Volunteer group helping to keep bridleways open in south shropshire
Mortimer Forest is a wonderful local place to ride and walk away from traffic and people. You are probably already aware but there is a threat to the forest with the proposed development of a holiday park with 68 log cabins. If you want to save the forest please sign the petition now.
More info can be found on – https://www.save-mortimer-forest.co.uk/
Thanks,
Chris
Meeting to include our AGM to be held on Tuesday 1st May.
Start 7:30pm at Chris and Jo’s (Upper Marshes DY14 0JJ)
Please try to come along.
The meeting is open to anyone with an interest in keeping our local bridleways open and safe to use.
Let John or Chris know if you can/cannot attend.
We have been told by Shropshire Council that the work on Walters Lane is now booked for May this year. A quote was supplied to the council by a local contractor which they have approved. Start on the project has been put back to May to allow the ground conditions to dry out.
Thanks to Jo for her persistence.
Please find below a link to the Shropshire User Survey for 2017-2018.
We really do need to get responses up from Equestrians.
Each member of a family can fill in a separate Survey as an Equestrian. They can also do a separate one, if they wish, for other disciplines like walking, as this would have different responses.
Equestrian responses were outnumbered last year by responses from cyclists.
In 2016 there were only 48 responses from Equestrians to the User Survey, and in 2017 this increased to 133.
At the end of October 2017 the BHS alone had 1,357 BHS members in Shropshire, with regionally 7,456 BHS members, with no doubt many equestrians on our borders who ride into Shropshire.
I know we all get fed up filling in these sorts of survey and not seeing any outcome but for 5 minutes effort we need to be doing this and get the numbers of responses up. This is an annual survey so please do fill it in, and pass the link on.
Follow the link below and click on the ‘How to get involved’ tab
For your information there is an Equi Pilates class starting at Cleeton St Mary Village Hall on Jan 23rd which may be of interest to local riders.
See Poster for details – Pilates Poster
We will have our Christmas/social meal and meeting on Wednesday 10th January at the Fighting Cocks Stottesdon. Put this date in your diary.
Menu choice to follow.
Attendees: John, Chris, Gill, Yvonne, Steve, Sally
Apologies: Kay, Gill, Pete, Louise, Corinne
Walters Lane
Still waiting for council to do the work as promised over 12 months ago. Chris has chased a number of times. Latest email reply received 10th November was – “We haven’t forgotten you, we just have some issues with availability of plant. We are also having to do some training to improve our towing and cannot tow plant for the time being. This will be resolved hopefully by the end of next week and Tim is fully aware of the need to get to this job as soon as possible. I will ask Tim to let you know as soon as we can get back to this job.”
Agreed that we if nothing has been done by next meeting (mid Jan) all members to individually contact council. Emails to the address on their website should have a response within 10 days so they are obliged to respond.
Crammer Gutter (across top of field)
Grant submission was unsuccessful (thanks to Lou for doing this). Work is on-hold until we have enough funds.
Prescott
A section being regularly used by RW (to feed cattle) but seems to be holding up OK. Any issues to be reported to group.
The Firs
Main gate onto road has been chained and is difficulty to undo and open. The wicket gate is difficult/dangerous to use (strong return spring and post box with sharp edges). We agreed that for our purposes we should make sure the wicket gate is easy/safe to use.
Sally has contacted council but no response so far.
Action: John/Steve will have a look and see if this can be improved.
Tangles (alternative route from Hill Houses onto common)
Has become very overgrown since we cleared this a couple of years ago.
Action: Work party next year.
Crammer Gutter to bottom of Withies Bank
Has on occasion been blocked by vehicles parked at cottage at end of Crammer Gutter/
Action: All to monitor and report if problem continues.
John will complete time sheet early next year for the work we have done (at same time as we submit annual grant funding application).
Plan to do another quiz in spring with shared rounds. Will agree details at next meeting (Jan).
At same time will promote the groups activities and “encourage” all local riders to join/contribute. Clare has done a poster. Cleeview poster
We will have our annual group late Christmas meal/meeting at the Fighting Cocks in January. Proposed dates are Wednesday 10th or Wednesday 17th January.
Action: Yvonne to check with pub and get menu
We will have a short meeting on Thursday 7th December starting at 7pm at Johns’ house to discuss plans for next year and also our “late” Christmas meal/get together (sometime in Jan).
Please try to come along.
Let John or myself know if you are able to attend.
Thanks and hope to see you on 7th.
Chris
Work parties Sunday 13th August – John and Yvonne cleared overhanging branches, brambles etc. from route P Prescott over the river and Chris and Jo did similar on the top half of the main Hill Houses route up onto the common. Also thanks to Jon for trying his best to join the work parties.
Over the last 3 weeks we have completed approaching 100 hrs of voluntary work on the bridleways. Something we can use to try to get help from the council towards larger projects. We will be chasing them.
A small work party is meeting to do some clearance work on Detton Bridleway. Contact John for details. 01746 718652.
Jo and Chris will be doing some clearance work on Hill Houses. Contact Chris 01299 270514