WORKING SESSIONS 2024
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WORKING SESSIONS
We are again planning to carry out some regular maintenance in and around East and West Hanney this year.
We plan to work from 09:00 until noon, and as usual, the location will depend upon what needs to be done. Please add these dates to your diaries. It would be great if everyone could do at least one session during the year as it then spreads the load out.
*** Venue and work details will be advised each month by email to subscribers of our E-newsletter ***
We are looking for volunteers to organise each weekend, so please contact us via the contact form or email Clive Manvell: clivemanvell664@gmail.com or call 01235 868216; 0796 4144 109.
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Saturday 21st of December
Details to follow.
Saturday 16th of November
Lower Mill. After welcoming Bob P to the group, the usual briefing was given on the morning’s tasks and any environmental and H&S risks. Due to the high turnout of volunteers, it was decided to split the group into two working parties one under the guidance of Keith C to tackle the fish pass around the willow tree plantation and the larger group under the guidance of David S the Lower Mill Bridge Brook task. Communication between the two groups via the walkie talkies proved invaluable particularly when co-ordinating the gathering together of the two groups to have break and to sample Helen’s delicious Biscoff Slice.
The fish pass group worked around the willow woodland removing obstructions such as branches, brambles and weeds all the way round to where the fish pass re-enters the brook. Only one or two large trunks need to be removed or cut through, but this will require its own dedicated working party as seen as a very substantial task as talk of the winch being utilised was discussed. The Lower Mill Brook having secured a line for access into the brook and not a rope (kindly pointed out by Andrew the knot master) removed the ivy and brambles hanging over the footpath wall into the brook which has been problematic in capturing rubbish, branches etc impeding the brook. Further downstream overhanging branches were removed as were several more serious fallen branches , etc. Good co-ordination between the team in the water and humpers and dumpers on the bank worked very well, because all debris and cuttings had to be found a home.
Both teams worked very hard with no one retuning home clean, dry or with surplus energy so as always the external gym session proved worthwhile and rewarding a big thank you indeed for turning out.
Thanks to David S, Richard C, Phil M, Andrew W, Bob P, Alistair J, Jason K, Keith C, Mick M, Peter M-S and Lamorna Z.
Main Street, East Hanney. After welcoming new volunteer Daniel C and the safety briefing six volunteers worked steadily along Main Street from Lay Cottage northwards using the more substantial flood group drain rods to clear the culverts under footpaths, drive accesses, car parks and other structures as well as removing some vegetation dangling in the stream collecting debris. A surprising number of attachments were needed to clear a passage through the culverts which were then swept in two directions to ensure they were clear. The principal obstructions once again were grass cuttings and hedge trimmings along with a build-up of silt. Quite a bit of litter was also removed including several Guiness cans. Roadside kerb offlets were also cleared, many of them blocked by compacted soil, which have not been cleared for many years, if at all hindering road surface water drainage. One drainpipe did not even go to the stream. This turned out to be a very long session only reaching about two-thirds of the way along Main Street where the next issue will be the autumnal leaf fall blocking the ditches again if the village does not clear some of them up.
Thanks to Clive M, Clive F, Ian G, Dickon G, Daniel C, Paul S and Helen S for the energy boosting Biscoff Slice.
Saturday 19th of October
Seven volunteers turned out in what proved to be a lovely Autumnal morning despite the heavy rainfall at dawn which fortunately eased by the time the team deployed. We managed to tackle the work carried over from the September working party, which had been postponed due to the heavy rain. We cleared three distinct areas that had suffered from significant willow branches falling into the brook, collecting litter and other debris, obstructing the flow in the stretch of Letcombe Brook upstream of Weir Farm. The usual bag of litter was collected and only one volunteer who shall remain nameless manager to fill up their waders.
After a short break and some of Helens delicious Vicarage fruit cake, we had a slightly earlier than normal finish, to allow a couple of the team members to meet and brief Olly Glover MP at Lower Mill about all matters Flood Group. This was part of a larger visit to both Hanneys arranged by the Future Flood Resilience Group (FFRG) and the meeting seemed to go very well, to such an extent, that Olly Glover MP volunteered to attend one of the working parties in the future. Tim Glass and Alastair Johnson were left to guide Olly Glover MP around the rest of East Hanney, hopefully meeting some of the residents that had recently been flooded. I am sure a more detailed report from the Future Flood Resilience Group will be forthcoming in due course.
