Greenheal Fruit Tree Scheme Opens for Orders
Following a successful pilot last year, local charity Greenheal are now taking orders for their fruit tree scheme.
The project has been expanded this year, with more trees to choose from – peach, plum, pear, cherry and apple – at a subsidised price of £21.50 each.
Trees can be ordered via the Greenheal website (link below), with a final delivery date to be confirmed, but expected to be during March.
National Trust Proposal for a Perimeter Fence around Woolbeding Common
Our neighbouring Parish Council has asked us to share the following information with you, regarding Woolbeding and Pound Commons –
Woolbeding and Pound Commons comprise 425 acres of open access land owned and managed by the National Trust for the benefit of all. It is a valuable local amenity, so hopefully you are already aware from the National Trust’s public meetings of their plans to install a perimeter stock fence around both Commons – see below for the latest version of the proposal and attached document on the style of fences & gates etc. This forms part of their long-term management plan to improve the common through more extensive use of free grazing, i.e. not limited by the current use of electric fencing. For more details, please see https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/woolbeding-countryside/woolbeding-reimagined-conservation-project, or contact the project lead Becky.Hiorns@nationaltrust.org.uk
Given the importance of the common to the Parish, the purpose of this request is to hear your views so that the Parish Council can submit a considered response when the National Trust (NT) submit their formal plans to the Secretary of State, expected to be in Q1 2026. The Parish Council will collate your views to form part of a public meeting to discuss this topic on Monday 26th January, details to follow.
Please send your comments on the proposal, both for and against, to the clerk at clerk@woolbedingwithredford-pc.co.uk by 20th December. Please say if you wish your response to be anonymous.
CDC Food Waste Collections
You may have already heard that Chichester District Council will be introducing new food waste collections in the near future.
We will let you know further information as it comes through, and you can also download the app, which also has lots of other useful information.
Winter Readiness Campaign
Now that the clocks have gone back, thoughts turn to the coming Winter months. It is vital to make sure that you and anyone that you care for are prepared for the effects of adverse weather. Here are some handy tips on how to get “Winter Ready” from the Sussex Resilience Forum.
Paul Stevens on Swifts
The recent Swifts Walking Tour by Paul Stevens and hosted by Greenheal was a great success. We look forward to seeing lots of swift boxes going up aound the village very soon. Want to know more about Paul and his work? Have a look at this video –
The conservationist helping swallows, swifts and house martins – Latest From ITV News
Volunteering Opportunity with the National Trust
The Parish Council has received the following details from the National Trust, a fantastic opportunity to get out in the countryside!
The National Trust are offering a new opportunity to become a ‘Woolbeding Reimagined’ volunteer.
Woolbeding Reimagined is an exciting project led by the National Trust’s South Downs West team whereby we hope to encourage nature recovery across ex-arable land in the Woolbeding area. We hope you can get involved in some way and become part of the journey which aims to establish species rich habitats, engage with more people and improve access to the countryside.
More details about the project can be found on our webpage Woolbeding conservation project | Sussex | National Trust
There are several volunteer roles, for all sorts of different abilities, interests and availabilities. However, we are in the early stages of the project delivery, so we want to keep things broad to allow you to help us develop these roles. Some of the volunteering opportunities we have in mind include:
- collecting widlflower seeds for dispersal and propagation
- taking part in the plant propagation programme
- roaming rangers to ramble across the site and inform us of what you’ve seen and help remediate
- ranger volunteering positions to help physically on tasks
- social media officers to update and engage the public
- admin assistants for record keeping and organisation
- livestock lookering to help monitor the cattle and sheep
- ecological surveying to assess if wildlife is increasing
- and more!
You’ll be volunteering alongside me, Charlotte Eley. I joined the team in mid-May and I will be hosting a ‘volunteer opportunities’ Open Morning on Friday 4th July from 10:00 until 12:00 at the South Downs West Estate Office:
Pound Common Yard
Woolbeding
West Sussex
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It will be an informal session whereby I will introduce myself and take some time to explain the project and what volunteering might look like. But there will be lots of time for questions and then I will show you around the yard and we can see some of the livestock too.
Please let me know if you plan to attend by emailing charlotte.eley@nationaltrust.org.uk. Parking is available on site but is fairly limited, so please car share where possible.
Thank you. Hopefully see you soon.
Woolbeding Reimagined Drop In Session
At the Annual Village Meeting hosted by the Parish Council back in May, we heard from Becky Hiorns – Project Manager at the National Trust, working on the Woolbeding Reimagined project. If you missed it and would like to know more, there is a drop in session taking place at the South Downs Centre on Tuesday 24th June.
Himalayan Balsam Pulling
Midhurst Green Volunteers and the Rotary Club will begin their annual pull of the invasive bankside plant, Himalayan Balsam, on Saturday 14th June between 8am and 11am and urgently require more volunteers.
If you are able to help, please meet at the seat by North Mill Bridge. All you will need are gloves, wellies and suitable clothing to protect against nettles. Can’t make 8am, or need to leave earlier than 11am? No problem! Please get in touch with Michael Balmforth for more details – m.07979080120 or balmforths@yahoo.com
Swifts Walk and Talk Tour
Did you know that Easebourne is home to at least one colony of Swifts, which are on the RSPB Red Endangered Species List?
Paul Stephens, the leading expert on Swifts for our area and lead conservationist for England on House Martens will be leading a “Swifts Walk” through the Village on Thursday 12th June starting at 5pm from St Mary’s Church.
Paul will educate on how and where swifts nest in Easebourne and Greenheal will be following up in due course with an offering of subsidised swift boxes to local residents. All are welcome to join, no need for prior booking.