Thanks to Claire for details of this great project involving residents of The Foyer in Ryde. In her own words. Ed
Volunteers from the Foyer for the Island in Ryde joined forces with Natural Wight again last week to help the Gift to Nature conservation charity at their Sandown community orchard and wetland walk.
Jake Papp, Pete Head, Loura McReynolds and Marcus Hesketh spent the day getting the site ready for the summer holidays, trimming back the pathways, clearing bramble and litter picking throughout. Formerly derelict, the Wetland Walk at Sandown covers a section of the Eastern Yar and a network of waterways especially restored for kingfishers and water voles.
Although the volunteers missed spotting a kingfisher, they were working alongside plenty of butterflies and the occasional grass snake!
Gaining experience towards full-time employment
Marcus Hesketh said, “It’s beautiful here and a bit of a surprise – although I travel into Sandown quite often by bus, I didn’t know it was here.”
Jake Papp, helped by Pete Head, cleared overgrown willow to create an entire new glade in the centre of the site.
Jake said, “It’s fantastic to be able to work on a project such as this. I love working with my hands and being outdoors, plus I’m gaining experience towards full-time employment.”
Ian Boyd, Head of Environment for Natural Enterprise, who run the local Gift to Nature charity, said, “The volunteers have done a fantastic job at our Sandown conservation site and we’re looking forward to working with them and Natural Wight again at some of Gift to Nature’s other sites across the Island. The fruit in the community orchard wasn’t quite ripe for them this time but they’ll be able to help themselves when they next visit.”