Special thanks again to Helen for the Vicarage fruit cake and the volunteers today, who were Andrew W, David S, Keith R, Paul S, Dickon G, Ian G and Peter M.
Saturday 12th of October
We had an additional small working party this morning to remove a large and heavy tree trunk beached in the Brook behind Brookside. It must have come from somewhere nearby as it would not have come passed the mill. It had to be removed before it floated off and caused some damage downstream or blocked the Lower Mill fish pass or Lower Mill sluice. Needless to say after sawing it up into more manageable pieces it has been removed from the Brook and is now drying pending removal.
Many thanks to Andrew W, Mick M, Keith C, Keith R, Peter M-S and Clive M.
Thursday 26th of September - Additional Working Party
Thank you to Ian, Dickon, Jason, Andrew and Clive M who cleared the road gullies and drain rodded the culverts along Brookside this morning, from Dandridges Mill to the corner with the Causeway; 10 or more man-hours work.
Many of the road gullies (drains) were blocked by grass cuttings, leaves and other vegetation with some gullies also full of silt. Hard to believe these were supposed to have been pumped clear in March this year. One or two gratings were tarmacked in place and this may well have had something to do with them not being cleaned out for some time. Culverts were also drain rodded to removed compacted silt.
Thank you also to Phil Donovan for helping with the HWMH Flood barriers and deploying the sandbags at the Iron Bridge a few days ago.
Saturday 21st of September
Cancelled due to adverse weather. Planned tasks postponed for another date.
Saturday 17th of August
We had eleven volunteers meeting at the Hut to complete our annual safety checks and inspections on key equipment, check the inventory, spring clean the building and undertake some equipment running and familiarisation training. (Thank you too to the other eight or so people who sent their apologies). We generated a list of to-do items including several improvements suggested during the morning. Thank you to Helen for the Nutty Slack, Granny's recipe, Owen M, Andrew W, Keith C, David S, Mick M, Paul S, Phil M, Keith R, Ian G, Dickon G and Clive M.
We can happily report following the AGM and this working party that most of the actions have been completed, the others being held up by out of stock issues. Principally two large green sandbag bins have been installed by Lower Mill Bridge, together with the smaller bin previously located closer to the Mill which has been replaced by the larger bin from Lower Mill Bridge. The sandbags thrown into the Brook at the start of the school holidays have been recovered. New labels for the bins are currently being printed. All our sandbags are now in storage bins. The new bins are secured and I am looking at ways to secure the original bins. It is disappointing that this vandalism has taken place and we have had to take measures to protect our resources. It all costs us money.
New wading sticks have been purchased and are mostly marked up with depth marks, bright orange tape for visibility and will all be fitted with hand loops before the next working party.
Two spinner fishhooks have been recovered from the Brook recently one at Lower Mill and one behind Brookside. Because the Letcombe Brook is a natural chalk stream it’s fish population is completely natural and at a low level for each species. There has never been any fish-stocking supplementation of the natural populations of any fish. It is hoped that the work in recent years to establish fish passes from the Thames to the source will enable native fish to return to areas previously blocked by weirs, sluices, mills and other manmade obstructions. Although some landowners will have fishing rights for their properties bordering the Brook no fishing permits have ever been issued for Letcombe Brook or anywhere else along its banks, and never will.
The Flood Group will be present at the Michaelmas Fayre again this year and if you would like to help please let us know. We shall be sharing a pitch with the Nigel Eady Community Woodland and The Emergency Team. It is on the afternoon of Sunday 29th September 14.00 to 17.00.
Saturday 20th of July
Despite the overcast and humid weather, we had 22 volunteers gainfully deployed on Saturday morning. Who needs a gym when you have the flood group?
8 volunteers tackled some important village drainage issues. Split 4 + 4 into two working parties one team completed the drain rodding along with silt, litter and other debris removal from the covered culvert and roadside gullies at the eastern end of the Causeway and HWM entrance which we started last month. The other party cleared a way into the heavily overgrown culvert entrance and surveyed the complete Summertown road looking for any serious obstructions in the ditch either side of the road. The ditches are overgrown with weeds and hedges but all seemed to be clear and no major concern but this needs to be reviewed once all the undergrowth has died down. Not much evidence of water flowing from the south ditch through the culvert under the road into the stream running north.
