Happy New Year and Xmas Party Update

Just wanted to wish all you blog readers a HAPPY NEW YEAR...!

Did you all see the article about the Green Gym in the County Press? Great photographs of the group and a good write-up as well - Buddy is delighted with his picture. If you missed it in hard copy then you can look up the CP online (only one picture on the e-copy). http://www.iwcp.co.uk/News/GREEN_GYM_WORKS_OUT_A_CELEBRATION.aspx

Good luck in 2008 and may all the Wednesday mornings be dry ones......

Wed 19th Dec 2007 - Shide Quarry

Our Green Gym this week was at one of our favourite venues - the old chalk quarry at Shide. Not only is it a great place to work but it was also the setting for the GG 2007 Christmas party - which has been held here for as long as the GG has been up and running. It didn't take long for the rangers to get a roaring fire going and it was a good insentive to keep cutting the brush wood to keep the cold out (it was a very frosty morning!) Carrie's "before and after" pictures above shows exactly what progress can be made on clearing this wonderful area in just a few short hours. Once that a considerable amount of clearance had been achieved, it was time to down tools and enjoy the wonderful food that had been prepared for us - everything from jacket potatoes (with all the trimmings), sausages, fried onions through to mince pies and wonderful cream cakes all washed down with hot festive punch. A big THANK YOU to all those who made such a wonderful feast possible.

The funny hat contest was on a "Green Theme" this year and there were many creative designs - some of which would not been out of place on Ladies Day at Ascot.!!! Prizes were given for the best 3 hats and Secret Santa presents exchanged. There was a lady from the County Press taking photographs, so it might be worth keeping an eye open for the odd GG publicity shot in the near future. If anyone has any pictures of the mad hatters or group shots of the party, please can you send them on to me (via Mark if you don't have my e-mail address) so that they can be published.

So......another successful Green Gym year comes to a close. Buddy and your Blog Master would like to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you at the GG in the New Year.

PS. Carrie said I had to include the picture of "Rudolph" Buddy in this week's edition...! Many thanks to her for all the excellent work she has done with pictures and the odd editorial during this last year.

Wed 12th Dec 2007 - Afton Marsh.

Our GG task this week was cutting back the much overgrown willow that has taken over large areas of Afton Marsh. The morning started cold and frosty - which initially helped us to keep our wellies on. As the morning warmed up and our many tracks to and from the bonfire took their toll, we soon found out just how boggy that whole area can be....! Several people took a tumble and ended up with a mud beauty (?) treatment and the odd wellie boot stuck in the mud as the owner's foot moved on. All in all good progress was made and a considerable area was cleared in readiness for the rangers to pull the willow tree roots out. Some additional work was carried out on the water channel and drain that was running from a spring - this should reduce the flooding on the footpath that cuts through this area.

Reminder..! Next week is the final one for 2007 and will be held at our traditional Christmas breakup site - Shide Quarry. Please remember to bring along your presents for the Xmas lucky dip (presents should be around £1 in value) and don't forget your Green hats. I am sure if you have a few mince pies etc going spare then the Green Gym Gannets will be able to make them disappear in a very short time..!

Wed 5th Dec 2007 - Osborne House.

For some unknown reason, Google will not let me import pictures for the blog this week. Computers - don't you just love them....! I will try later on so please watch this space.........

Well, as you can see from the above, it did let me download one picture. I guess my laptop is waterlogged.

Some 4 hours later - and it lets me download a second one. That is progress for you.

This was our second visit to Osborne House to do more work in the area where we did the hedgelaying in February. The hedge areas laid before look very good, as the light can now get in from the removal of some of the beech trees. Our work today was along similar lines, with the two areas of hedgelaying on the left which had a big gap between being joined together and fresh stakes and heathers made for next time. We also removed some more beech trees to improve the light, although the giant yew tree is to remain, which is a relief.

Many thanks to Mark for the picture this week and to Carrie for the text.

Wed 28th Nov 2007 - Brading Allotments.

A new venue for the Green Gym this week - the allotments down by Brading station. There were two main tasks to complete, a huge pile of scrap that had to be transported via the footpath to a skip in the station yard and to clear an overgrown area to the east of the site. By the time we left, the rubbish was all in the (VERY full) skip and an sizable area had been cleared ready for new allotments to be set up. Not bad for a mornings work....!
Many thanks to the kind lady at the railway station heritage centre who, in spite of a broken tea urn, managed to supply us all with hot drinks during the tea break. A few of us had a great time trying to do a jigsaw puzzle - the picture of which was the railway station buildings in which we were standing. Considering this was the last meeting in November, the weather was still kind to us. Let's hope that it continues throughout the winter...!

Many thanks to Carrie for the pictures above.