Monthly Archives: April 2013

Another morning clearing saplings from Adel Moor.  About a dozen of us turned up including two students. Phil and Dean, from the university who are carrying out  a piece of research for the Conservation Volunteers, formerly BTCV, on the volunteering experience and the effectiveness of previous TCV projects at Adel Wood and Adel Moor.

Once again, the universe was kind to us and rewarded us with beautiful weather.

In two hours we were able to pull up many saplings and dig up many coppiced birches.

The work carried out over the last few years by FOAW and other groups of volunteers is now really beginning to show.  The moor is much clearer of trees and one of the most satisfying aspects was to see that where the heather was set on fire – probably by vandals – a couple of years ago the heather is regenerating beautifully. If you click on Pippa (to the right) you will see a larger picture on which you can see the young heather.

Red Pepper, The Avenue

This evening the Friends enjoyed delicious food, a brilliant quiz, Alwoodley’s Got Talent entertainment and wonderful company at Red Pepper on The Avenue.

We had an amazing turn out of 59 supporters so that, with two more diners who had dropped in for their tea, we were one short of full capacity.

A happy diner

A huge thank you is owed to Red Pepper who put the curry night on for us and enabled us to raise £314 for FOAW.  Serving 59 people at the same time cannot be an easy thing to do, but the staff were excellent and we all enjoyed an excellent meal.

“What do you think it is?”

Steve Joul put on a really interesting quiz with 21 intriguing exhibits of things which you might find in Adel Woods. They varied in size from a deer’s antler (and yes, a number of species of deer can be seen in the woods)  down to  the wing of a yellow tip butterfly.  As we waited for and ate our meals, there was much argument and scratching of heads as we puzzled over various pieces of wood and specimen jars containing among other things the contents of an owl’s nest (a gruesome collection of blackbird’s skulls), fungi and other flora and fauna.

The table with the team from Walkabout, the walking group  won with a barnstorming score of 14 out of 21, going home with a selection of biscuits from Tesco’s.

“…with my little litterpicker in me hand”

Good old fashioned entertainment on the ukelele was provided by your chairman who, regrettably, is not one to pass up the opportunity to grab the attention of a captive audience! George Formby was no doubt spinning in his grave as his classic song became “With my little litterpicker in me hand”.  The Beatles song book was desecrated with:  “Hey Jude, here’s a black bin bag, get your gloves on, and pick up litter!”  Yet all was redeemed by a hearty rendition by the entire complement of “I’m leaning on a lamp post”.

Finally, the prizes for the raffle were drawn and a range of superb prizes were won, the first prize of a £20 voucher towards a meal for two at Red Pepper going to Wendy and David.

“Hey Jude, here’s a black bin bag….”

Thanks are due to Judith, Stephanie and Olga (of Walkabout) who each generously donated prizes for the raffle.

Of course, in the tradition of The Good Old Days, thanks are due chiefly to everyone who attended and made the evening a wonderfully happy event.

Thank you!!!