HarnhamSlope

The next FOHS Working Day is scheduled for Saturday 11 February. The task will be to continue (and hopefully to complete before the bird nesting season really gets underway) the work that has been ongoing over the past couple of months to tidy up the Glades alongside the Top Path of the Harnham Slope. Unfortunately, for the last session in January it was a very cold and frosty morning and it was too risky to clamber around on the steep, frosty and slippery Glade that we wanted to work on. We manged to do some tidying up of the 3rd Glade - and now we need to get the job finished that we started on the last remaining Glade. If you can spare any time at all between 10am and 1pm on that Saturday and would like to contribute by helping cut and remove some of the old scraggy weed growth left over from last Summer, we'd really welcome your help. If you can come along, you will be made to feel very welcome. We'll be meeting at the bottom of the steps which link the Top Path (Bishops Walk) to Bishops Drive road at 10am. If you can't be there for the start it doesn't matter - just come when you can and on arrival ask for Les. He'll be leading the effort that day and he'll welcome you, introduce you to the rest of the gang and explain how you can best help in the time that you have available. Tools, insurance, guidance and a warm welcome will all be provided. All you need to bring along is some "gardening type" clothes, stoutish footwear suitable for working on the steeply sloping ground and a sense of humour! You don't need to stay for the whole time - just feel free to leave whenever you need to in order to get on with the other things you need to do that day. Further details can be obtained from the Sec - see the "Contact Us" section of the website.

MONDAY 26 MARCH 2012

At the next routine FOHS meeting, Mr John Vickerman will be giving a presentation of his Bird Survey of the Harnham Slope. The meeting will take place on Monday 26th March at 7-30pm in the Communal Lounge of the Sheltered Housing Complex, Norfolk Road, Harnham. The presentation is likely to cover: (a) Reasons for the survey; (b) The methodology; (c) Population hotspots and why they are hotspots; (d) Species diversity; (e) Modest methods to improve population density and diversity e.g. nestbox provision, maintenance and record keeping; (f) General habitat management within the capability of the Friends. We also hope to have Ali Rasey from Wiltshire Council talk to us about a National Badgers Day on Saturday 5th October and how we can get involved. There will be a limited number of seats (about 20) available, so to ensure that you do not miss out on what will undoubtedly be an interesting evening, can you please confirm your attendance at this meeting to the Secretary? (For her contact details, please see "Contact Us"). If she doesn't hear from you, she will assume you are unable to make the meeting.

MONDAY 23 APRIL 2012

There will be a general meeting in the evening of Monday 23 April - in the Community Lounge, starting at 7.30pm. At that meeting it is anticipated that the "Vision" for Harnham Slope will be developed further.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW TASKS, OR COMMENTS ON PLANNED TASKS?

Feel free to email your points, suggestions, questions to us at: TheFOHS@tiscali.co.uk or direct to the FOHS Secretary at caroline.lewis50@virginmedia.com or by telephone (01722 412 403)

We are a Community Group, so we welcome and value your input as a member of the Community.