News
WhatsApp Group
The Friends of Lyme Brook WhatsApp group is for members to keep in touch with each other and to send updates on activities. It is for registered members only, but if you would like to become a member please fill in the membership form which can be found underneath the “contact form” at the link below and send it to info@folb.org.uk
December 2024
FoLB recently applied for funding from Top Cashback Sustainability Fund and were granted £1000. Some of this has been used to buy new equipment such as more waders, bill hooks and litter pickers, but we will be using much of it to hold an event on Bank Holiday Monday in green area between Cotswold Avenue and Weston Close opposite the Wammy playing fields on May 5th 2025 (Bank Holiday Monday). We are planning to tidy up the Brook there and to gather people’s stories of the history of the Brook there. We want to encourage as many local residents to participate and contribute.
We need help to publicise the event beforehand and help on the day picking litter and talking about our activities. If you are interested in helping out, please contact us at info@folb.org.uk.
2025 scything of the wild flower meadow in the Lyme Valley Parkway is being planned for the beginning of March. Precise dates to be confirmed. Training in scything and how to set up the scythes will be available to members. Email us at info@folb.org.uk if you are interested in learning. We will also need help raking, so even if the full Poldark Experience isn’t your thing, but you’d like to help out, please get in touch.
July 2021
Well the good news is that we’re back, up and running. We’ve actually been quite active since lockdown restrictions have eased having carried out 3 trolley wrangles and litter picks, “tree walks”, balsam bashing, and a river fly monitoring. We’ve also scythed the area around the community orchard which has been looking stunning. At least 10 shopping trolleys, 1 bike, 2 scooters, 3 traffic cones and a whole load of clothing, bottles and metalwork have been removed. Streetscene, who operate waste disposal for Newcastle BC, have gratefully removed the collection.
Planning is underway for the Open Day on 15th August. The first planning meeting for members is 6th July at 7:30 at Newcastle Rugby Club. All members and non-members welcome.
Fish have been spotted at the Tansey Way bridge and a flash of a kingfisher. Unfortunately we have also discovered Signal Crayfish which is a non-native invasive species which outcompetes indigenous species. We’re taking advice on what to do next.
April 2021
Trolley Watch
The sport of shopping trolley dumping in The Brook has not abated during lockdown. Indeed it seems to have been as popular as ever. It’s not clear exactly what the objectives of this game are, but it’s not doing The Brook any good. The committee has committed to organising a working party to remove the offending and offensive items and return them to their rightful owners as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased. WatersideCare have offered to provide us with a couple of grappling hooks to help with this. If you are interested in joining the working party drop us a line at :-
info@folb.org.uk and we’ll let you know the details when we can.
Update : WatersideCare have given us the grappling hook and this activity will take place on Saturday 17th April. We will meet at the “Martec” car park.
Open Day 15th August (to be confirmed)
Get up close and personal with the Grim Reaper during the FoLB Open Day which will include a demonstration of scything techniques, invertebrate spotting and a number of other as well as a number of activities. Watch this space for details.
Wild Flower Meadow
If you’ve been following the Facebook page or group recently, you will know that FoLB were given money by Severn Trent Community Fund to create a wild flower meadow in The Parkway using traditional methods of scything and hoeing. The first step of this was completed last September when six members were taught scything by Steve Tomlin (stevetomlincrafts.co.uk) and the patch of ground between the Martec training centre and The Brook was mown using scythes.
A second mowing has been planned for 17th March (Covid permitting). This will be followed in August by a scything demonstration and late mowing.
Update: This has now been planned for the week of 17th to 25th April.
Feb 2021
Bat Boxes Donation
Members of FoLB have donated six bat boxes to be hung in the Parkway. Staffs Bat Group will install them in the spring and monitor them on an ongoing basis for occupancy.
Update : NULBC have refused permission to install the bat boxes on the grounds that it may cause them problems (and costs) in the future if bats use them. We are continuing to pursue this.
Water fly Monitoring to Resume
FoLB are set to resume water fly monitoring as soon as lockdown restrictions are eased. This involves taking samples from the river bed and identifying the invertebrate species and counting the occurrence. This provides a good guide to the quality of the water. Before lockdown FoLB members were doing this every first Saturday of the month. Hopefully it will not be too long before we can start again.
Jan 2021
Chair’s Report to the AGM
Sally Aldridge gave her annual report to the AGM on 16th January saying that in spite of Covid lockdowns and restrictions the group had been able to conduct a number of river fly monitoring sessions and litter picks as well as make a start on the wild flower meadow in the Parkway. This project, funded by Severn Trent Community Fund and supported by the Borough Council and Staffs Wildlife Trust is using traditional methods such as scything and hoeing to create the meadow. Severn Trent Community Fund paid for Hoes, scythes and rakes as well as scything training for six group members. Four members of the group had also received some training on water vole identification and habitats.
The group applied for funding from the Borough Council Climate Change Action Fund, but were unsuccessful on the first occasion. A revised bid has been submitted. FoLB have become a registered group of WatersideCare which is a section of Keep Britain Tidy. WatersideCare will provide FoLB with a wide range of resources as well as Public Liability Insurance to cover our activities.