Derby Parks Volunteers submitted a Volunteers hours return of 497 hours of conservation effort for February 2016 into Derby Community & Leisure (Parks) department.
Derby Parks Volunteers to receive Hedge Laying Certificates on the 23rd March 2016 at Sinfin Moor Park. The training has been undertaken over the the winter whilst creating the new layed hedges on Sinfin Moor Lane.
Kevin, Jon & John recce new activities at West Park Meadows (Bramble removal), Milleninium Wood (Tree thinning) and Sunnydale Park (Bramble removal), to be carried out whilst Kevin is away on holiday.
John, Geoff, Jason, Peter, Henry & Kevin will undertake Brush Cutter training on March 22nd at Chellaston Park and Chellaston Brickyard.
The course will be ran in two parts, the theory at Chellaston Park (off Snelsmoor Lane, Chellaston DE73 1NQ), which will last approximately 4 hours starting at 8.30 am. The practical at Chellaston Brickyard after lunch. The training will be conducted and certificated by UK Construction Training Ltd of Havant, Hampshire .
Training has been provided by Steve Clifton, a member of the Dry Stone Walling Association.
Welcome to Joanna, who joined the Tuesday bunch at West Park Meadows and with them made quite an impact upon the brambles - another great session.
17th March 2016 - Derby Parks gain Love Parks Awards successes.
It's good to see where our volunteering efforts fit in, especially at Sinfin Moor Darley & Nutwood and Markeaton parks. It's interesting how, for a small city, Derby is having a bit of a hit.
We're pleased to let you know, that Derby Parks were highly recognised last night at the Love Parks Awards ceremony held in Nottingham.
This was the first England wide award ceremony celebrating 10 years of Love Parks Week. The event was organised by Keep Britain Tidy and recognised the importance of partnership working to protect, improve and promote green spaces.
Given the above results, this celebrates all the hard work undertaken by the friends groups, partners organisations and various departments within the city council and the significant contribution this has on the city.
Our joint success being recognised on a national platform under the Love Parks Awards clearly demonstrates that Derby has become a key player in not only utilising the green spaces we have available but continuing to breath new life and commitment into their development.
The photo shows Peter Marshall commencing his practical session - all geared up.
The full day's training was completed by John Marshall, Geoff Mooney, Jason Morley, Peter Marshall, Henry Tomson & Kevin Flory. Well done all.
Meanwhile the remainder of the Wednesday team cleared brambles at Chellaston Brickworks the traditional way!!
23rd March 2016 - Winter Hedgelaying ends with Success.
Our Hedge laying efforts have come to an end as bird nesting is set to commence and our training completes.
We have sawn, pleached, notched, staked and undertaken a number of new skills and made a significant improvement to the look of the hedging on Sinfin Moor Lane. Steve Clifton, our Hedge laying tutor, believes we have saved hedging that had no more than a couple of years life left, such was the condition of much of the hawthorn.
Now that's a seriously good piece of work everyone. The task was greatly enjoyed by everyone and we look forward to adding to our achievements next winter.
23rd March 2016 - Hedgelaying Training Success.
Along side Sarah Webster (Derby Parks) and John Harrison (Friends of Sinfin Moor Park), our volunteers have been accredited with completing three days of training in Hedgelaying. Our thanks to Steve Clifton from Peak Professional Drystone Walling and Hedgelaying for fantastic training and supervision as we all honed our skills over the last few weeks.
Steve and Sarah presenting course completion certificates to happy students - this time it's Henry.
Derby Parks Volunteers have helped the visitors of Chaddesden and Alvaston Parks take the weight off their feet and enjoy the Park Views. The volunteers have installed eight benches in Chaddesden Park and six in Alvaston Park.
Manufacturing park benches is a complicated task involving much consultation and testing.
Himalayan Balsam is an annual native plant, imported in Victorian times and now considered an invasive species. After flowering, the plant forms seed pods, which explode when disturbed, scattering the seeds up to 7 metres (23 feet). Derby Parks Volunteers have just completed a series of Balsam Bashing sessions throughout Allestree park, Darley & Nutwood, Markeation Park and Alvaston Park to uproot the plant before flowering and seed distribution.
This year Derby Parks Volunteers have employed their newly acquired Brush Cutting qualifications to trial Balsam elimination by brush cutting, and comparing its effectiveness to the traditional hand pulling approach - We await next year's growth to see the results.
11th July 2016 - Funding Workshop attended.
On the 11th July, John Ragsdell participated in the Derwentwise Community Funding Workshop. The workshop held at the Derbyshire Eco centre near Middleton Top provided useful insights into where and how funding may be sought, whether from individuals or organisations. Over the coming months we now need to decide what we wish to do, to provide focus for any funding raising efforts.
With a number of volunteers away on holiday, Derby Parks Volunteers have had another great month of effort submitting a Volunteers' hours return of 379 hours of conservation effort for June 2016 into Derby Community & Leisure (Parks) department - Well done every one.
With the support of Derby Parks Department, Kevin has driven the development and submission of an application for a grant to aid the funding of forthcoming Chainsaw training for volunteers. The application has been made to Derwentwise Community Grants and the result of the application should be known in September. Fingers crossed please everyone.
Derby Parks Volunteers submitted a Volunteers' hours return of 331 hours of conservation effort for May 2016 into Derby Community & Leisure (Parks) department - A good month again, especially given the impact of volunteer's holidays over the period.
During April and early May 2016 volunteers have installed Coir Rolls into Markeaton Park lake. These rolls contain soil and plants and form a new lake boundary, with the Parks Department then providing the back fill for the gaps between the Coir Rolls and old bank - A new bank is formed and further erosion halted.
Derby Parks Volunteers submitted a Volunteers' hours return of 518 hours of conservation effort for April 2016 into Derby Community & Leisure (Parks) department - Another great month - breaking the 500 hours again. Well Done, one and all.
You could say the difference is poles apart from when Derby Parks Volunteers started.
Derby Parks Volunteers submitted a Volunteers' hours return of 595 hours of conservation effort for March 2016 into Derby Community & Leisure (Parks) department - Fantastic effort everyone. Well Done.