Hi, we are beginning to organise and get ready for our first real activities in the field. These will be a rural skills hedge laying training course in Murton/Bishopston in mid February followed by the first ‘Taclu!’ litter pick in March. We are focusing our energy on getting the equipment ready for both events.
Teaching hedge laying in February is going to be a challenge for our camping skills as our instructor Bob Smith will have to spend a couple of weeks camped out near the hedge in Murton. We have decided to upgrade some of our summer camp kit for winter service. This means making and fitting insulation to an ex-military tent (2.7m by 3m) which can fit onto the back of a Land Rover and high enough to stand up in. A heated space is essential for any winter camping so we are also modifying and fitting a wood burner. With luck (its a tricky project) it will be accompanied with a wooden insulated floor that comes apart in movable pieces. We have been collecting and assessing materials by way of what we have and what we need. We like to use recycled materials wherever possible and we have kindly been given some pre used wood by Owen Williams who has supported our work for a number of years. Thanks Owen it all helps! This wood should provide some of the framework for a floor. The pic is Jules Wagstaff pulling nails out the recycled wood. We will update you with progress and more pics as we make up the kit so watch this space
What we have learnt over the years is that it is always worth asking for help or stuff, because if you don’t ask you don’t get! The charity bought a pre-owned Stellar Ebony kettle for the wood burner in the Land Rover tent but it was missing its whistle cap. So we asked the Stellar distributor Horwood Ltd if they could help and they have very kindly offered to give us a cap free of charge. So Thank-you Horwood Ltd.
We are also working on the Litter Pickers Hub which will be our portable shelter and loo for use at litter sites. We have a 12’x12’ ex-military tent, which is being fitted out with an ex-Swedish army wood burner. This will be used for heating the space and making hot water for tea/coffee and soup making. We have some chairs and hope to make some fold up tables. The portable loo shelter is a tent we have to make from scratch but we have some plans already in the pipeline. No shortage of things to do if we are going to be presentable for litter picking next year. Once we have obtained or made the kit we will have to make boxes and find containers so it packs neatly down for transport.
At the moment we are short of funds to complete making the kit described above. We need some plywood and other items. These will be put on a list on the donate page in case anyone can help us with money or materials. You would be amazed at how much value for money we can get from your financial support!
