Abingdon Green Gym 20th Anniversary - Saturday 10th August 2024 - Hinksey Heights Golf Club and Nature Trail

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 Blog by Eleanor, photos by Sally, Margaret, Julio, Eleanor and Julia (Sonning Common)

The big day had come at last for Abingdon Green Gym's 20th Anniversary celebration at Hinksey Heights Golf Club and Nature Trail. The day was to take the form of a work party followed by a buffet lunch provided by the golf club caterers in the marquee.

We had volunteers from Sonning Common and Chipping Norton Green Gyms, the TCV regional manager, Tim Hills coming to the work party and others joining us for lunch, including the landowner, John Brimble.

Abingdon Green Gymmers arrived bright and early to prepare the tables in the marquee and hoist the banner.

Making wildflower posies for the tables




Soon it was time to go down to the overflow car park to meet our guests and brief them on the tasks. There were four main tasks: clearing the wildflower patch next to the start of the trail, cutting back overgrown vegetation from the sides of the path, clearing around the young trees in the dell and scything and raking reeds in the fen area.


Wildflower patch before







Working on the wildflower patch




Tea break at a convenient picnic table


 

The cleared patch




The nature trail






Carrying tools along the trail




Susan at work




Cutting back along the trail





Into the woods





Clearing around trees in the dell





Working in the fen area










Scything, raking and pitchforking in the fen area





A big heap




Scythers, rakers and pitchforkers - job done




At 12.30 it was time to pack up, make our way to the marquee and meet our lunch guests. We were really looking forward to the buffet and cake after all our hard work.

The buffet menu






The buffet spread





The volunteers and guests




Everyone enjoyed the splendid spread, as well as the opportunity to relax and chat. John Brimble spoke, thanking everyone for their hard work. Then it was time to cut the cake.






The cake






The assembled company outside the marquee




It was altogether a very enjoyable celebration, which we will remember for many years to come.

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