New website for Trent Vale

At last! The long-awaited Trent Vale website is finally here after months of hard work.

The new website will act as the main noticeboard for all Trent Vale events, news and activities, as well as providing lots of information about the heritage and wildlife of the area. This is the place where you will, in time, be able to download all our circular walks and cycle routes. We are encouraging the community to suggest features and places of interest to add to our interactive maps, so feedback welcomed! View the new site at:

www.trentvale.co.uk

The sad news is that I won’t be updating this blog any more. Instead, all our information will be posted on the new website. The good news is that, if you’re a Twitter fan, all news and new events will tweeted there too! So there’s no excuse to miss out. If you’re not a Twitter fan, I urge you to have a go. You might be pleasantly surprised as it’s a great way to find out what’s going on in the area.

Follow us on @Trent_Vale

Thank you for all your support and I look forward to seeing you on the other side…

Introduction to Coppicing Course

As part of Trent Vale BTCV are running a free one day course to teach the traditional art of willow coppicing at Farndon Willow Holt.

Place: Farndon Wilow Holt
Date: Friday 9th December 2011
Time: 10.00am – 3.30pm

To book your place please contact Sue Coy : on 0115 9313316. Places are limited so booking is essential!

Uncovering, exposing and revealing

Hopefully those words have grabbed your attention for the next community archaeology dates on Trent Vale’s Revealing the Riverbank project.

Join Notts County Council Community Archaeologists on one of the upcoming Revelaing the Riverbank Audit dates. You will help us (and be trained in the process) to record archaeological features along the River Trent. Essentially it involves a walk along a stretch of riverbank, keeping eyes peeled for any archaeological features. Anything spotted is recorded with photos and a GPS location.

Thursday 24 November – Farndon Meeting outside the Riverside pub, North End, NG24 3SX, at 10am. Walk is approximately 4 miles. Bring suitable footwear and clothing, and something to drink en route.

Thursday 1 December – North Clifton and Bubble Dyke Meeting at North and South Clifton Church (lies on the road directly between the two villages), at 10.30am. Walk is approximately 4 miles. Bring suitable footwear and clothing, and something to drink en route. Also, bring your lunch if you want.

Thursday 15th December

Morning – Laneham and Dunham Meeting by Laneham church, in Church Laneham, opposite the Ferry Boat Inn, at 10am. Walk is approximately 4 miles. Bring suitable footwear and clothing, and something to drink en route.

Afternoon – Trent Port and Littleborough Meeting by Marton church at 2pm Walk is approximately 3 miles. Bring suitable footwear and clothing, and something to drink en route.

So why not come along and stretch your legs, and hopefully spot a bit of archaeology along the way! If you would like to come along to any of the following audits, please let Emily Gillot know. (They need to know who may be coming in case we need to cancel or change arrangements.)

Emily Gillott

emily.gillott@nottscc.gov.uk

 or community.archaeology@nottscc.gov.uk

Tel:   0115 977 2160
Mob: 07917 212 554

Dungeons open for business

Explore Newark Castle and its dungeons on Wednesdays,  Fridays,  Saturdays and Sundays each week.

DUNGEON TOUR – 11 am
Includes two barrel vaulted dungeons and a bottle dungeon.

Includes ladder climb and confined spaces.  Suitable clothing and footwear must be worn.

TOWERS &  UNDERCROFT TOUR  – 1pm

Investigate the archaeology and history of Newark castle and discover the different types of architecture associated with the castle.  Visit the South West and Gatehouse Towers, Galleries and Undercroft.

Involves climbing 77 stairs to the top of the Gatehouse.

 Adults: £2.50, Children £1.25, family £7.

Please pre-book your tour to ensure availability by calling the Newark Tourist Information Centre on 01636 655765.

Funding opportunities for groups in Gainsborough and West Lindsey

For information about current funding opportunities for groups in Gainsborough and West Lindsey visit the Voluntary Centre Services website: http://www.voluntarycentreservices.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=141&Itemid=141. 

Here you can download the October funding bulletin (issue 96 – scroll down to the ‘bulletins’ section) and get information on:

• ESF Community Learning and Skills Grant (deadline 14^th November)
• Thonock Trust (deadline 15^th November)
• The Councillor Big Society Fund
• Police Property Act Fund

 There is also information on training opportunities with BTCV in Environmental Conservation in Trent Vale.

Christmas is coming… (sorry I know it’s only the end of October)

Forget the shopping and the wrapping for an afternoon and come and take the opportunity for a last walk around the reserve before Christmas. We don’t have any pear trees but there is always the chance of a turtle dove!

Sunday 27 November
1.30 pm – 3.30 pm
Price: £2 per adult, £1 per child

Please be aware this is a 4 mile walk on rough terrain, please wear suitable footwear.

Booking essential. Contact Paul Bennett tel. 01636 893611; e-mail: Paul.bennett@rspb.org.uk

Directions to Langford Lowfields

RSPB Langford Lowfields, Langford Quarry, Newark Road, Collingham. Langford Lowfields reserve is accessible from the A1133 road just south of Collingham. Access is via the Tarmac quarry road. Car parking available.

Visit their website here

Farndon Wildlife Watch Group: funds for a new environmental education hut

With a click of the mouse you can help to rebuild the children’s wildlife hut!

Last year the education hut on our Farndon Willow Holt nature reserve was shockingly burnt to the ground by vandals. If you vote for Farndon Wildlife Watch Group, and they win the £6,000, they will be able to pay for a brand new vandal-proof hut, which would also be used by conservation volunteers and the local community.

To vote please follow these simple steps:

1) Register on the NatWest Community Force website by clicking here

2) When you receive the registration email from NatWest, click on the hyperlink to confirm

3) Then vote for the Farndon Watch Group project at: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/3688

For more information about the Farndon Wildlife Watch Group’s entry, please visit the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust website.