TODAY

Today we witnessed a very dramatic start to the morning as the skies darkened and the heavens opened up with a series of heavy hailstorms.

Picture 1 captures the volunteer situation just before 0930am as Allan and I took shelter from the weather. Picture 2 shows the volunteer position about 10am when Gill N, and Steve  joined  Allan and me. BUT by the time we took an early coffee break an hour later, our volunteer team had grown to an impressive 12 volunteers. This is amazing show of support considering the appalling weather conditions!! Picture 3 shows (from left to right) Adrian, Ilma, Joyce, Alan, Julie D, Gary, Niels, Allan and Steve sheltering by the cafe during the break. Gill N, Leslie and myself are the other volunteers missing from the picture.

SO WHAT DID WE DO APART FROM SHELTER FROM THE HORRENDOUS WEATHER AND DRINK COFFEE?

Despite the appalling weather we did actually achieve some good results today:

• When we arrived in the park this morning there was a lot of flooding around the park but particularly near the roundabout. This was unusual as the new drainage system installed in 2023 should have dealt with this problem. Consequently Steve, Gary, Allan and I lifted and cleaned out one of the new drains and within a very short period of time, this crucial path area of the park was cleared and made usuable again. Well done everyone!!

• As it was really too wet to work in the flower beds, Julie D and Ilma took the opportunity to begin pruning and shaping the yew near the Gillbrook Road entrance. This work is planned to be completed next week.Thank you Julie and Ilma. 

• Another big job we did this morning, thanks to Adrian, Niels, Steve and Gary was to remove two of the goal posts and nets from the sports field and then safely store them in the volunteers shelter.  This will enable us to re-seed the worn out sections of this football pitch next week. Thank you guys. 

• With all the wet weather we have been having for weeks, we have not been able to start this years maintenance programme for all the large wooden animal carvings and wooden benches around the park. However, thanks to Joyce, we did make a great start today. Joyce armed herself with brushes, sponges and a bucket of hot soapy water and gave Buddy and Lucy a thorough spring clean. This was a great job and with all the rain there was absolutely no problem with the rinsing! Thank you Joyce

• Thank you also to Neils and Alan for doing a thorough litter pick throughout the park. 

• Later this afternoon we also took delivery of an 850kg bulk bag of MOT gravel for the foundation of the hard standing for the imminent new bench. I am delighted to report that with the assistance of a willing co-opted dog walker, I was able, this evening, to use our new pallet truck to move this bulk bag into position next to the excavated new bench area ready for use next week.

VOLUNTEER ENTERTAINMENT - THIS FRIDAY AT 7:30PM

Following his last gig in Heaton Moor, which I know a number of our volunteers enjoyed attending, one of our volunteers Suborno, has asked me to let everybody know that he will again be appearing with his group Velvet Sun at the Didsbury Cricket Club this Friday at 7:30PM. I have attached a poster of the event containing more details in picture 4. Please do support Suborno if you can - I am sure you will enjoy it!

Finally I would like to thank everybody who turned out today in what I think must have been the worst weather at the beginning of any volunteering session I can remember!