Here is our February newsletter containing reports on recent and future events plus updates on progress with projects and regular maintenance activities. We are also keeping up to date with local planning matters, so we have provided our latest position on those.
We have now sold 338 copies of this excellent book raising over £5000 for the Trust. Copies are still available in Abingdon at The Bookstore, Mostly Books and the Museum. The book is also available at the Radley village shop or to order via our website.
Winter Bird Walk
Ian Elkins led an excellent walk around Thrupp Lake on a beautiful early-winter morning at the end of November. We saw and heard many birds including Teal, Gadwalls, Little Grebes, Great Crested Grebes, Goosanders, Tufted Ducks, Shovelers, Long Tailed Tits, a Heron, a Goldcrest, a Kestrel hovering over fields in the distance plus the usual Mallards, Gulls and Cormorants.
Also to add to the event, a pike made an appearance in the shallower water next to the wooden bridge in the northwest corner of Thrupp Lake.
Thank you to Ian for leading the walk and providing his expertise and thank you to all who attended and contributed to an enjoyable morning.
Quiz
Following our successful quiz nights held over the past two years, we have just held another quiz at the Northcourt Centre on Saturday 7th February. There will be a full report in the next newsletter.
Spring Bird Walk
In the spring, we aim to have another guided bird walk around Thrupp Lake. When we have an agreed date, we will send out an email and provide full details on our website.
For all our events please refer to our website for the latest up to date information.
Barton Fields Wetlands
This is a project to create a new large pond and to extend the meadow surrounding this pond. Initial design is complete and we are now seeking the required approvals from the relevant authorities and landowners for our plans before we go out to tender for completion of the work.
Footpath Improvements
We have looked at accessibility issues around Thrupp Lake and, working with the Earth Trust, we have agreed to address the area on the western side of the lake where the protruding tree roots are a particularly concern. We plan to extend the path in the south-west corner of Thrupp Lake by another 100 meters to provide a better surface for wheelchairs and push chairs. We will shortly be going out to tender with local contractors to complete the work.
There are other possible footpath options outside the immediate Lakes area which we are considering. We will approach the relevant landowners once we have options that are potentially viable.
Benches
In conjunction with the Earth Trust, we have agreed two further benches around Thrupp Lake. The aim is to have one installed along the western side of the lake and one on the northern side. We are currently looking for potential suppliers who can provide benches to the required standard and within our budget.
Barton Fields
During the Autumn, the Green Team planted 200 Snake’s Head Fritillary bulbs in the wetland area west of where the new pond will be located. We are hopeful that at least some will bloom this Spring. This is in an area of about 1000 square metres around an existing pond and the new pond. We have been working on this for about five years to produce a biodiverse floodplain meadow.
The Green Team also continue with their regular Wednesday maintenance activities ensuring that the area continues to be a rich haven for all wildlife.
We have been working with the Vale of White Horse on a legal agreement covering the ongoing management of Barton Fields and we are now in a position to sign this agreement alongside an approved management plan for the area.
Volunteer Work at Thrupp Lake
Last month we had a small group clearing the excess leaves that had built up on the path surfaces towards the back gate and adjacent to the wooden bridge. Thank you to our volunteers for their time completing this task.
Planning Matters - Proposed Mineral Extraction (ROMP)
On 19th January, the Planning & Regulation Committee at Oxfordshire County Council were expecting to consider the ROMP application for gravel extraction south of the old railway line (now the cycle track) from H.Tuckwell. However, due to an over-running discussion on another site, this was postponed to Monday 23rd February. Radley Lakes Trust are due to make a 2-minute presentation on the application alongside other groups including the Parish Council. The focus of RLT remains to alter some of the proposed planning conditions to improve protection of the local ecology (notably Orchard Lake) and recreation.
The application for Conditions was submitted in 2023 but there have been several updates to it. The OCC report on the application is here and the proposed recommendations for the Committee can be found here.
Website Upgrade
The Trust’s website has been up and running for five years so this year we are going to be reviewing both the content and structure with a view to making some improvements. We will also be looking at ways of improving recruitment of Friends to the Trust.
Masterplan Review
The Masterplan was published in May 2021 following a process of engagement with stakeholders and landowners. It was facilitated by the Radley Parish Council developing on the Radley Lakes Strategy in the Radley Neighbourhood plan 2018-2031. This year we will be undertaking a review of our Masterplan to confirm its continued relevance moving forward.
We plan to launch a consultation in March requesting feedback from stakeholders including landowners, councils, local community groups, Friends of the Trust and anyone who has an interest in the Lakes Area.
Farewells
Two of our Trustees, Roger Thomas and Andrew Ashton, have recently stepped down from the board. Roger was a founder member and provided continuity from the ‘Friends of Radley Lakes’ while Andrew joined the board and served as the second Chair of the Trust. Roger has now joined our advisory panel so we will continue to benefit from his local knowledge. We want to thank them both for their tremendous contribution over the past five years and wish them both well with their respective interests.
The Trust is run by a Trustee Board who meet quarterly to review and progress the Trust’s activities. We do have vacancies for more Trustees so we are looking for people who are enthusiastic about the Lakes area, have relevant skills and can contribute towards the Trust’s objectives.
If you would be interested in becoming a Trustee, then please contact us by email to info@radleylakestrust.org to arrange an initial discussion.
The Trust now has over 220 Friends. If you have not already joined, do become one. It is free, and ensures you are kept in touch with everything and can come to all events. And the more Friends we have, the stronger our grounding in the community and our ability to influence events affecting the Lakes. Just fill in this simple form.
We remain much in need of income for essential day-to-day expenses. There are several ways you can help us.
Online donation. This is very simple and HMRC will add gift aid for us. Payments can be one-off or regular. Just use the button below.
White Horse Community Lottery. Every time you buy a lottery ticket and select RLT as your chosen good cause, you are helping our finances. Click here.
All financial help, however small, is greatly appreciated. Many thanks to those who have already donated and to those who now plan to do so.
You can read more about the Trustee Board here. If you are able to help with some of the work that makes RLT tick: for instance, helping at our events or maintenance activities, just get in touch.