Diary | Directory

Editorial Comment ~ Wendy Andrews.

We seem to be going through a time of change. Michael Joseph and David Jessop have stood down from their respective posts of Conservation Officer and Maintenance Manager and Peter Jackman plans to 'retire' in April. At the same time we welcome newcomer Michael Bates to the role of Health & Safety Officer. I'm sure you'll all join me in thanking Michael, David and Peter for their recent involvement and commitment and offer support to Michael on the H & S front. You'll be pleased to know that David will continue to organise the Saturday groups so there's no excuse for weekends off! Though it's sad to see the departure of old friends it's also healthy to see new blood in the Trust, bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm, so please think about volunteering to take the place of those who are standing down. I'm very aware that often there are people out there who would love to take on a particular role but are reluctant to offer because someone else is already doing it - now's your chance. I'd be more than happy if there were an offer to take over editorship of WPN. I enjoy doing the job but since joining CoM I am finding more and more demands on my time. Any offers? You know where to find me!

One of my other WACT hats is the leadership of the Digital Library project. A small number of us have been meeting occasionally since last summer to progress the scanning of a huge number of old prints and slides which have been stored in not the best of conditions in the Granary for many years. The task of scanning is almost complete and Alan Trudgett is busy copying the digital images and a large number of CDs containing relatively pictures onto external disk drives for safe keeping. However there are still lots of other jobs to do. Many of the pictures need to be identified and categorised. Ultimately our aim is to have a pictorial record of the history of the restoration of the Wey & Arun on the Trust's website. We've decided to continue 'workshop' style, meeting for an afternoon about once a month in the Granary. If you're interested in old photos, know a lot about the history or want to learn more about it please get in touch and come and join us. Our next session will be on Wednesday 19th March starting at 2pm.

Easter Cruises

Don't forget to offer your services to Robert Hutty for any offers of help with the Easter trips: roberthutty@sunbung.fsnet.co.uk or phone 01959 562 205, better still buy some tickets and spread the word amongst your friends, family and neighbours.

WTS (was TSG) Group ~ Eric Walker

The making of concrete copings and blocks for use at Devils Hole lock has continued at the Tickners Heath depot and will continue on Thursdays over the next little while.

The Sunday team will be doing work either in support of the B2133 Crossing or somewhere on the canal towards Drungewick lock. As usual we will meet at the Onslow car park at 09:30 and then go to the relevant work site. If you arrive late then look for the notice saying where we are.

The Surveying team has been out measuring what has been built at Drungewick Lane to update the digital OS maps, in particular the aqueduct, road bridge and plant crossing.

At the Canal Bridge, Loxwood February has seen the excavation on the east side of the road making good progress. By the end of March the bridge deck should be in place, the precast beams being due to be placed on the 17th March.

Mid Week Working Party ~ Peter Jackman

After a five year (plus) gap the MWWP returned to north of Rushett Farm, which kept us busy for the last two weeks, with a fallen fir tree which must have been so shocked at seeing work on the canal it collapsed (across a rather nice hedge). We will log this, while the main body of the MWWP return to Beevers Farm, dropping more trees on the leased section, plus another spell of demolition on the two caravans.

On 5th March we hope to start work at Westlands Farm, Birtley, another site that has not been touched for 5/6 years and it looks it! This should see us occupied to the end of the cutting/clearing season.

Parking is a major issue for this site. The lane off the A281 is now closed to vehicular access; the original parking area is covered with large piles of earth, as I write (26/2/08) I am in the process of negotiating with a nearby Business Park.

A volunteer will be required to lead the MWWP as I will be stepping down in April, don't all rush! (The dog bit the wrong person!)

Hedge Laying Group ~ Keith Nichols

By Sunday 27th January after a visit on the 24th, we were out of the Blackthorn spinney - Hooray! Another 5 visits later we had completed a further 75m of hedge, which means we have layed 276m of the 402m leaving 126m to lay, to date. This was speeded up by a further visit from the Mrs Bucket Group on Monday 11th. On that day we dug up 40 surplus saplings and replanted them into the gaps in the hedge, burnt 100m of cuttings on 1 bonfire (4 of us enjoying chipolatas cooked on that fire) and received the final delivery of stakes and binders from the MWWP and this was in addition to laying 37m and binding 85m.

Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th saw a couple of us doing a special job in Surrey of approximately 30m. Our first foray of Sussex hedge layers into foreign parts. The rest of this week will be spent back at Harsfold.

