Saturday 22 September 2018

Our Shelter Arrives

What a day that was!

After 2 years of planning we finally moved our new shelter onto Horton's Mound today.

First off Anthony George laid out and levelled the foundations, which were then dug out. We have installed the shelter level with the ground so as to enable step-free access for disabled visitors.

We then moved the container onto Horton's Mound - amazing what Len can move on his barrow!

The shelter was fixed to the ground with 1m long spiral anchors. A soakaway was inserted along the front edge.

Over the next few weeks we will be constructing a wooden roof, holding a innovative biodiverse habitat full of wildflowers and habitats for invertebrates. We'll also give the shelter another coat of paint and plant bushes around it's edges.

A bench, noticeboard and interpretation panel will be installed inside the shelter.

Local schools and cub packs will be filling gabions with bug hotel materials, which will then be hung on the external walls to form invertebrate habitat panels.

Due to the rain, some of the footpaths, and the slope up Horton's Mound are a bit muddy, but this should soon dry out and we will be spreading grass seed over the worst areas. Sorry for any inconvenience, but it will be worth it to have a shelter for rainy days.

The shelter will soon blend into the environment, surrounded by new bushes, walls covered with invertebrate habitat panels and a flourishing biodiverse roof.

Massive thanks to everyone who helped today, and to PC Landscapes for donating materials, equipment and Anthony George.

Big thanks to Jort Brough for superbly catering for the workers.

A huge thanks to Jewson (Farnham Branch) for donating materials for the roof.

And thank you to the following for funding this project:
Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust, Aviva Community Fund, Greggs Foundation & Farnham Weyside Rotary Club - your support is much appreciated.