Wed 17th Dec 2008 - Shide Quarry, Newport.

And so the Green Gym for 2008 draws to a close.......! Our last meeting of the year was held at our "traditional" Christmas break-up venue, the chalk pit at Shide. The weather was kind to us, perhaps a little cool in the shade but the sun shone for the festivities. With around 45 people in attendance, good progress was made at cutting down the scrub on the bottom and walls of the pit. The fire was a welcome way of warming cold fingers. Rather than rabbit on myself - I will hand over to some of the GG members.......

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Everyone.

Of the fifty Green Gyms of 2008, how many different sites would you guess we have visited? Well there were actually thirty different sites which have benifited from all your hard work during this year, lets give a big cheer for us lot eh! Today, the site was Shide Quarry, as many of you will know, as we had 45 volunteers there, where we all enjoyed the company, work, weather and festivities...in no particular order! Next year Green Gym begins again on the 7th January. Click on the link below to check the programme.http://www.footprint-trust.co.uk/greengym.htm

Can I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year, see you in 2009!

Take care. MarkMark RussellChairman, Isle of Wight Green Gym

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes a big cheer to us lot, but an even bigger cheer to the 'committee' who make it all happen, particularly:
Mark - we'd be lost without you!
Geoff (nice spuds, look forward to tasting 'em next year
Hope you feel better soon Colin. We missed you.
And where are you Crawfs - not seen you for ages.

Happy Christmas everyone.
CU in 2009. Angela

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And from me......your friendly Blog Master......a Very Merry Christmas to you all.

Wed 10th Dec 2008 - St Saviors School Totland

This week’s Green Gym was at St Saviours School, Summers Land, Totland. Our second visit to this venue, with the previous one being so hot and dry digging was a real challenge. This time we were planting beech, hawthorn, hazel and some field maple around the perimeter of their field, hopefully to provide a wind break when the trees mature. Another excellent turnout on a crisp, sunny, chilly day, with some excellent views across the Solent to the mainland and Hurst Castle. Some of us were digging holes - the task being much easier than previously - although some areas contained a lot of clay so were rather claggy, while others followed along actually planting the trees.

Thanks to Carrie for the text and pictures.

Wed 3rd Dec 2008 - Millenium Green, Ryde

This week saw us Green Gymmers at Millenium Green in Ryde. This is a quiet oasis on the outskirts of Ryde which has become very popular with the group, and this is our third visit. It is cared for by a group of local volunteers allowing walkers to enjoy the peace and wildlife to flourish, and again we had a beautiful crisp sunny day with an excellent turnout of nearly 40 workers. Our tasks were clearance of bramble around some of the oak trees and further work to open up the butterfly meadow. We also restored a path which had been made some time ago, and was completely blocked by an impenetrable amount of bramble.
A group started at each end and followed the sound of each other’s voices to meet in the middle - shades of “Dr Livinstone I presume.

Thanks to Hilary & Eddie for the photographs and Carrie for the text.