The Parks Trust Volunteers

Howe Park Wood Education and Visitor Centre

Howe Park Wood Education and Visitor Centre by Peter Hassett

The Parks Trust are looking for Volunteers to help with some activities if you have some free time.

If you are interested in helping please contact Carla Boswell

At c.boswell@theparkstrust.com  by Friday 30th March.

It’s the Annual Spring clean of the Canal in partnership with the Canal & Rivers Trust (CRT) and MK branch of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA).

Please note that CRT donate a minibus to take people back to the starting point if you have driven to Fenny Lock on Friday and Giffard Park on the Saturday, you will not be left stranded!

I am away on holiday for my birthday I couldn’t make this clean up but wanted to know if there was any interest in doing smaller sections again like last year, so I organise it with the Community Ranger Team the year please.

Friday 13 April 2018

  • 9.30am – 10.30 Simpson Area – deep cleanse with the local Simpson volunteer group, awaiting to hear if anyone is interest.
  • Woolstones grid area along the canal  10.45am – 1pm Ouzel Valley Park              

http://www.theparkstrust.com/parks/ouzel-valley-park

The Parks Trust Volunteers will aim to do a morning stretch of litter picking along the canal Broadwalk and in the bushes lead by The Community Ranger team, snacks will be supplied.

Meeting at the car park in Woolstones at 10.45am to collect & distribute litter pickers, high viz and bags before walking along the tow path south to Peartree Bridge and return, as it is unlikely to meet the Tea boat.  Car park is at the junction of Pattison and Marshalls Lane, MK15 0BS.

This is just over 4Km (4.3km or 3miles) walk in total litter picking.  Please remember sturdy walking shoes/boots and old clothes and no valuables.

 Saturday 14 April 2018

  • Stanton Low and Joan’s Piece 9am  – 11.30am

Meeting and parking at TPT Stanton Low car park off Newport road in New bradwell/Oakridge Park, next to Asda at Oakridge Park to concentrate on Joan’s piece woodland area and walk back along the canal to Stanton Low Park.  The canal boat tea stop is by Joan’s piece for 11.30am, timings approximate.

If anyone is interesting in joining the canal clean up with The Parks Trust sections or the IWA full stretches, please let me know by Easter weekend/ 30 March 2018, so I can make a decision on Tuesday 2 April and I can send you more details then.

I look forward to hearing from you shortly

Dear Volunteers

Thanks to those of you who came to the coffee morning on 1 March and signed up with a general interest for the River Warden Role.

For those of you not in the know, basically, this role falls under the Upper and Bedford Ouse Catchment Partnership and an is extension of the Volunteer Ranger role, in patrolling a section of the River Ouzel within your local park.  The Green Sand Trust Volunteers are already doing this upstream in Leighton Buzzard and The Trust has been contacted to get involved to help survey and monitor the next section of The River Ouzel.

What is the purpose?  This volunteer role will help to create a baseline data with local eyes and ears on the ground, as River wardens you will recognise any subtle changes to the river water, invasive species, wildlife and the channel itself over the monthly checks.  This data will build up picture to influence potential project, similar to those where we have placed willow bundles along the river to aid bank restoration in Ouzel valley park.

We are still looking to recruit some more volunteers to help survey the Ouzel in pairs once a month, which we have divided into 7 sections from Willen North to Caldecotte South.

We have now secured a training date with our Partners from The Green Sand Trust, The Environment Agency and The Wildlife Trust to deliver this expert training and advice on what to look out for on your walkover surveys and give you an overview of the partnership and cover the all-important Health and safety training for the role.

Training Date – Wednesday 18 April 12.30-5pm

Campbell Park Pavilion

Lunch provided

Walking shoes/wellies and outdoor gear for a short walkover site visit.

Commitment:

  • Walk over survey once a month, at minimum 4 per year.
  • Organised Training day
  • Initial walk over survey section with TPT staff (Community Rangers)
  • Upload survey data online following on-site survey

Equipment provided

  • Clipboard
  • Paperwork
  • Training/ID sheets and guides

If you are interest or would like to know more information then please do not hesitate to contact Me, Martin or Susi, who attended the training session today.

If you cannot make the 18 April training date, an alternative session will be provided at a weekend when I have an idea of numbers.

If you can respond to this email to register your interest by Thursday 5 April 2018 and what training session you can attend, simply state 18 April or weekend, that would be most helpful.

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Kind regards, as always

Carla Boswell
Volunteer Co-ordinator
The Parks Trust
Campbell Park Pavilion, 1300 Silbury Boulevard, Campbell Park, Milton Keynes, MK9 4AD
Tel: 01908 255 388     Mob: 07770 646581