'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Sessions 10 to 18 are reported on this page.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 10
In view of the heat and the fact that so many people were on holiday, it's not surprising that only six adults and seven children took part in the 10th ‘Bouncing Back’ session on Saturday, 13th August. It was a very hot day and the volunteers only wanted to litter pick, but we did remove seven sacks of litter and a lot of other rubbish, including an abandoned trampoline. Because of the low water level in the lake, we were able to access items, including a shopping trolley, that it would normally be difficult to reach.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 11
Twelve people took part in the FoEP’s 11th ‘Bouncing Back’ session on 27th August 2022. Four of them cleared encroaching vegetation from footpaths around the Lake and near the ponds. Others picked up eight bags of litter, and a few other items, and left them at the Skiddaw Walk entrance to the Park to be collected by Veolia. (Sacks of litter left two weeks ago had been collected but other items were still there. Vic Smith will be meeting with Veolia managers in September to discuss arrangements.)
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 12
Only five people joined in the ‘Bouncing Back’ Session 10th September 2022. Some volunteers considered it more appropriate to stay at home and mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II; others were put off by the overcast conditions.
Vic and Lauren raked up some of the recently cut grass from the new meadow area. Caroline and Alex collected three bags of litter and Janette looked after ‘base camp’, signing people in and explaining to park users what we were doing.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 13
Nine volunteers joined in ‘Bouncing Back’ activities on 25th September 2022; seven helped to rake up cut grass from the Platinum Jubilee Meadow while two collected three sacks of litter from around the Park.
Raking up the mowed grass helps to reduce soil fertility, favouring the growth of wildflowers rather than grass. We intend planting bulbs, seeds and plant plugs in both autumn and spring.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 14
Twelve adults and one child took part in ‘Bouncing Back’ Session 14 on Saturday, 8th October 2022. Most of the participants collected litter, but three dug out grass and roots from the rotavated strip along the eastern edge of the Platinum Jubilee Meadow and two more raked up loose grass and roots after a spot of litter picking. In total, eight sacks of litter were left just inside the Skiddaw Walk entrance for idverde to collect. The purpose of the cleared strip is to mark out the edge of the meadow where it runs parallel to Mallard Walk.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 15
Thirteen people helped with ‘Bouncing Back’ Session 15 on 22nd October 2022. Carole Morrison and David Liggins laid down chippings on the pathway across the lower part of the Jubilee Meadow while Adriene Billingham, Elaine Douglas and Karen Wilson-Slight planted wild daffodils and snake’s-head fritillaries along the front of the meadow. Vic Smith scattered yellow rattle and lady’s bedstraw seeds in areas that had been prepared for seeding earlier in the week. Other volunteers collected five bags of litter and helped organise and move equipment.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 16
Eleven adults and one child took part in the ‘Bouncing Back’ activities on 12th November 2022. Fifty cowslip plugs and more snake’s-head fritillary bulbs were planted in the Platinum Jubilee Meadow. As well as scattering more wildflower seeds on the meadow, 45 snowdrop bulbs were planted around the base of a tree in the meadow, and several daffodil bulbs put in under the new Appletree Walk signs. Extra wood chippings were spread on the pathway through the Jubilee Meadow and eleven bags of litter and other rubbish were collected.
'Bouncing Back in Eastfield Park' Activity Session 17
Six people took part in the ‘Bouncing Back’ Session on 26th November. Two worked on the Eleonore House Insect-friendly Border while the others picked up litter, looked after equipment and spoke to park users about our work. Three bags of litter were collected.
The border was tidied up (dead leaves removed, plants pruned and self-seeded herbs thinned out). The northern end was dug over and planted with snowdrops, tête-à-tête daffodils and a mix of alliums. Vic returned on Monday to give a similar treatment to the border's southern end.