The membership Year starts on the 1st April each year Membership renewals will be due for current members for the 2017 - 2018 - by April 1st 2017 Not a member ?? Why not join and find out what is happening on your local Nature reserve with our Newsletter by becomimg a member. Membership costs just £4 per year for the whole household This local group consists of people of all ages, who have a strong interest in conservation. If you feel you could not volunteer for work parties, don't be put off from joining. PLEASE, we do need your support. Many of our members support us by their subscription alone, and for various reasons don't get involved in any of the work. To join call Ian Ridley our secretary on 01494 674944 and request an application form. or email me on ian.ridley77@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Friends of Holtspur Bank is a group of people interested in the area for various reasons. Many are local people, who over the years have used it as a place for strolling, walking the dog, studying the typical flora and fauna of chalk grassland and ancient woodland, or just enjoying the views and tranquillity of the area. Others come from farther afield to help with work parties on the reserve, or because they read about it in the local paper, or through BBOWT or Butterfly Conservation. The Friends have close links with both of these organisations. The group was formed
soon after Holtspur Bank was designated as a Local Nature Reserve in 1995 and
has had a membership of between sixty and seventy over the years. The first
newsletter came out in November 1995 when the Friends of Holtspur Bank logo was
used for the first time. It was designed
by Shirley Tuckley, one of the Friends and shows a marbled white butterfly, a
dormouse and blackberry flowers.  From the beginning the
Friends wanted a display board on the reserve to give a map of the area
together with a guide to the plants and animals to be found there. Consequently it was very pleasing when Thames
Water came up with £1000 for that purpose. One of the Friends (Nigel Tuckley)
had the skills to do the art work and there was an official unveiling of the
display board in the summer of 1998. Pictured to the right. Among the improvements achieved on the reserve over the last few years are: the
steps built from footpath B33; the steps up from the Riding Lane entrance; the
benches erected in various places; paying for the kissing gates; simple things
such a buying several sets of tools; as well as the ongoing maintenance work of
dogwood clearance, coppicing and regular bonfires to burn scrub cut down by
contractors. The work of a volunteer - in their own words.  "If you have ever thought about doing something voluntary, but don’t want to work in a charity shop and you enjoy being outdoors, then you can do no better than join The Friends of Holtspur Bank. Once a month from October to March we get together and help maintain and nurture the wood and scrub area that is Holtspur Bank. The activities are diverse and interesting in their variety and it gives an opportunity to learn about things I otherwise would have no chance to do from: coppicing; to putting up dormouse boxes; planting hawthorn hedges; and maintaining footpaths. One of my favourite regular jobs is having a bonfire to burn the scrub cuttings that are trimmed back by contractors; there is something peculiarly satisfying about a bonfire. For me, this is the woods’ equivalent of messing about on the river. The area is naturally beautiful and working in the nature reserve feels like a privilege, a chance to spend time more closely involved in the natural world. I find that a few hours working in the same area means I look at it in more detail and see things I might not notice while walking through the same area every day with the dog, I particularly like to spot the tiny flowers that thrive there. There are some lovely views across the hills; we often see the red kites circling above us and, in the spring, rabbits and sometimes pheasants running around.Don’t be fooled, this is not gardening on a larger scale; it is quite different, and much more enjoyable. And as if that wasn’t enough, there is good company to be found and people who, like the activities, are interesting and diverse. Without The Friends’ working parties I probably would not have met them all, which would have been a great shame. There is plenty to do and I always get home feeling a sense of satisfaction at having done something useful and thoroughly enjoyed myself at the same time". |