Wednesday 1st July 2026 - Naturezones, Blackwater GG #1086

 Terry's photos

The combination of cooler temperatures and a shady venue this week ensured that GG service has resumed.  We returned to Naturezones (see link) in Blackwater, which is a small nature reserve and a field study centre.  Control of the old railway line area has now passed to Naturezones and the remit was to clear the brambles and nettles from a pathway that runs parallel to the stream.  Evidence of water voles (see link) has been discovered so to further encourage them the areas opened up will then be mown and sown with grass seed.  Further mowing will hopefully encourage the grass and deter the brambles and nettles which should help to improve their habitat.  A large tree had fallen over the pathway and this was also cleared.

At the end of the pathway (facing the cycle track) a dead hedge was created as a barrier to deter any opportunistic cyclist/walker. 

Naturezones Isle of Wight Official Web Site

Water vole | The Wildlife Trusts

Thank you to Angela at Naturezones for the cakes at breaktime and to Terry for the photos.

Wednesday 24th June 2026 - CANCELLED

Due to the high temperatures forecast, it was considered prudent to cancel Green Gym this week.  We were to have been at a central Island venue where the temperature will be at its highest. 🌞😎

Wednesday 17th June 2026 - Christ Church, Sandown GG #1085

 Terry's photos

We had a visitor!

Christ Church, consecrated in 1847

This week we were at a new venue!  A new site always gets the GG-ers interested and we had a healthy turnout today.  The task was to help the very small team of church volunteers with their work clearing the graveyard.  There was a lot of bramble, dead wood and overgrown graves.  Clearing the graves will help the team to update their grave records as some of the information records the sites of the graves incorrectly.  The cut material was piled up for disposal later.

Please see the following link -

Church building and church yard - Christ Church Sandown

This link has some historical information and further links within it to documents showing the placement of WW1 graves and Commonwealth War Graves.

The area we were working in predominantly had death dates of 1920-21.  There was discussion about the Spanish flu epidemic which occurred 1918-20, so it is feasible that some may have died of the flu, although it did primarily affect young adults - Spanish flu - Wikipedia

We also had a visitor today – Geoff, who was a GG-er and our Treasurer for many years.  Now living on the mainland, he popped by to check in on us and have a catch up.  It was great to see him. 😊

Thank you to Terry for the photos and to the Christ Church volunteers for the refreshments.

Wednesday 10th June 2026 - Newclose Cricket Ground, Newport GG #1084

 Terry's photos

An example of HB

In the jungle!

Bracket fungus

We returned this week to Newclose Cricket Ground, but this time it was for our perennial project – pulling Himalayan Balsam.  The first half of the session was spent working through the southernmost part of the woodland which lies between the cricket ground and the River Medina.  We have worked this area many times over the years and it is paying off – few plants were found in sporadic patches.  After tea break we worked our way northwards.  Mark walked along the cycle track and could see through the trees to guide GG-ers to patches of HB. 

Towards the end of the session we reached the area that we finished at last year.  The plants had been very mature and although we collected seeds, they were also pinging everywhere.  The huge stand of HB found today was the result of that seeding.  We pulled as much as we could but will be returning to this site within the next few weeks.

Thank you to Terry for the photos.