who died serving in the Second World War. It is popular with dog walkers and cattle are grazed here at certain times of year, though they were not on the field at present. The area is chalk grassland with small areas of woodland and it is important that brambles and scrub do not take over the grassland

Our task was to cut back scrub and overhanging branches from the side of the site farthest from the main road, which slopes down towards the stream. We set to work with two scythers and the rest of us with slashers, loppers, rakes and pitchforks. We loaded the cut materials on to drag sheets and transported them to piles in the wooded area. The larger branches were used to make a dead hedge at the edge of the woodland.                                                     

 As it was Armistice Day, we gathered shortly before 11 a.m. for the two minutes' silence. Then it was time for our tea break. After that we moved farther down the slope as we wanted to finish clearing all down that side. By 12.30 we had finished our task and it was time to collect up the tools and make our way back to the car park. 


Cutting back begins.





Cut scrub on a drag sheet.




The pile grows.




Lopping and scything.




Branches from overhanging trees.





Tea break.




Ursula and Joan.




A surprised toad.




Area cleared.

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