Holt Lowes Volunteering

This morning I did my first volunteering session on Holt Lowes. There were 14 of us who met in the car park at the Country Park and walked the 15 mins to the site we were working at. The group volunteers once a month from October to March, I think they mostly cut back the out of control gorse and silver birch in areas where it’s difficult to get machinery. Because of the prickly gorse, we’re advised to wear thorn proof clothing. I used to volunteer with the Green Gym in Milton Keynes, and I found myself thinking about working alongside PollyH there who sadly died recently. As at the GG, the men pushed themselves forward to get the best / biggest tools and were sawing down the tall thin trees, expecting the women to mainly tidy up after them and drag the cut down trees away to a large and high central pile where they’ll be chipped later. I’ll be wise to that next time, although there aren’t currently enough tools for us all. I hadn’t realised that the gorse when out of control can grow 10-12 foot high. I did about 50/50 cutting thinner, tall gorse down with loppers and dragging the cut trees away. I’d had enough after 2 hours and finished about 20 mins early, largely as I was so overheated in thick jeans, long sleeved T-shirt and fleece to protect myself from the gorse. When I got back to the car it read 19C, so no wonder I was overheating. Back home I had an immediate shower to wash off all stray prickles, they get everywhere. I did enjoy it and have also signed up to a monthly volunteering group at Spout Hills. The photo shows the area we were working, with a starter pile of cut gorse in the foreground. I was pooped, so had a relaxing afternoon.