My one thought about this month is the resignation of Michael Joseph as Conservation Officer. I hope that we will all reflect upon this and will give more support to Conservation in the future. I also hope that before anyone 'clears' they should stop and think. Michael didn't make any of the legislation, he was there to make us aware of it so that we didn't inadvertently break the law, leaving us as individuals or the Trust as a whole open to legal proceedings, fines, ridicule etc, even losing charitable status. Things have changed dramatically in the past few years and we can't do what we used to do.

Monday Working Party ~ Nick Wood for John Empringham

Certain members of the group have been busy bees this month because, since our last report, two additional meetings have been held, i.e. four in all. In Sidney Wood the towpath supports have been repaired and all the culverts cleared. This means our work between lock 16 and Firtree Copse has been completed until next winter. Our annual visit to Malham lock has improved its appearance and the complete cill is now fully visible. We have also undertaken some light clearance around Bignor Bridge and noted that there are a couple of bricks missing from the underside of the bridge on the apex. These need replacing; presumably a summer job when there is no water in the canal to allow the use of ladders etc. On the same day two members of the group started tidying up around Loves Bridge, but we need to return to complete the work. We spent another day helping Keith Nichols and his hedge-laying group down at Harsfold/Lordings and, at the request of Dusty Miller, enjoyed a frosty but sunny outing assisting Derek Heath repainting ZK down at Drungewick.

We are very pleased to be able to extend a warm welcome to Nansi Taylor, who joined our group in January. We meet again on the 3rd and 17th March and are likely to be working on the restored section around Loxwood assisting Peter Wilding and completing clearance at Loves Bridge.

The Saturday Group ~ David Jessop

The Saturday group will be meeting on March 8th to plant more wild flowers at Loxwood. Please contact David for details.

If you do not attend regularly, please contact the site manager before joining a work party.

Usually first & third Mondays of the month - 'Mrs Bucket' - Keeping Up Appearances,- Details from John Empringham

Most Tuesday mornings - Maintenance sessions at Tickner's Heath Depot - Check with Colin Gibbs

Every Wednesday; - Mid-Week Working Party, - Check with Peter Jackman or Alison Saville for confirmation

Every Wednesday - Loxwood Link maintenance,- Contact Peter Wilding

Every Thursday & Sunday - Mainly construction work. Meet at the Onslow Arms, 09.30. - Contact Eric Walker for details

Every Thursday - Winston Harwood Group. - Contact TBA for details.

Some Saturdays - Conservation and Maintenance - Get in touch with David Jessop

Hedge Laying - Check with Keith Nichols before turning up

March 21st to 24th - Easter Cruises - or Contact WACT office

April 19th Annual General Meeting - Cranleigh Village Hall

WACT Office, General enquiries, 01403 752 403 email: office@weyandarun.co.uk
Wendy Andrews, W P News Editor, 01403 752 170 email: wendy_andrews@weyandarun.co.uk
Turlough Bamber, Restoration Manager, 01483 421 305 email: restoration@weyandarun.co.uk
David Jessop, Maintenance Manager, 01403 269 384 email: david_jessop@weyandarun.co.uk
Eric Walker (Loxwood Area) 02392 463025 email: eric_walker@weyandarun.co.uk
Peter Jackman (Mid-week Working Party) 01483 772132 a.m.saville@btinternet.com
John Empringham, (Mrs Bucket) Keeping Up Appearances, 01483 562657, email: john@empringham.com
Dave Junkison (Lordings Lock & Aqueduct) 020 8941 0685
Peter Wilding (Loxwood Maintenance) 01483 422519, email: peter_wilding@weyandarun.co.uk
Colin Gibbs (Tickners Maintenance) 020 8241 7736 email: colin-gibbs@blueyonder.co.uk
Don Gibson (Midweek Walks) 01903 201375 email: doncanalgibson@hotmail.com
Lawrie Wraight (The Winston Harwood Working Group) 01903 721404 email:Lawrence17@tiscali.co.uk
Bill Nicholson, Visiting Groups, 01844 343 369, email: bandsnicholson@tiscali.co.uk
Graham Baird, Brewhurst Lock Reconfiguration, 01403 262 515, email: graham@gbaird.plus.com
Don Gibson Educational Projects 01903 201375 email:doncanalgibson@hotmail.com