Dog Show 2010

A Dog Show is to be held on the Meadow on Sunday 19th September 2010 for 2 – 4pm.

A light hearted fun afternoon for dogs and families.

Helpers required to make the afternoon a success – please phone 01256 896920.

You can read about previous Dog Days on the Meadow HERE.

Primary School Goes Pond Dipping

Students from Victoria Gambier’s class at Whitchurch CofE primary school have prepared this report…

Recently, the year 5/6 Kestrel class visited the Millennium Meadow which was full of high tech equipment to identify the living creatures in the ponds and stream in the peaceful meadow. We split into 3 groups to rotate round the exciting activities including: pond dipping, stream dipping and sketching.

We all met a man called Richard, and he guided us through the day and made the creatures that we caught and, with all his high tech equipment, was able to put them on to a large screen. He could make anything 50 times bigger.

Newt Survey Latest in Meadow Monitoring

Male smooth newt in the trap

Local Whitchurch resident Jonathan Taylor, who is licensed to survey newts, set up 22 traps throughout the Meadow on the eve of 6th June 2010 and collected them the next morning. Read about his results on our Newt Survey page.

Nettles Selectively Cleared for Wildflowers Planting

A gaggle of volunteers descended on the Meadow this past Sunday to help clear some areas of the Meadow, ready for some more wildflowers to be planted.

Any nettles that were deemed to be worthwhile were, and will, be kept – there will always be nettles on the Meadow, as they are a source of food to some wildlife. Another very important thing is bio-diversity. This refers to having a wide range of plants so that many more types of butterflies and other insects can survive.

Thank you to all the helpers!

Aside: We have two very rare orchids this year and lots of other orchids coming up where they have never come up before.

Volunteer Call ~ Nettle Clearing Machine

A machine to clear nettles on the Medaow has been booked for use on this Sunday.

Volunteers needed starting at 9am this Sunday to rake and mini dig so we are ready for more wildflower planting.

Just show up on the Meadow! And thank you in advance!

Pond Observation Platforms Installed

The two observation platforms funded by a grant from Tesco/Wessex Salmon and Rivers Trust in April 2010 (see report HERE) were installed this weekend by local firm A&M Hardy.

The hot weather brought out many families to the Meadow – many of them took the opportunity to go bug hunting in the streams and conduct some science measurements from the new platforms. Read more »

Sustainability Forum Talk – The Meadow and the Environment

Meadow volunteer, and research scientist who has been conducting the scientific monitoring on the Meadow, Katya Popova will be giving an informal talk about “The Meadow and the Environment” at the next Whitchurch Sustainability Forum meeting.

Everyone is welcome to come along, its this coming Wednesday, 26th May 2010 in the upstairs, back room of the Bell Inn pub.

Volunteer Call ~ Dig Cultivation Patches

Need a bit of fresh air and exercise? Would like to loose some weight? Want to make long lasting contribution to the Meadow?

We are looking for volunteers to help to dig out cultivation patches for wild-flower planting. Tools are provided.

Some work and then tea or coffee.

Join us on Sunday 23 May 2010 at 3pm. Children are especially welcome!

Our Report to the Town Assembly 2010

Town assembly report from Meadow Trustees

The Chairman of the Trustees, Graham Burgess, presented the meadow’s report to the mayor’s annual Town Hall Assembly yesterday at the Gill Nethercott Centre.

Many exciting things have happened in the past year on the meadow, as the report highlights, and more are to come!

May Day Celebration and Carnival Queen Crowning 2010

The Meadow is the place to be this May Day, Saturday 1st May 2010. Actually, Whitchurch is the place to be — there are several events happening all around town for you to enjoy.
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Be sure to read about the history of the May Pole (pdf) in our educational leaflet.

Further events follow around Whitchurch; you can stay and relax on the Meadow, or follow the newly crowned Queen to the Gill Nethercott Centre where at 3:30pm she cuts the ribbon to launch the centre’s new cinema system and unveils the new Whitchurch Town Community Website. A free matinee movie, ‘Up’, follows. Later in the evening there is another movie, ‘Nine’. Further details on this event at the Gill Nethercott Centre website.