The Wendover Arm Trust Working Party News – August 2017, Issue 122

During these working parties work concentrated on laying spoil on the banks and bed where BITM had completed block and coir roll laying in June.

As well as completing the above work, bank profiling was extended for another 15 metres and the Bentomat lining, hollow concrete blocks, solid concrete blocks and coir rolls laid ready for completing with spoil fill at the September working party.

On the first two days of the August working party, the opportunity was taken, while the weather was dry, to cut enough Bentomat into 4m. and 20m. lengths to ensure enough Bentomat for all lining work through to better weather in 2018.

Operation Floodwatch

In the December newsletter last year I mentioned that CRT had revived the idea of gradually raising stop planks at Drayton Beauchamp Bridge so as to monitor the effect of raised water level back to Wendover; a proposal made by WAT in 2008 but vetoed by BW in case they were accused of flooding adjacent land.

CRT now wish to pursue this project but have asked WAT if they can assist with manpower to help them.

I have already asked for a volunteer to co-ordinate our volunteers in assisting CRT. To date I have had no offers of help! If you are willing to take this task on please get in touch with me, Roger Leishman, as soon as possible.

Open Day Sunday September 3^rd 2017

Just a reminder that the next Open Day is on Sunday September 3^rd 2017.

Many of you know that Margaret and I have four retired racing greyhounds. In August we joined our friends Sue Cook and her partner Richard on their narrowboat Indigo Dream together with their three greyhounds at Dudswell for a trip to Bank Mill Lane at Berkhamsted.

You will now wonder why I am writing this under Open Days?

At the May Open Day Jo Orth and her helpers raised £615.34 in sales of teas, cakes and preserves. Well done all.

Out of this sum £191.36 was from the sale of preserves, jam, marmalade etc. and a great deal of the jam and marmalade was donated by Sue who makes preserves on a large scale for sale in aid of charity. Many thanks to Sue and the other donors.

Sue has been a regular donor of her preserves to our Open Days for several years for which the Trust are truly grateful. Sue and Richard cruise at weekends during the summer months and, amongst other things, are regular competitors in the annual BCN 24 hour competition.

If, on your travels, you meet up with Indigo Dream please make yourselves known to Sue and Richard and thank Sue for her support of WAT. Just look for the greyhounds painted on the bows!

Whitehouses

The latest news on the design and progress of the pseudo weir and wing walls to the wharf wall at Whitehouses is that the design has been completed and is at present being costed. No firm date for this work has been agreed although a date of April / May next year has been suggested but attempts are being made to bring this forward to avoid clashing with WAT’s work that should have reached Whitehouses about that time.

Tidy Friday

John Reynolds and his team continue with their good work of vegetation control. See schedule on page 3 for dates.

General Notes

We operate as a self-supervising group under CRT and all volunteers receive and sign for the Trust’s Restoration Handbook that includes full Health and Safety requirements for the restoration works.

The handbook is the property of the Trust; if you leave the working parties for any reason, please return your Handbook to either Ray Orth or myself.

Hard hats for use at all times and high visibility jackets to be worn on sites with mobile plant in use are kept in the store at Tringford and must be drawn/returned there.

One first aid kit is kept in the store and one in the Nissan Cabstar and each qualified first-aider will have their own kit with him/her when on site.

Also available in the store at Tringford are ear defenders and goggles that must be worn when using strimmers, angle grinders, concrete breakers and the like. CRT will supply hard hats, gloves and footwear with reinforced toecaps on request.

We normally work from 9am to 5pm (or dark if earlier!). There are breaks for morning tea/coffee, packed lunch and afternoon tea/coffee. We take our own food and drink.