Wed 28th Aug 2013 - Lanesend Primary School, Cowes.

It was an early start to the accademic year for Team GG as our session was held at the Lanesend Primary School in Cowes. The plan was that we should give certain areas of the school grounds a makeover before the children return next week. We split the group into two sections, one working on a courtyard area planters and the remainder tackling what can only be described as a "raised wild area" in the corner of the playground. The planters had become overgrown with plants and weeds during the summer break and looked much better once the GG Gardening team (our very own Ground Force!) had worked their magic. Meanwhile, out on The Mound...... the rest of us were hacking back the undergrowth, pruning trees, grass cutting etc so that this useful wildlife habitat area would be more accessible to the children. Certain parts were left undisturbed due to evidence of animal activity. Attendance for the session was suprisingly high considering how many people are away on holidays at this time of year, perhaps the warm sunshine attracted them out! Well done to all those who attended and a big thank you to the school staff who gave us tea and biscuits.

Many thanks to Mark for supplying the photographs this week.

Wed 21st Aug 2013 - Wetland Walk, Alverstone.

This week the GG Team were out at the Wetland Walk, working on the Orchard/Meadow areas. Regular readers will know that we have been here many times over the years and the whole area always looks much tidier once we have given it a "natural makeover". Tony has sent me good selection of photographs this week, which show the wide variety of work accomplished - just look at those happy, smiling faces..! Many thanks Tony.
Question of the day............Who scrumped all the plums.....???????

Wed 14th Aug 2013 - Watershoot Bay, Niton.

My oh my, Mark is spoiling us.....the second trip to the beach this year....! Come Wednesday morning, Team GG assembled down by St Catherine's Lighthouse before moving westwards,  along to Watershoot Bay. We were there to do our annual (this is our 6th year) litter pick and survey along this rocky shoreline. We have now "adopted" this beach through the Marine Conservation Society Beachwatch Scheme. The idea is that not only do we clear the beach of all the litter but every item collected is categorised and then written down on a tally sheet. These are eventually sent to a central office where all the information is correlated, giving a  good picture of what rubbish is washed up around the UK shores.

Some 25 team members were in attendance - which resulted in 28 large bags of litter being collected plus some larger items. The picture above shows just a part of the final bag collection! It is relatively easy to collect the litter but the time consuming part is trying to decided what it is and then locate the specific item on the tally sheet, so a big Well Done to everyone for achieving so much!

The weather was kind to us, the occasional clouds giving us a little shade from the sun. A gentle sea breeze made our "trip to the seaside" that little bit more enjoyable.

Many thanks to Mark for supplying the photographs this week.

Wed 7th Aug 2013 - Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve.

Mark's Photographs.

Carrie's Photograph.

Now we were all lulled into a false sense of security this week, when we saw that our visit to Alverstone Mead Nature Reserve required us to do some hay baling, now although this is normally hard work raking and rolling the bales into neat piles, it is very satisfying.  When were arrived at the meeting place, however, the warden told us that the hay baling had been done last week as the weather was so good.  So guess what folks - our exciting task for the day was.............. ragwort pulling!!!!!  Mind you we did clear at least two fields - one of which contained some highland cattle with very scary horns!!  While in their field we stacked the ragwort into a large pile, and when the cattle wandered in that direction one decided that he would use his horns to throw it in the air!!  So much for our nice neat pile, but he did look as if he was having fun.

Many thanks to Carrie for the photograph and editorial this week and to Mark for his photographs.

Wed 31st July 2013 - Arreton Down, Downend.

This week our Wednesday morning was spent PPP whilst avoiding PPP....! (For those of you who are not into text speak, this translates into Pesky Plant Pulling whilst avoiding Prolific Pooch Poo). The Downs were covered in swirling mist which occasionally fell as light rain showers before clearing a little towards the end of the session. Some 28 brave souls were stretched out in a horizontal line working our way across the Down looking for, then pulling, the dreaded Ragwort. The whole of the area was covered in Chalkhill Blue butterflies with the occasional other species being spotted. Good progress was made at clearing the designated area and several pick-up trucks full of Ragwort were transported away.

Many thanks to Alison for the photographs this week.