These two teams came together to rod the 40 metre culvert under the corner of Summertown which needed careful and professional traffic control set up by Ian and Dickon which is essential on this blind corner with traffic reasonably busy. Two barrow loads of silt were removed from the Causeway working party and from the culvert under Summertown. The culvert was left running slightly faster after removing some minor roots that had found their way in about 30 metres in. The ditch was cleared back that runs into the metal grid by Eastways and gullies cleared on the corner with a full sack of beer cans and other rubbish collected from Summertown road. Helen’s cake was greatly appreciated and all equipment cleaned and back in the Hut for midday. Special thanks to David for organising and leading this working party.
A lot of hard work done here by David S, Ian G, Dickon G, David B, Paul S, Jason K, Mick M and Richard P.
The other 14 volunteers this morning met in Ebbs Lane to clear the invasive Himalayan Balsam from Letcombe Brook where it runs north from the village alongside the paddocks of Willowbarn. Paul D had surveyed the Brook and reported that our hard work in the past few years has paid off as there were only 4 or 5 pockets of balsam on the eastern banks and much larger and lengthy stands on the west banks . We had finished clearing the eastern bank and stopped for a break about 10.30. Fortified by Helens cake the 5 of us wearing waders carried on clearing HB from the west bank where it was prolific in places. Special thanks to Paul for allowing and enabling access to his paddocks alongside the Brook. Jude spotted plenty of signs here that the water voles are doing well.
Hard work again from Jude V, Jim T, Jane T, Paul D, Lamorna Z, Tim G, Peter M, Phil M, Keith C, Meryl C, Andrew W, Alastair J, Adrian B and Clive M.
Saturday 15th of June
Very mixed weather greeted the volunteers this week with a cold wind, heavy rain, drizzle and sunshine all thrown at us. Despite this metrological melange we achieved our main tasks for the day.
Phil, Mick and Richard C removed all the visible Himalayan Balsam from the west bank of the Brook from the sewage pipe to a convenient halfway point. Interesting to note that some of the HB has begun flowering already whilst there are still plenty of seedlings springing up. Thank you to all of them working in and around the Brook.
Keith C and Clive M completed the survey in and around the new bridge at Lower Mill. Keith is now collating and reviewing the data. Thanks Keith and Clive M.
David S, Andrew, Keith R, Jason, Peter Mle, Ian, Dickon and Clive M cleared the very congested gullies and culverts along the Causeway towards HWMH removing barrow loads of silt, grit, vegetation and litter from this important drainage system. There is a small section to finish on another occasion. Two road gullies just to the west of Cow Lane were found to be completely blocked. The iron gratings were sealed by tarmac, one of them was even upside down. It appears that it has been quite some time since these were cleared out. Three wheelbarrow loads of silt, clay and gravel washed out from Cow Lane were removed from these two gullies alone. The gulley on the south side appeared to be connected to the ditch that runs along the south side of the raised pavement towards West Hanney. The culvert is still full of compacted clay and the bottom of the ditch to which it is supposed to drain appears higher than the input opening. Thank you also to Peter and Jason for helping David and Clive clean and oil all the equipment used on Saturday, quite a task. Phil has managed to wash the filthy Hi-Viz vests and they are ready for the next working party.
All the volunteers were grateful for the enjoyable blueberry muffins freshly baked by Helen S, the hot tea and coffee Andrew conjured up for the Causeway team and for the road signs and cones that Ian and Dickon deployed along the Causeway to keep the workforce safe and the traffic flowing.
Saturday 18th of May
Both teams enjoyed the dry morning warm weather and occasional sunshine to complete this months tasks.
The West Hanney Team successfully cleared the road gullies of the former Headings Pond which have been sealed by heavy vehicles damaging the verges forcing mud into the openings. They were also able to reconnect the two culverts and the corresponding sump by drain rodding the lengthy pipework. One blockage needed rodding from the exit end over the drainage ditch as it was sealed by a combination of very thick, smelly mud and tree roots. Thank you to Paul for leading the team and washing the equipment, Ian, Dickon, Tim, Richard and Peter for this mornings strenuous efforts. It appears these culverts need regular clearing and the roadside gullies almost constant attention. Some thought could be given to protecting the verges and reducing the damage to the edges.
