4th June 2005
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Press Release Jan 05

One of the many inviting paths that go though Clayfield Copse for you to explore.

Wednesday 2nd February local wildlife conservation group Friends of Clayfield Copse will be doing a Mega-Task of improve the Footpaths in Clayfield Copse.

This first stage begins of improving the access to the Local Nature Reserve and sculpture trail in the woodlands at Clayfield Copse, so that EVERYONE regardless of fitness or whether on foot, with pushchair or using a wheelchair can enjoy the sights, sounds and feel of the countryside.

The Friends have joined with BTCV, the Post Office and 'Conserve Reading on Wednesday' to work on the footpath leading from the car park to Clayfield Copse. The 47 volunteers from the marketing department of London Post Office are looking forward to their annual team building event of ''giving time to the community''. The volunteers will be moving 60 tonnes of hoggin and crushed stone to create this wonderful new high quality path A small dumper truck and ride-on roller will be used to do the heaviest of the day's work. The path will still be an amazing achievement for all those involved and FOCC are inviting others to join them to ensure the full 155m get completed by dusk!!

The work will begin at 9.30 a.m. The work will be led by Andy Noyes, Community Project Officer for the Thames and Chiltern BTCV. More details about BTCV can be found at www.btcv.org/thamesandchilterns

The money has been raised through the group's funds, grants from the Local Heritage Initiative Award Scheme [visit www.lhi.org.uk/projects ] and Reading Primary Care Trust. Reading Borough Council are also contributing towards the cost. Details of the work being carried out and other projects by the 'Friends of' group can be found in our previous press release.

The friends hope that the path will encourage people to walk into the woodlands and around the sculpture trail at all times of the year, and especially on their celebratory Woodlands Day on Saturday 4th June. Many events related to woodland traditions have been booked for this Day, something for everyone, music, woodland crafts, walks, displays demonstrations, stalls, story telling, children's events teas etc.

FOCC have been carrying out traditional management of these woods, off Caversham Park Rd, since 1989. Clayfield Copse was the fist Local Nature Reserve to be declared in Reading in 1991. FOCC volunteers always meet on the first Sunday of every month in the car park at 10am. (This month, February 6th, FOCC will be clearing undergrowth to allow horses to extract timber from the woods on Woodlands Day.) Everyone, regardless of fitness, is welcome as tasks are tailored to suit what each person can do and how long they can stay. It is great fun – give it a go!


LHI is a partnership between the Heritage Lottery Fund, Nationwide Building Society and the Countryside Agency

We acknowledge our sponsors on all our communications.



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