A Short History of The Holmwood Estate:
Presentation by Alan Aburrow Friends of Badock’s Wood AGM: Tuesday 24th March at 7.30 p.m. at the Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead. Refreshments available. ALL WELCOME
Friends of Badock’s Wood Annual General Meeting is open to all.
Come along to this illustrated presentation from local historian and past Chair of the Friends of Badock’s Wood, Alan Aburrow, when he will give a Short History of The Holmwood Estate.
This is the title of Alan’s recently published booklet which includes details of Badock’s Wood (together with a short biography of Sir Stanley Badock), Southmead Round Barrow (with its modern sculpture), Holmwood National Children’s Home, Westbury Wildlife Park. Copies of his booklet will be able to purchase at the meeting.
As it is the Annual General Meeting there will be elections for the officers of the Committee and agreement of any co-optees. If you would like to nominate anyone for any of the Committee roles or coopted positions please email the Secretary. The Constitution which lists all of the posts can be seen here. All of the current Committee and Cooptees have agreed to be nominated for re-election but all posts are open for alternative nominees.
Also at the meeting the group will be reporting back on the past year’s activities in the wood including the events, conservation work, wildlife monitoring, the rivers in the wood and past and future projects.
The evening will include drinks and nibbles (donations will be collected) and it would help the Friends of Badock’s Wood group to plan the evening if you are able to let us know in advance if you are intending to come along. You can email Frances Robertson, the Secretary of the Friends of Badock’s Wood at fobwsecretary@yahoo.co.uk
The agenda will be available from our website in early March:www.fobw.org.uk
Thanks to your information and photos, Wessex Water was able to track down the construction site which was causing a pollution problem and to stop them polluting the river. Wessex Water have a new River Rangers Project which they are rolling out in our area. More information on this project coming soon. Please report any river pollution to Wessex Water by telephoning 0345 600 4 600.
Tues 24th March 7.30 - 9.00 p.m.
Friends of Badock's Wood AGM Illustrated talk : A Short History of Holmwood Gardens Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, Southmead ALL WELCOME Agenda and minutes available from our website:www.fobw.org.uk
Saturday 4th April Badock's Bird Day - part of the Festival of Learning Booking essential - please follow links below. Birds of Badock’s Wood
10:00 a.m. - 12 noon https://www.bristollearningcity.com/event/birds-of-badocks-wood/
Learn to recognise birds mainly by their song. A walk in the wood to find some birds and hear a bird story about the birds of the wood. This session is for all ages from 5 to adult with 20 spaces available. Wear shoes good enough for walking on muddy paths and weatherproof clothing. Wheelchair accessible – walk can be tailored for wheelchair users. Children MUST be accompanied by an adult
What do Owls eat?
1.30 - 3.30 p.m https://www.bristollearningcity.com/event/what-do-owls-eat/
An indoor event. Introduction to British owls and what they eat. Includes the chance to take apart an owl pellet and discover how many different things a barn owl eats. This session is for all ages from 5 to adult and there are 20 spaces available. Equipment and owl pellets will be provided. No special clothing required. The venue is wheelchair accessible. Children MUST be accompanied and supervised by an adult as they will be helping the children take apart the owl pellets.
Future Parks Consultation
The Council has funding and is working in partnership with National Trust to look at the ways that we use parks and open spaces and to think about how this will look in the future, how they will be funded etc etc. They have set up a project called Bristol Future Parks and details are on their website https://www.bristol.gov.uk/museums-parks-sports-culture/bristol-future-parks
As part of their work they are holding meetings in each of the old Neighbourhood Partnerships areas. The meeting covering Southmead, and therefore Badock's Wood, is being held at the Greenway Centre on Wednesday 4th March between 6.30 and 8.30 p.m. For more information and to find out about other dates of meetings in other areas visit their web page. If you click on your area you will be redirected to a booking form to register to attend. https://www.bristol.gov.uk/museums-parks-sports-culture/bristol-future-parks-community-events
Do please try and get along to these meetings. We know it is short notice but we were only notified ourselves recently.
Climate and Ecological Emergency
We all know the impacts of the Climate Emergency and whilst we may not all be surrounded by devastating flood waters most of you will certainly have experienced weather changes. Wetter and windier weather in winter and hotter summers are becoming more frequent. Bees and other pollinators are struggling. A mismatch between, for example, fruit trees blossoming (often earlier now) and their pollinators not being present, is just one example. Studies of car windscreens and the lack of insects "splatted" on them in recent years and lack of hedgehogs on the roadside are ways that we have all been able to tell that wildlife is in crisis in many cases.
In November 2018 Bristol City Council declared a Climate Emergency and on 26 February 2020 the One City Environmental Sustainability Board published the One City Climate Strategy - https://www.bristolonecity.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/one-city-climate-strategy.pdf
In February 2020 the Bristol Mayor declared an Ecological Emergency and the Bristol Green Capital Partnership, of which Friends of Badock’s Wood is a member, responded by asking members to recognise and respond to these emergencies. https://bristolgreencapital.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/BGCP-ecological-emergency_4-Feb-2020.pdf
We will be considering how we should recognise and respond to this twin emergency and review our work at the Friends of Badock's Wood AGM. Individuals can also take their own actions and the websites have information and advice for everyone.
Bristol Naturalists' Society holds regular walks and talks every month. They also very kindly lead many of the walks we have in Badock's Wood. FOBW is a member of the "Bristol Nats" but you may want to join up yourselves to be in touch with people who share your enthusiasm whether it's birds, spiders, fungi, moths etc. For more information you can download their walks and events leaflet for March or visit their website to see other months' notices.
Please report problems in the wood such as
overflowing litter bins, fallen trees, blocked paths etc to
Bristol City Council through their online reporting system at:www.bristol.gov.uk/reportparkproblem
River pollution should be reported to the Wessex Water by calling 0345 600 4 600 and providing them with a location and description.
Donations
Just to let you know....
We don't currently charge for membership of the Friends, but do welcome donations towards our costs. Most of our walks leaders are kind enough to offer their time free but we also have to pay for room hire, leaflets, posters, etc and we also make some donations to organisations whose members kindly lead walks. Where we have to pay for room hire, walks leaders, etc., we do ask that attendees make a donation.
You can donate at most of our events and walks - there is usually a collecting jar - alternatively if you would like to make a one off or regular donation to the group please reply to this email and we will let you have the address / bank details. Thank you.
For more information or to contact us about the Friends of Badock's Wood you can visit our website - www.fobw.org.uk
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