Conway Reccers were in New Year action on Sunday 26 January. It wasn’t the warmest of days, but we cracked on and beat the rain. All work was, of course, closely monitored and supervised by our resident, pre-courting, Egyptian Geese.
Useful jobs were done by our trusty volunteers. They included:
- a thorough litter-pick. It was good to see the bins emptied at the end of last week – they were spilling over. We pointed this out to the new Head of Urban Green Spaces, Lisa Smart, who visited the Rec recently. Lisa followed-up and reported that illness and lack of staff had been the problem.
- shrub planting. Most visitors respect plant life in the Rec, but we have lost few shrubs to theft over the years. We hope the new plantings will thrive.
- pond tidying. Inevitably, tennis balls find their way into the water and are normally fished out by Club members and Friends. From time to time, young people abuse their privilege and throw lumps of wood and other debris into the pond. On this occasion, a bird-feeder stand had been removed from its place and chucked in. Gating behind the Clubhouse is probably now needed.
- pond edge protection. The stonework around the pond is vulnerable to self-seeded growth causing breakage and collapse. Early removal is the answer.
- tarpaulin removal. The ‘Dell’ behind Court 5 contains fruit trees planted by the Friends to make that slightly wilder area less brambly, more attractive, and welcoming to wildlife. The time had come to remove tarpaulins laid to keep the ground free from unwanted growth and protect the young saplings.
- flower-bed TLC. At the Cannon Road end of the Rec, small flower beds get regular attention to help retain their variety and charm.
- leaf and branch recycling. The top path is covered with oak leaves and fallen branches during late autumn and winter months. Leaves were swept and barrowed to compost corner, from where they eventually return to the soil. Fallen branches piled near the Cannon Road gate are taken by the Council to its heavier green waste facilities.
- hedge pruning. The deciduous hedge along the grassy side of Court 3 was tidied and subjected to its last prune before the nesting season begins.



Our volunteers also managed to squeeze in a little sit-down, chat, hot drinks and a slice or two of cake, ensuring a fully-balanced morning.
Posted in Our Work