News

On the 8th February Prospects again asked for Paul Shoreman to come in and provide us with some training for staff and volunteers. This time, Paul was teaching us how to lead a guided walk.

This involved learning about the different types of access and the legality of routes, how to plan and prepare for leading a walk, what things could go wrong and how you can plan to avoid these etc. This was then followed by a practical session at Woodnook Vale where participants took turns 'leading' the walk.

The training was really insightful and hopefully will give some of the attendees the confidence to attend/lead walks with others.

Thank you to Paul for providing the training, and to everyone who attended and made it a great day!

Also we would like to thank our funders Green Recovery Challenge Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this all possible!

On the 7th February the Green Team Volunteers were at Hollins Woods giving the area some much needed care.

Using safety gauntlets, goggles, wire cutters and builders bags we safely removed barbed wire from a derelict fence. Some of the fences had been uprooted which had left loose barbed wire along the floor, which was a hazard for people, dogs and wildlife.

Once the wire had been removed from the fence it was coiled and bagged up to be sent off for recycling.

Well done to everyone who attended and a special thank you for your hard work, the feedback we got for this activity was amazing!

As always, thank you to our funders Green Recovery Challenge Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting and funding this kind of work.

On the 1st February the Green Spaces Team organised for Paul Shoreman to provide free training for Prospects staff and volunteers. Paul is a ranger at Lancashire County Council who manages around 85 sites across Lancashire.

The training involved learning the features of a compass, how to read contour lines on a map, and how to use a compass to calculate a bearing. This was followed by a practical session at Woodnook Vale putting the theory in practice.

Everyone had a great day and learnt some valuable navigation skills which are applicable to a wide range of situations.

We would like to thank Paul Shoreman for taking the time to teach us these important skills, and to everyone who attended and made it a great day!

As always, we would like to thank our funders Green Recovery Challenge Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this all possible.

Throughout the festive period, the Green Spaces put on some free wreath making sessions as a way for people to learn a new skill, collaborate with local organisations and provide a warm, welcoming environment for people to enjoy. We used fresh foliage sourced from Hyndburn's woodlands, local florists and garden centres to allow people to create their own unique pieces.

We joined forces with local floral-enthusiasts, the Meadow Sisters on Saturday 10th December 2022. Despite the snow, people flocked to the Market Hall in Accrington to create their very own wreath - either as a festive decoration or for a loved-ones grave. Over thirty people participated in the workshop, either as individuals or with friends and families, and many agreed that it was a "fantastic workshop". Other feedback includes "Brilliant staff. Really made me feel comfortable – I suffer from anxiety and social phobia. Really helped with my wellbeing, feel more confident and happy today." and "Fantastic. Very therapeutic. Lovely ladies helped me to achieve an amazing wreath." 

The following session was held at the Trinity Church, Accrington on Monday 13th December 2022. This was another hugely successful workshop, with 10+ attendees. Participants had the opportunity to also weave their own base using willow, adding to the uniqueness and creativity of the wreaths. One of the churchgoers even turned theirs into a beautiful table centrepiece.

Thanks to our Green Mentor, Joel, the students of St. Christopher's 'Eco Club' also had the opportunity to decorate their own wreath, which led to an array of weird and wonderful creations!

Thank you to the Meadow Sisters, Trinity Church and St. Christopher's for making these events possible and thank you to everyone who attended!

Between the 11-12th November the Green Spaces Team participated in a dry stone walling course led by Louise Kirkbridge, the course took place in Hollins woods on a section of drystone wall that had fell into disrepair. The wall was first dismantled down to the foundations and the stones laid out according to size, guide lines were created to ensure the original width of the wall was kept. Instructions and demonstrations were then given by Louise on how to safely lay stones to create a solid structure. After two days of walling the section we worked on had been fully re-erected, looked more aesthetically pleasing, and was a lot more stable.

We would like to thank Louise Kirkbridge for providing the excellent training programme, it was an amazing two days and we all learnt a lot about a valuable skill that is part of the cultural landscape.

We would also like to thank our funders at GreenRecoveryChallengeFund and National Lottery Heritage Fund for providing the means for Prospects to host events like these.