The East Hanney Team also had a successful morning removing some fallen trees and brambles from Letcombe Brook behind Brookside, above and below Lower Mill. Thank you to David, Mick, Andrew, Adam, Clive F and Clive M.
Both teams enjoyed the lovely cakes provided by Helen S, thanks Helen.
The River Fly Monitoring Team have finally been able to get back into the water this month after prolonged periods of fast currents and high water levels. Pleased to report the results were good. Thank you Phil and Stella.
The invasive Himalayan Balsam has started germinating again and Phil M removed 50 or more plants from around Lower Mill and one from behind Brookside. If you see it, please pull it up.
Saturday 20th of April
Thirteen volunteers turned out in beautiful spring sunshine to remove a fallen tree from Letcombe Brook in the stretch that runs north from Philberds Manor. The tree was collecting litter and other debris and obstructing the flow. Adjacent brambles and other vegetation were removed opening this area to more light, benefitting wildlife in this area.
Special thanks again to Helen for the coffee and walnut cake and Ian and Dickon for towing the trailer. Very pleased to say a warm welcome to Jude the new LB Project Manager who joined us and mucked in with todays project.
Volunteers today were Jude V, Andrew W, Peter M-S, Peter M, David S, Keith C, Ian G, Dickon G, David B, Richard C, Jason K, Adam B, Clive M.
Saturday 16th of March
The team of seventeen volunteers were able to focus on the grips, gullies, drains, ditches and culverts from St James the Less, along The Green, Ebbs Lane to Gods Ditch to improve the drainage and reducing the surface water in this part of East Hanney. Road gullies which had been cleared in the autumn were again full of leaves, silt and other debris. These were cleared and, in many cases, drain rods were used to clear away solid built-up silt and to cut tree roots in the gullies and culverts. Grips were re-established just past The Green enabling the road surface water to instantly drain away into the ditch.
The ditches in Ebbs Lane were cleared of reeds and other blockages, grips re-established and culverts drain rodded. The diagonal culvert half-way down Ebbs Lane appears to have a blockage issue but a path for water to drain away was re-established. Small branches and other debris were cleared from the first part of Gods Ditch. Sincere apologies to the land owner who was unaware of the plan yesterday and of the need to keep this major village drainage channel as free flowing as possible, taking as it does, much of the water flowing around East Hanney and the water draining from roads and other hard surfaces into Letcombe Brook to the north of the village.
We enjoyed a very welcome break with Helen for tea, coffee, biscuits and cheese scones this week – thank you Helen.
Other thanks are due to Phil for washing the Hi-Viz vests again, Ian and Dickon for deploying additional traffic signs and cones to keep us safe.
And thank you to the volunteers who turned out Stewart S, Richard C, David S, Peter M, Ian G, Dickon G, Paul S, Keith R, Tim G, Andrew W, Lamorna Z, Phil M, Adam B, Mick M, Alaistair J, Owen M and Clive M. We achieved rather a lot.
Dates:-
Community Woodland Working Party Saturday 23rd March, contact Paul Sayers, pksayers@btinternet.com.
Village Litter Pick also Saturday 23rd March, see Hanney News for details.
Saturday 17th of February
We had a good turnout this morning of nearly 20 volunteers including two walk-ins keen to help. Timing meant we could only continue the work started in December on the many blocked gullies and culverts at the western end on West Hanney Main Street. This included a number of gullies in the Meads and those around Headings pond in Church Street where further work is needed. All gullies and culverts that we cleared of debris. Mainly silt and tree roots urgently need flushing through by contractors with jet washers and we encourage WHPC to get this done as soon as possible.
Many thanks to Ian and Dickon for the additional safety cones and signage, Helen Smith for another excellent and very welcome cake, Phil for washing all the Hi-Viz vests again and all those other volunteers whom we hope we made a note of: Paul S, Richard C, Owen M, Ian G, Dickon G, Mick M, Peter M-S, Keith C, Lamorna Z, Phil M, David S, Richard P, Alaistair J, David B, Tim G, Julian and Clive M.
There is a Community Woodland Working Party 24th February which Paul Sayers is organising pksayers@btinternet.com for details.
There is a planning application for the fish pass around Dandridges Mill P24/V0159/FUL if anyone wishes to see it or comment on. Time is short for responses.
January 2024
No January Working Party.
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