Here is our October 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.
The book continues to sell well. Over 300 copies have already gone.
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.
With Christmas fast approaching the book would be a perfect gift for someone who has an interest in the Lakes Area.
Lakes and Cakes
Our annual summer event took place at Thrupp Lake back in July. Attendance was excellent again this year. Thank you to everyone who came along to support us. The sudden downpour halfway through didn’t dampen spirits, in fact it added to the event.
Ben Heaney and Daniel Culling provided some excellent musical entertainment, John Killick led a plant identification walk and Ian Elkins led a bird walk. Thank you to Ben, Daniel, John and Ian for giving up their time and supporting the event.
Photos © Logan Walker (@loganwalkerwildlife on Instagram)
Refreshments were provided and once again we are very grateful for all the donated home baked cakes; thank you to all the bakers. Thank you also to our team of volunteers who kept up with demand serving the many customers.
Photo © Logan Walker (@loganwalkerwildlife on Instagram)
Also thank you to the Abingdon Freewheelers who led a cycle ride from Abingdon to the Lakes; a great way to travel to the Lakes Area.
Thank you to H.Tuckwell & Sons for use of the site for the event and to the Earth Trust for their support.
Radley Community Picnic
We attended this event at Gooseacre back in June with a stall promoting the Lakes and the ‘Radley Lakes Story’.
Radley Primary School Fete
We also attended the fete again this year on a very warm day in July. Unfortunately it was too warm for us to have the mini beasts this time.
Annual Forum
Our fourth forum took place in September at Radley College and this year the main talk was provided by David Guyoncourt with the theme ‘Barton Fields, a rich diversity of habitats’. There were also updates on our achievements over the past year and our plans for the future.
Thank you to those who attended and shared their views and thoughts.
Thank you once again to Radley College for use of the facility and supplying the light refreshments.
Abingdon Marathon
This event took place on Sunday 19th October and as in previous years we provided course marshals.
Thank you to everyone who volunteered and nominated the Trust as their charity. We will receive a donation from the Marathon for each marshal provided which goes a long way to meeting our annual running costs.
The Abingdon Naturalists volunteers supported the first drinks station which is sited by the Thrupp Lake parking area.
Winter Bird Walk
Once again, Ian Elkins will lead a walk around Thrupp Lake identifying the birds around the Lakes at this time of year. The walk will take place on Sunday 30th November, with a 9.30 am meet time at the Thrupp Lake hub benches. Numbers will be limited so please let us know promptly if you would like to attend by emailing info@radleylakestrust.org.
Quiz
Following our successful quiz last year, we are arranging another one for a Saturday evening in February. Once we have a confirmed date, we will email all the friends with full details.
For all our events please refer to our website for the latest up to date information.
Barton Fields Wetlands
The project to create a new large pond and to extend the meadow to surround this pond is progressing.
The next steps will be to gain the required approvals for our plans and then go out to tender for completion of the work.
Footpath improvements
The recently laid path surface along the northern side of Thrupp Lake has been well received. The surface has settled well, and we have now removed some of the aggregate that was a little too deep in places.
We are also looking at accessibility issues around the lake and are working with the Earth Trust to identify key areas that can be improved.
There are also other possible footpath options outside the Lakes Area which we are investigating in conjunction with the local authorities.
Benches
In conjunction with the Earth Trust, we are exploring options for more benches around Thrupp Lake. The aim is to have two more benches installed over the winter period, one along the western side of the lake and one on the northern side.
Back in August the Vale Ramblers footpath maintenance team did a full cut back of the vegetation They did an excellent job again ensuring the path alongside the main railway line was cleared and safer to walk along. Thank you to them for another great job.
Photos © Adrian Lawson
Barton Fields
At the end of August volunteers from the Abingdon Naturalists Society and Abingdon Green Gym completed the annual meadow cut. The late mowing allows plants to shed seeds and insects to complete their life cycles. The cut hay is raked off and stacked in compost heaps, the heat generated by the decomposition makes ideal sites for grass snakes to lay their eggs, they are doing well and are now common on the site.
Thrupp Green
Sixteen volunteers from Abingdon Green Gym scythed half an acre of meadow at the eastern end of Thrupp Green earlier this month.
We scythe this meadow each year and plant diversity has increased as a result. Unfortunately, the Lapwing that used to nest there have not done so for two years, but we are hopeful they will return.
Some of this meadow remains to be scythed and we plan for the Green Team volunteers and other enthusiastic scythers to complete the task later this autumn.
Thrupp Green Orchid Glades
Recently a contractor completed the annual mowing of the glades at Thrupp Green. There was less grass growth this year due to the dry weather but cutting and removal of the vegetation gives the best possible conditions for orchids to thrive in future years. Our thanks to John Curtis for funding the work.
Volunteer work at Thrupp Lake
Earlier this month our volunteers completed some work to re-stake some of the plantings around the parking area and remove some excess gravel from the new path surface. Thank you to our volunteers for their time helping with these tasks.
Planning matters - Proposed Mineral Extraction (ROMP)
Ecological surveys continue to be an issue and further submissions are expected. We are in regular contact with H.Tuckwell on this matter and have recently had an update from them on the progress.
We will continue to keep up to date on the progress of the application and submit appropriate responses when required.
The Trust is run by a Trustee Board who meet quarterly to review and progress the Trust’s activities. We are looking for more Trustees to join us, so 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.