Red squirrels still live in Ponteland. You’ve never seen one? I can assure you that they are seen on Edge Hill, Middle Drive, Eastern Way, Sandringham Way, Western Way, North Road. Shall I continue?
Thanks to the vigilance of many residents who report sightings of red and grey to members of Ponteland Red Squirrel’s Group, we are managing to keep a population of these delightful creatures and we are catching greys in Woolsington, Medburn and surrounding areas before they invade us here and pass on the dreaded squirrel pox to our colony of precious reds. We now have a Welcome to Your New Home Sheet which informs new residents that they share their habitat with red squirrels and gives helpful hints on how to respect and care for them. If you have new neighbours or know a house which has recently changed hands please ask me for one and help to spread the word as well as introducing yourself to new occupants.
Grateful thanks go to at least two of our church congregation who help Sally, Margaret and myself to distribute Red Squirrel News every quarter - A daunting task for just three of us. If you can help or if you have never seen our newsletter, please let me know. We give out more than five hundred sheets but may have missed you out.
If you have travelled past the double roundabout on the way to Throckley recently, you may have noticed that Royal Sovereign Wood which we helped to plant last year, has sprouted green tree protectors. Whether these are guarding the trees we planted or whether they were eaten by deer and have been replaced I am not sure but on a positive note, there does appear to be a wood developing and our efforts may yet be noticed!
Making your own compost is a very worthwhile thing to do for several reasons but I note with some concern that there are piles of rotting vegetable peelings left uncovered as an invitation to rats and other vermin in one or two gardens which I pass on my regular dog walks. A covering of soil would help to prevent the developing compost heap from becoming a snack bar for opportunist rats in particular, who probably enjoy a bit of fruit and veg to accompany the tasty crusts and other delicacies which they pick up in abundance around building sites. A little more care and attention needed to keep our estate a pleasant place perhaps?
What do you do with those pernicious plants which you dig up from your garden in the knowledge that every tiny piece left in the soil will develop into numerous more plants of the same species? I am thinking of varieties such as celandines, couch grass, hlmalayan balsam, bishop’s weed and an invasive little yellow tropeaolum. Do you fling these plants in the green bin and hope the council will make them into weed free compost to sell back to you? Do you burn them and pollute the atmosphere? Do you spray them liberally with weedkiller and risk damaging other species? Your actions are worth considerable forethought.
Finally, if I ask whether we really are an Eco congregation, I receive comments such as “we do try to recycle our rubbish.” I also hear people making comments about Eco being a “bit silly.” The church garden is “silly.” Rubbish for recycling in the church cloakroom is “clutter” and so on. Not exactly inspiring comments but I am very thick skinned. Eco congregation is about a lot more than recycling, important though that is. A true Eco congregation includes prayers for the environment in intercessions in church on a Sunday morning and during Sunday evening services too. Is that “silly?” Do we use such prayers on a regular basis? Is the money we made for the Bubble Appeal “silly?” It was a small amount I agree. Now the recipient of your magazines doesn’t really want them for the original purpose any more but will pass them on to elderly folk who don’t get the chance to see them unless they are donated so please continue to give them to me. Milk bottle tops are still being collected at Merton Hall towards the achievement of wheel chairs for youngsters. Is that “silly” too? I may not be in church as much, so please let me know if you feel “silly” enough to contribute towards these or any other causes you can think of. I need to know when items require collection from the cloakroom so it would be helpful if you help me to help you. There are only 24 hours in a day and I’m pretty busy for 18 of them.
Penny
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