We will show you what to do, no prior experience needed. Come with thick trousers, good footwear, and leather gardening gloves. The most common hazards are prickles, stinging nettles, and falling over things. In the Summer and early Autumn insects are a problem, so we have ‘Skin so soft’ to use to keep the wunderkind at bay. Wash you hands after, especially when clearing out the ponds (don’t do this if you have open wounds), as pond water can harbour Wells disease. There has been one report of ticks on Highfield, but we have so far never had a problem. It is worth checking for ticks if you have been in scrub etc. Don’t touch the litter, use a litter picker, and report dangerous litter like needles etc.
The sort of work you do depends on the season. We look after the paths and make sure they are safe. In the Summer we look after the wild flower meadows keeping the bramble at bay, weeding and removing dominant weeds to keep them in check. Autumn/Winter and Spring are busy months:- mowing, raking, coppicing, sowing and planting hedgerow and wild flowers, pond maintenance, making and putting up bird boxes etc.
All tasks end with a brew and a chat.