Planting Day was Saturday 7th December 2013
On Saturday 7th December 2013 we planted the vast majority of the 3,133 Trees and Shrubs which form the new Woodland (click on the link to see the full list of varieties).
Grateful thanks go to the Forestry Commission who have funded this venture.
But before the day itself other things had to be done . . . .
1. Firstly, a container was purchased to allow storage of planting items and ultimately as a secure store for other items
2. And we needed a loo – with the first requirement being a base. Thanks go to Dan who provided the paving stones for free and then helped lay them. Thanks also go to Clo Bateman for the bacon butties . . . .
3. A closer look at the boys – Ray Bateman, Sean Manchett, Dan Mules, David Parr and Nathan Bridgeman
4. Then the loo (a compost toilet in fact) was brought onto the site – with thanks going again to Sean Manchett for providing the transport
5. Job done! (You’ll be pleased to see I resisted the temptation Clo . . . )
6. The trees arrived – and thanks go to John Covill who allowed us to store them in his barn – as he had done with the 4 pallets of planting items. They don’t look much but there were 3,133 of them in total.
7. The virtually blank canvas . . . 1,800 holes having been augured previously. Click here (and be patient its quite a big file) to see Robert Keutgen give a brief demonstration – with John Wright looking on appreciatively
8. The day dawned. Here we see the “Team Leaders” who instructed villagers on what was needed to be done. David Thomas, Danuta Gibson, Graham Lingley, David Elliott, Jenny and John Reed, Andrew Trump, Nick Acklam, Steve Boreham and Lois Baker (from the National Trust)
9. Off we go . . . .
10. Sustenance was provided by Claire Acklam – we should see whether Waitrose will provide some sponsorship
11. Hugh de Lacy
12. Jo Trump
13. Bob Proctor
14. Sue Clifton
15. David Elliott
16. Steve Boreham
17. Lily and Dylan with their Dad Rob – Jo also came and helped . . . .
18. And there she is!
19. Jenny Reed with . . . .
20. Husband John Reed – who did huge amounts for this total project – just as he did when Reach Wood was planted in 1994
21. Ron and Penny with Andrew Trump . . . .
22. Lois Baker from the National Trust has been a huge influence on this whole project
23. Pam King with Alison Lewis
24. Thomasina – a newcomer who lives on the Hythe
25. Hazel Lingley
26. Tony Jordan and Hugh de Lacy
27. Tim Davies
28. Val Cossey and Steve Rothera, friends of Bob Proctor – they came all the way from Norwich to lend a hand
29. The two leaders of the woodland project working together – Steve Boreham and Nick Acklam
30. Loads of dogs enjoyed the excitement of the event – and this is one of them . . . . Minnie!
31. Danuta Gibson
32. Nick Webb
33. Claire Halpin-McDonald
34. Imogen Trump
35. John Dunnett
36. The recently married Hannah Baldwin with Muzzle – wow!!! – check out the tongue!
37. Alice Trump
38. Lois – well bucketed . . . .
39. Gwylim Davies and Graham Lingley
40. Alice Trump having her baked potato with Lily Steed . . . .
41. Charles Moseley – that is one serious corkscrew!!!
42. Helen Oliver
43. Discussions around the food bar . . . .
44. More workers – we had over 50 at one time during the day and when the light failed we still had 30
45. Posers . . . . We carried on with the work on the following day (Sunday) and then throughout the week – finishing the following Saturday with over the period around a third of the village having come along to help.
46. And we also had the cavalry to help – from Swaffham Prior School
47. Nice wellies . . . .
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49. Gordon Godfrey – a Swaffham Prior School Teacher
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51. Hannah Curtis – Swaffham Prior Head Teacher (the one on the left . . . .)
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55. Job done – with thanks again to Lois
And if you want to see what was finally achieved then click here for the badly produced video which includes firstly the cricket pitch, then the woodland and finally the orchard . . . .
