By Wendy Davis | Trustee & Project Leader
CELEBRATIONS!
"Andover Trees United is an exemplary example of a local charity set up to provide conservation education to the local community. The group is unique within the UK giving children, young people and all generations inclusive, empowering opportunities to be involved hands-on in taking positive, sustainable climate action."
These are words from our Kings Award for Voluntary Service citation, presented by The Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire Nigel Atkinson on April 19th 2024, a wonderful event and testament to everybody's hard work, celebrated in style by 70 volunteers of all ages.
Welcome to our summer report which shares some of the recent conservation successes that you have helped to make possible.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Earth Day saw a team from National Geographic Learning join us to start work on building a fence to protect an area of sensitive calcareous grassland. Midsummer was celebrated with music as we welcomed back eminent folk artist Jackie Oates to lead us in song and Mayfly Morris who entertained with dance. Times past were explored by all ages at our annual 'Between the Barrows' dig, giving our archaeology friends the chance to locate a second section of the Bronze Age ditch that encircles the ancient burial mound in the wood.
YOUNG GREEN CHAMPIONS
The last four months have seen young people from 5 to 25 give their time in many ways to look after the wood, learn about what lives and grows there and take part in exciting nature activities as both participants and leaders. We are delighted to share with you that another long-held ambition was realised this week as Nature and Community Officer Jo led her first official Forest School session.
LOOKING AFTER NATURE
Mondays, Second Saturdays and Business Help-Out days saw many volunteers turn out to help look after the wood's trees, hedges and wildflowers - clearing and mulching the base of young hedgerows, grass cutting and most recently training to recognise and mark trees that have failed and will need replacing in a few months time when winter returns.
OUT & ABOUT
As well as regular work and activity days in the wood, the team has been out and about sharing our work with members of the local community. Last week's Carnival saw the charity's Land Rover adorned with giant-sized bees, butterflies and other colourful invertebrates, while wildflower turf lined the roof rack and provided shelter for a huge skylark. A visual highlight of the parade. the Land Rover was accompanied by ATU Volunteers and members of Andover Ladies Circle, dressed as bees and butterflies to symbolise some of the important insects that can be found in the chalk grasslands of Harmony Woods.
Thank you for being there for us, for supporting our work and making all this possible.
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