Volunteer and Bye Bye BBQ

Staff and volunteers were hard at work this morning.  Gerry was explaining all the jobs on the board - not sure if he was expecting them all to be done today!

Elevenses saw everyone in the Field Centre having a cup of tea or coffee and of course biscuits.  The typical summer weather meant indoors was preferable to outdoors.  Then it was back to work.  Some volunteers started on the food preparation for the BBQ, whilst others continued with the habitat work.

It may not have been weather to suit humans but it certainly has been weather to suit the growth of any plants!  Out on the moor after a fantastic flowering season the Gorse has done what Gorse does best and has grown!  Some of it was cut down.  A very prickly job.

Bracken is 'knocked back' yearly and this usually helps a little to control it.  This year it seems to have forgotten that it was bashed last year and the year before! Strimming, brush cutting, slashing and scything hopefully will get it under control.  This was carried out very carefully as there are Juniper trees growing in this area.

Then it was BBQ time.  Our volunteers are muti-skilled and it was from strimming to chefs for Peter and Brian.

An orderly queue was formed as everyone collected their lunch and took it back to the Field Centre - yes the typical British summer weather continued!

After the meal we said bye bye to Hayley.  Everyone had contributed to her pressie of a rule and scales to help with her ringing adventure in Denmark.  She also received a lovely card, specially made, and signed by all the volunteers.  Hayley has been a valuable member of the team carrying out many, many varied tasks in sometimes very interesting weather!  More recently she has been Gerry's PA!  Thanks Hayley.

Gerry thanked the volunteers for all their hard work they do now and in the 31 years of Foxglove's exisitence.

Today was yet another example of 'Foxgloves's Fantastic Volunteers'.  Work was carried out, food prepared and cooked, and then everything was cleared away, washed and put away.  Thank you very, very much.  One last thing to do - a challenger for Hayley's first place in the Jenga competition.  Nicola set too with a vengeance. 

However I can report that Hayley's position at the top of the leaderboard is still safe!