The diversity of the Let’s FACE it! initiative shone through at the weekend with three projects on the same day.
First was the Worth Conservation Area Group whose task was to plant some small bullace trees as part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Edible Britain campaign, and to gap up a hedgerow where some plants had failed to thrive.
The bullace is a variety of wild plum that bears edible fruit similar to those of the damson. Though smaller than most damsons, bullaces are larger than the closely related sloe. Their flavour is usually rather acid until fully ripe.
The group will be keeping a close eye on the trees to see if they bear fruit.
After planting the trees, it was time for coffee and cake kindly supplied by Canon Anthony Ball in the nearby Worth Rectory – a welcome rest after a busy couple of hours.
Worth Conservation Area Group is looking for new members of all ages to join the group. For details call Stella Berrisford on 01293 883635.
Then it was on to Ifield where the new Ifield Community Group had been out litter picking the neighbourhood.
Having met at Kim’s Kitchen (at the Pelham Buckle) for breakfast the intrepid volunteers set off. A couple of hours and 11 bags of rubbish later the group met up again at Kim’s Kitchen for tea and biscuits.
The group’s leader Hannah Duffy said that the majority of the rubbish they had collected was drinks bottles and cans.
She was disappointed to find that within a couple of hours people were dropping litter in the very same places where the group had been picking it up!
They would like to try to set up litter picking on a regular basis. If you would like to join in email Hannah at hannah.duffy@talktalk.net or Toby Shaw, community development officer at Crawley Borough Council, at toby.shaw@crawley.gov.uk
The final project of the day was with 7th Crawley Beavers.
Many years ago the beavers adopted a shrub bed in Tilgate and they have cared for it ever since.
This time they were sowing vegetable and herb seeds to make a community garden for everyone to enjoy. We were worried that the seeds would need watering in but with the torrential rain we were more worried about the seed being washed away!
We will keep a close eye to see if anything germinates and if not will re-sow anything that has failed.
The 7th Crawley Beavers have been entering the It’s Your Neighbourhood awards for the past few years and steadily climbing the ladder of success.