The latest news and updates from AGT.
Many families came to Torthworth Forest Centre’s Arbor Fest Day on 1st May. So much hard work during the winter had achieved a transformation since I was there last summer. A year ago what had been impenetrable scrub below trees now had a cleared path to walk through and one can begin to see the shape of the original layout of the arboretum. I reached an amazing old goat willow its branches spread out along …
Tortworth Forest Centre is a 20 acre woodland with a rich and fascinating history that has become overgrown over the last decade. It forms part of the arboretum of Tortworth Court and was a wonder of its day, considered in the 1890s to be one of the top arboreta in the country. Its collection of over 300 rare and champion trees hosts an amazing ecosystem of birds, bats, butterflies and other insects. The new owner …
In January we told you about Fifty Apples Trees and a Wassail. I have recently visited Dry Arch Growers in Bathampton to see how they have fared over the summer. On a very wet Sunday morning I met up with volunteers and we walked round the site, up by the rows of young apples trees to which we contributed; they have taken well and look healthy. They are now fenced in to protect them from …
Do you remember the pictures of many hands helping to put up a new cover on a poly tunnel for the Hartcliffe Health and Environmental Action Group? They had a less than useful space with a cover in shreds and we were able to help them with a new cover. I visited them recently and was shown how they had lost no time in making use of it. They have recently harvested cucumbers in the …
The grants that we donated to ten primary schools in the Bristol, South Gloucester and North Somerset area in 2014 were much appreciated. Just three examples are: Henbury Court Primary Academy who said the grant enabled them to buy seeds and plants for their colourful enclosed garden which is a haven of peace and tranquillity amid a very large playing field. The children were not there when I visited but the special needs teacher who …
On a sunny spring day in April, Cynthia Troup, Education Co-ordinator for Avon Gardens Trust, handed over a cheque for £500 to Ben Carpenter for the Community Space Challenge. The donation will to go towards the building and filling of five raised beds at the Springfield Allotments in Knowle West in Bristol. Working with the local south Bristol primary schools, Ben runs a Forest School with a programme where children spend half their time learning …
This year was the 19th year of this annual meeting was held at Stourhead, Wiltshire, and eight counties from across the south west were represented. Wiltshire Gardens Trust hosted and arranged the day and Cynthia Troup, our Education Co-ordinator, attended. Juliet Wilmot welcomed the visitors and introduced the first speaker who was Martin Clements of the Visitor and Volunteer section at Stourhead. He gave a fascinating talk covering the 300 years of the estate, the …
A blowy January morning in Bathampton at the Dry Arch Growers site saw a large gathering of volunteers to plant young apple trees with a wassail in the afternoon to drive out the evil spirits and encourage good fortune. Hard work by many people had the trees planted by early afternoon, well staked, fed and happy in their new location. These new trees join some four year old apples planted for the local primary school …
Shire Greens form part of the Shirehampton Community Action Forum, an overarching body which provides communication facilities for community projects. Shire Greens have planted and are looking after a community orchard on the Daisy Field near Shirehampton station. Winter is the time to prune pears and apples so on a Saturday morning early in December neighbours gathered to set about the pruning under instruction from an expert. During 2015 Shire Greens had applied to Avon …
Many people of all ages may find themselves the unpaid carer for someone who needs extra support day to day, from children looking after a parent with a disability to an elderly couple where one partner is the carer for the other. The Carers’ Centre helps carers who live in Bath and North East Somerset. They provide information and advice, breaks from caring and emotional support together with personal development, support into work and a …