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| 2008 | |
|---|---|
| All change! | As we have had trouble keeping up, our new News Page will be launched soon. Please watch this space. |
| 2007 | |
| January | Happy New Year! |
| August | Foot and MouthAlthough our boys are unaffected, access to the Centre was severely restricted. |
| September | Foot and MouthFoot and Mouth restrictions continued to limit access to the centre.Green Heritage FairFinal figures not in yet - but around £900 was raised!! Well done to all concerned and all who came along. |
| 2006 | |
| January | Sheltering the sheepWork has started on a new shelter for Jack and Wilf.ButterfliesA normally migrant Red Admiral was spotted. These migrants usually arrive in March, but this must have been one of the few that hibernate (or apparently not!) in the UK. |
| May | May FayreOur stall at the May Fayre in Beddington Park raised £75.21 mainly from Jam, Preserve and Plant sales. |
| 2005 | |
| January | No great news this month, but thank you to those volunteers who turned up despite the elements. |
| February | "I've got a brand new combine harvester..."Well, not quite, but we have been given a mini-tractor which is proving very useful especially for moving heavier items. It also has a lawnmover attachment and mini dump trucks. |
| March | Q Pond completedLast year, Q pond had to be emptied in order to remove an alien rampaging pondweed. Thanks are given to Trinity School who helped re-dig the pond. Volunteers, often working on their knees, then relined the pond bed with clay from a ten ton load kindly provided by Croydon Council. Although the pond still looks quite bare, several newts have already moved in. |
| April | Picnic Area now openWork was completed in time for the Easter Holidays. The four benches provide comfy seating and a good view of the orchard. Jack and Wilf show their faces quite often to amuse our visitors (but please feed just yourselves, not them as well!). |
| June |
Jean Thorpe's BirthdayOur President Jean Thorpe (nee Riesco) was just 10 years old when she came to Heathfield and has loved it ever since. Jean was invited to birthday tea in the kitchen but was diverted to the Riesco Room where a surpise party with some forty members, guests and friends gathered in the Riesco room to celebrate Jean's 90th birthday.Among Jean's friends were Croydon Councillors Toni Letts and Maria Gatland, and Croydon MP Andrew Pelling. Jean was presented with a Swaroski crystal sun-catcher to mark the occasion.DragonfliesSeveral species of Dragonfly and Damselfly have been observed including Broad-bodied Chaser and the Common Blue Damselfly. |
| July |
Shady Walk readyThe Shady Walk provides a well needed shaded area in the orchard and gives a walk enclosed by Forsythia on one side and fruit trees on the other.ButterfliesLots of butterflies have been seen close to the Ponds including the frequent Meadow Brown and Gatekeeper. We have also spotted some Comma, Silver-Washed Fritillary and an obliging Speckled Wood. |
| August |
Q Pond...is settling down well and looks well populated. The clay particles in the water are starting to bind and the water is clearer.Access Pathway completedThe Access Pathway has now been completed (bar one slab, see below) and will give a smoother ride for wheel-chairs, baby buggies etc and will be more level for anyone with walking difficulties.Over 300 paving slabs were laid on a base of eight tonnes of sand and laid on a foundation of hardcode and road chippings. |
| September | Access Pathway openedThe Mayor of Croydon, counsellor Maggie Mansell, officially opened the access pathway between the orchard and the schoolroom by laying the final paving slab. |
| December | Skittle PondHas had a makeover to clear a lot of weed growth and the original shape can now be seen again.New TreesThree new Cherry Trees and a Nectarine have been planted to increase the varieties in the Orchard. |
| 2004 | |
| June | Brownies dig a pond for wildlifeWe were delighted to welcome the 1st and 6th Shirley Brownies to the Centre who came with Brown Owl and their parents to dig a new pond for the Centre. The pond is situated near to the pathway with easy access for wheelchair visitors.School visitsWe were pleased to welcome a class of 5 and 6 year olds from St Peter's Primary school and also forty 11 year old girls from Croydon High School. The latter were given a demonstration of woodcraft from BTCV's Rob Souter. |
| September | A Bout of FencingThanks to the lottery funding acquired by Centre Manager Mick Hewish we have been able to start of the installation and replacement of fencing and pathways in the orchard.First FruitsThe black Mulberry tree planted in 2000 has borne fruit for the first time this year. The fruit is dark purple when ripe and quite succulent - as the birds who took most of this year's crop would probably testify! We don't mind - the fruits are as much theirs as ours. |
| November | Sad NewsSadly we must report that George, one of our much loved sheep, passed away in the small hours of the 27th. He will be much missed and mourned by all of us. |
| December |
Well Done all!Thanks to all who assisted at the Christmas Bazarre (and I think our oldest and youngest members were there to help) which raised £109.Welcome Wilf!Our new sheep Wilf, who is another Hardwick, arrived on the 18th. |