We are a small group of local residents who try to make our village a better place to wander in.
If you see someone cutting back brambles, strimming nettles, spreading pea shingle on the pathways or digging out muddy blockages somewhere it is liable to be us. We also help professional tree surgeons when we are advised to remove dangerous trees. Two of our members, Tom Cox and Ian Peters, advise us on things to do with the wildlife and ecology in the woodland.
Much of our work centres around the new "Heritage Park", including the waterside footpath from the picnic area, past the iron pilings and the new gabion flood defences.
You may have seen the new "Crows Nest" viewing area we constructed out of recycled bits from the picnic area. We kept them when the new plastic furniture was installed.
Our latest venture has been the replacement of the dangerous steps that led to the shelter on the foreshore.
This has enabled us to close down the old steps, encouraging walkers to exit the park opposite Whinney Queech, residents of Estuary Road are now less likely to suffer disturbance from people leaving the shelter at night.
Some householders here help us improve this amenity opposite their houses by mowing parts of the roadside and trimming the hedgerow if it encroaches on the road.
It really does make a difference for all of us when residents take "ownership", even to the extent of reminding their neighbours that dumping garden rubbish is now illegal, grass clippings included.
Many garden plants are invasive and can devastate wild flora. Big fines can be meted out to offenders.
The new steps, with their sturdy handrail, are already proving popular. The glade we have opened up alongside this handrail, complete with Rita's memorial bench and three circular benches, will hopefully prove popular with residents and visitors alike.
Both Shotley School and Holbrook Academy are looking forward to using this great facility.
Our next big project will be to tidy up the Bofors Gun emplacement. We intend to take the third layer of blocks off and, using them and other blocks already loose, repair the wall completely. At the same time we intend to make sure the pathway in the woods from Lower Harlings is Wheelchair and Pushchair passable. As there is already a ramp in the gun emplacement it will be possible to make this a viewpoint accessible for chair users.
Anyone can join the footpath group, contact Lynn Catling, our Hon Secretary, we don't have lots of meetings
or a membership fee. If you have an email address we will let you know when we are going to do any work.
You don't have to join in but if you fancy helping out we tend to keep most work parties to two hours at a time.
This ensures you don't lose a whole day on precious weekends, we retirees do stuff mid week too.
Other ways you can help out is by carrying a pair of secateurs when walking, only cut back brambles or nettles that are encroaching on the path though. They are useful undergrowth and habitat elsewhere.
We have to check with our "experts" before removing other stuff.
We are always on the look out for unwanted paving stones, fence posts and pea shingle.
Things left over from building or gardening projects. However, we have to be careful about what we use.
Rules about inappropriate materials and plants apply to us as well!
If you don't know us get in touch through Dina, our Parish Clerk.
At the Open Spaces and Amenities Committee of the Parish Council Alex Petterson, attending as an observer,
came up with a nautical theme for naming parts of the Heritage Park .
The "Crows Nest" viewing area already seems to have caught on so he suggested:
Picnic Area "The Galley"
Bofors Site "The Gun Deck"
The new clearing by the steps "The Quarter Deck"
Other suggestions for the latter site were:
Heritage Park Learning Centre, Heritage Centre, Outdoor Learning Centre,
Outdoor Meeting Space, The Learning Glade, The Glade, The Mess Deck.
We would like feedback, suggestions, comments or advice on any of the matters mentioned above.
Geraint Pugh.