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The Isle of Wight Green Gym
is an independent community group
which operates throughout the year at
venues across the Island.
We are one of almost 100 Green Gyms nationally, see BTCV's
website for more information. Each session starts at 10am and
lasts for around 3 hours (with a tea or coffee break in
the middle!) and participants are welcome to join the session midway
through if you think that the whole thing is too much.
People of all ages
are encouraged and welcomed, please do contact the number below before
coming however.
Note. If you are a dog owner, and wish to bring your pet
along, we ask that you keep the dog safely on a lead please.
This is a picture of us working at
Brett's Meadow in Alverstone Garden Village.
 The way in
which we decide the venues depends on factors
such as landowner's requirements and seasonal variations. The
group is always keen to
hear your suggestions! Very occasionally it is necessary to
change the venue at the last minute, so please phone before
Wednesday to check that it is still happening at the location listed
below!
Booking is essential at all venues, this is for reasons
of health and safety (especially important in schools) to ensure we
bring enough tools, and (and the most important reason) we bring along
enough cups for the tea and coffee break. Most important!
Please call
Colin
Withers on 01983 866459 for more information.
If you would prefer to email us then our address is
greengym@footprint-trust.co.uk
We were rewarded with a wonderful view here on top of
Nansen Hill in Upper Bonchurch.
Most sites are near public transport. For details of
Southern Vectis services, see www.islandbuses.info
For more information and pictures of past Green Gyms take a
look at our blog site. Click on this link GREEN GYM BLOG
Green gym is every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm, see
below for dates and locations!
| Date
(2010) |
|
Location |
Task
and other details |
OS Grid
Ref |
link |
| 14th
July |
|
Firestone
Copse, Firestone Copse Road, between Wootton Bridge and Havenstreet. |
We
return to this site for some work in a slightly different area to last
time. The task is familiar however, again we shall be laying some
surfacing material and aim to culvert some of the ditches, along with
some cutting back of overhanging plants. |
SZ558,910 |
Link
to streetmap.co.uk |
| 21st July |
Group a |
Brading
Station, Station Rd, Brading |
This
cherished station has a newly restored Signal Box. This week
some of the group will be helping to clear an area here for further
displays. |
SZ609,868 |
Link
to Streetmap |
|
Group b |
Brading
Roman Villa. Morton Old Raod, Brading |
The
grounds of the Roman Villa will this week get the Green Gym Ragwort
pulling treatment. Please wear suitable clothing to cover arms. |
SZ602,862 |
Link
to Streetmap |
| 28th
July |
|
Mill
Copse, The Causeway, Yarmouth. Please park in the River Road
carpark and walk padst the Mill or on Thorley Road and walk along the
Causeway. |
This
is an unusual visit to Mill Copse for the group in that we are there in
the Summertime. A gem of a site for wildlife this copse has been
improved somewhat in recent years. Today we shall be improving
the rides throughout the site.
Bus 7
|
SZ356,890 |
Link
to Streetmap |
| 4th August |
|
Watershoot Bay, St
Catherines Point, St
Catherine’s Road, Niton Undercliff.
Please park at the top of the road to the
Lighthouse and walk down.
( If the road is full of
vehicles, park in the Buddle Inn
car park. )
Please bear in mind the
steep nature of the walk down to
the farm and the uneven beach terrain, Meet at Knowles Farm, |
Those of you who have
been here with us before will know just how big a difference our group
can make
to this beach’s condition during the 3 hours of the beach clean. This will be the third year; 33 bags the
first year; 30 last year (plus a huge section of plastic rope that took
5
people to remove).
Everything which we remove
potentially saves marine and bird life. Again
I will be asking you to please record what is
found on forms
provided, in order to aid the Marine Conservation Society’s
campaign to reduce
the problem at source.
Bus 6. |
SZ497,752 |
Link
to Streetmap.co.uk |
| 11th August |
|
Alverstone
Mead, Alverstone, Sandown.
Because of very limited parking, please park in the
village and walk to the
bird hide, this is indicated by the arrow on the streetmap link.
We will use this area to meet. |
The
meadows here are a real treat in the Summer,
butterflies, grasshoppers and a myriad of wildflowers thrive in the
traditionally managed fields and water meadows.
Our group have helped with the hay gathering
for quite a few years now and over these two weeks, weather permitting,
we hope
to be able to assist again this year.
Wightbus
23 (Tel 0871 200 22 33) |
SZ580,852 |
Link
to streetmap.co.uk |
| 18th August |
|
**********
As 11 / 8 / 2010 ********* |
See above for description of possible task. |
|
|
| 25th August |
|
Play
Lane Millennium Green, Play
Lane, Play Street Lane, Haylands, Ryde
As
with our last visits here,
please park on the Binstead Estate (HILLRISE AVENUE OR WELLINGTON ROAD)
and walk via the footpaths to the
site, thank you for this as it saves a lot of parking issues in Play Lane.
|
This
site has been alive with invertebrates this
Summer, this week the tasks include some steps, some clearance and a
lot of
fun.
Buses 2,3,4,8,9,37 |
SZ578,913 |
Link
to streetmap.co.uk
this
link shows the footpaths
|
| 1st September |
|
Ventnor
Botanic Gardens, Undercliff Drive, Ventnor (Collect
free parking ticket from us on arrival) |
Many will remember
that last year we picked hops here on the Garden’s lower field. Producing a beer using local hops is a
great
initiative to revive. We used to be the
Country's fifth biggest grower until the late 19th Century
and early
20th Century. Bus 6. Wightbus ‘Raillink’16 (Tel 0871
200 22 33) |
SZ547,767 |
Link
to Streetmap
the link shows the area of the hop growing |
| 8th
September |
|
as
per
1 / 9 / 2010 |
Because of the nature
of the British Summer we could be doing the harvest this week instead
of last,
in any case there will be things to be done around the gardens. |
SZ547,767 |
Link
to Streetmap
the link shows the area of the hop growing |
| |
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PLEASE
RE-CHECK WEB PAGE NEAR EVENT IN CASE OF A CHANGE TO THE SCHEDULE |
|
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WC
= sites with toilets
Just
a selection of some
of the less camera shy Green Gym-ers during a task upon Brading
Down
This is all you need for
hours of fun at the IW Green Gym! (And all you need to
bring is yourself ... we supply the rest!)
The
BTCV Green Gym was set up in 2003 and back then was funded through
the Healthy Living
Programme and EU Leader+, both of which were administered through the
Island of Wight Economic Partnership. This initial funding paid
for the van, tools and a leader for almost the first 2 years. So
four
years
ago the funding ran out and the group either would finish or become
independent.
Thanks to
the
dedication, knowledge and willingness of the volunteers even though
this funding ended, we continue. The management of the
Green
Gym has now passed over to the
volunteers. The group
continues to work across the Island and is one of the best and most fun
ways
to
improve both your own health and that of the countryside.
If
you would like to know about the history of our Green Gym, please click here.
We are not responsible for the content of external websites
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