Rowhill The Newsletter of the Rowhill Nature Reserve Society Celebratory Edition September 2011 Please address all correspondence to The Secretary, Rowhill Nature Reserve Society, The Field Centre, Cranmore Lane, Aldershot, Hants GU11 3BD. Tel:01252 319749 Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire presents prestigious Award from Queen to local volunteer group The Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan DCVO, attended a special ceremony on Saturday 17 September 2011 to present Rowhill Nature Reserve Society with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service 2011. The prestigious UK National Honour is the MBE for groups of volunteers who work in their local community for the benefit of others. It sets the national benchmark for excellence in volunteering, with the work of those awarded judged to be of the highest standard. The group was bestowed with an exclusive commemorative crystal alongside a certificate signed by Her Majesty, in recognition of their outstanding contribution. Group representatives also attended a celebratory Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace earlier in the Summer. Dame Mary said, “It is a great pleasure to present this award to Rowhill Nature Reserve Society whose volunteers have managed the Reserve for over 40 years. Their hard work has improved the site tremendously and will ensure that the beautiful local countryside is retained for the enjoyment of local residents and visitors for many years to come” Sheila Brooks, Chairman of the Society said, “We are proud to accept this award not only for those of us here, but for all Rowhill Volunteers, Members and Friends of the Society past and present who have worked so hard to make the Rowhill we know today”. The group was one of 130 across the country to receive the Honour for 2011. Eighteen groups from Hampshire have won The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002. For details of all this year’s Award winners and information on how to nominate a group, visit www.direct.gov.uk/qavs , where a nomination form can be downloaded. For further information about the group please contact: The Secretary: 01252 319749 The Chairman: [email protected] 2 FORTHCOMING EVENTS To be held in the Field Centre unless otherwise stated Thursday13th October 7.30pm Two new speaker’s for us, Neville Moss and Martin Angel will talk about The Middlebourne Lane Wildlife Garden and the Old Churchyard, illustrated with Martin Angel’s slides. This is a local prject and well worth learning about. Sheila and I heard this talk at a meeting we attended in Guildford last November. Wednesday 26 th October 7.30pm. The Friends of Farnham Park have booked our hall for a talk by Geoff Lunn. Sunday 30 th October 10am for 10.30 start – our annual Fungus Foray in the Reserve led by our President, Dr. Brian Spooner. Please let Kathy know if you intend to come. Monday 31 st October 7.30pm. By popular request the Conservation Volunteers are holding a Hallowe’en event for children. Booking Essential ring Kathy on 01252 317442 to reserve a place. Thursday 10 th November 7.30pm. a return of one of our very popular speakers – Andrew Cleave will talk about “Whales and Dolphins”. Saturday 12 th November 2.30 – 4.30pm. our annual Conservation Christmas Fair: Rowhill Gift stall, RSPB, West Surrey Badger Group, Fleet Pond Society, Hart and Rushmoor Group of the Hampshire Wildlife Trust etc. There will be refreshments on sale and a raffle. Saturday 26 th November at Samuel Cody School (on what was Oak Farm School site) 10.30am – 2pm. we will be having a stall at the Multi-Charity Fair being held by the Rotary Club. This event was cancelled last year owing to the snowy weather. Please come and support us and all the other worthwhile charities taking part. Thursday 8 th December 7.30pm. Our pre-Christmas Social evening. Ideas for entertainment to Sheila please. Offers of food appreciated; there will be a raffle . In this Special Edition Presentation of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services Letter from Our President Buckingham Palace Garden Party Chairman’s Ramblings Conservation Report Kathy’s Diary South and South East in Bloom 3 From our President Dr Brian Spooner Congratulations on an exceptional achievement . When I was first introduced to the Rowhill Nature Reserve Society, around 20 years ago now, I was immediately impressed by the enthusiasm shown by everyone I met, and by their very evident dedication to the natural environment, wildlife and conservation. The running of the Field Centre, the management of the Reserve, the production of an excellent and regular newsletter, and the many educational aspects that were undertaken were all clearly very successful activities, appreciated by the local community, and all carried through entirely by volunteer efforts. As you will all know, these efforts have now been officially recognised at national level, with presentation to the Society of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This award, which was initiated in its present form in 2002 to celebrate the anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation, is the highest given to volunteer groups in the UK, and is the equivalent in status to an MBE. It is a prestigious award, given only for outstanding contributions delivered to the local community, for providing to the highest standards a service which is supported, recognised and respected by local people. To receive it is hence a wonderful achievement, an accolade which is a ringing endorsement of the work that has been carried out by the Society over more than four decades since its inception in 1968. During those years, the Society has made tremendous progress, achieved a great deal, and has been very successful in fulfilling its aims, the conservation of habitats and education. The Society is one of 130 winners nationwide of the award this year, but is one of the very few that is directly involved with conservation and the importance of the natural environment. The award has been given in this case for the exceptional work done by volunteers in managing Rowhill Copse for the benefit of wildlife (so successfully that it received Local Nature Reserve status in 1986), and also for the education of children and young adults, from schools, colleges and youth groups, and the public generally, in the importance and appreciation of natural history and the natural environment. The Field Centre is the focus for these activities, and is key to these events; it always has excellent exhibits, is regularly open for the public on Sundays and bank holidays, is a centre for lecture meetings, and offers a meeting point for all in the community with interest in the natural environment. This award shows how valuable the work of the Society is and how much support it enjoys, and is something that the Society, and all those who have been involved, can be immensely proud of. It shows without doubt how highly regarded by the local community this work is, but, more than that I think, it shows also that there is a real need for wildlife and conservation and that these are appreciated by the public. These days, especially given the ever-increasing pressures on the natural environment, which are a constant concern, this is immensely encouraging. My congratulations go to the Society and all the volunteers who have put in such fine efforts, which have led to this major achievement. The award is very well deserved, and I do feel very proud to be the Society’s President. 4 Buckingham Palace Garden Party The Queen’s Award also included an invitation for four volunteers to attend the Buckingham Palace Garden Party. The four fortunate members selected were Roy Champion, our Vice Chairman and Volunteer Leader, Debbie Brown, Conservation Volunteer Leader, Jackie De La Haye, Membership Secretary and School Visit Leader and myself Carol Roberts, a Conservation Volunteer The big day had arrived, Tuesday 19 th July. After seeing the novelty of conservation volunteers wearing dresses, Roy kindly drove us to Aldershot train station. When our train terminated at Waterloo it was decided to get a hot drink at Covent Garden. We watched the street entertainers doing their best to get the crowds involved. Finding a comfortable spot, we had the pleasure of a live band performing classical music. Drinks finished, we headed towards Trafalgar Square. Roy disappeared briefly to return with plasters for his sore feet. It was a novelty for him to be wearing shoes rather than work boots. The Square’s prominent feature was a “living wall”. A huge area has been covered with a variety of plants designed to contrast colour and texture. It was lovely to see this in the midst of so many people, traffic and concrete. After a cursory visit to the National Gallery, it was time for lunch in a nearby café. As we took a leisurely walk down the Mall, guests began arriving, parking their cars in the allotted spaces. We then came upon a very British tradition – queuing. Eventually we found the end of the line in time to open our umbrellas. Jackie and I went through the security checks with ease. It was Roy and Debbie who were taken to one side to have their passport photos scrutinised. Debbie’s hair colour had changed and the police officer advised Roy he looked better without a moustache! In no time at all we passed through the grounds, palace rooms and down the steps of the West Terrace into the garden. From this vantage point we could see three tea tents, the lake and the military band playing.