Previous tasks

Please contact the office if you are interested in volunteering and we will discuss details.

Fri 18th May 2012: Newhall Park Primary School, Newhall Park Drive, Bierley, BD4.

Today we will be constructing an amphitheatre as well as completing other jobs on the site.

Fri 11th May 2012: DAY OUT – Oxenber Woods, nr Settle, Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Our annual trip to say thanks to the volunteers for all their hard work over the past year. We had a focus on this visit to see woodland spring flowers. So a group of 13 set off in our minibus to the Yorkshire Dales.  On the way we could see the results of the recent wet weather on the fields in the Aire valley. We made our way to the village of Feizor, just beyond Settle where we parked. The group then set off up the hill where we could stopped to look and learn about the plants growing on the verges and walls  like maiden hair spleenwort, dog violet and lady’s mantle and were treated to views of Ingleborough.
We then entered Oxenber woods where we treated to a profusion of spring wildflowers that surprised and delighted us all. Julia led in describing the identifying features of the plants we could see and there was a check list for people to spot and learn the flowers. There were early purple orchids, primrose, cowslip, ramsons all to the backdrop of bluebells. We walked slowly through the woods enjoying the display and especially plants like wild aquilegia and wood anemone. After a stop for lunch we continued our walk looking at the limestone pavement and then on the track back to Feizor where we saw Butterbur and Herb Paris. During the walk there were some heavy showers and the path became slippery. But we were able to take a well earned tea break in the café. On the return journey we stopped off to see the Hoffman kiln a surprisingly interesting historical industrial site which is now slowly being recolonized by the limestone tolerant plants.  
This visit certainly packed the WOW factor on experience of nature.

Click here to see other photos of the day.

Fri 4th May 2012: BLOSSOM DAY 2012, BPCO, Allotments, Bowling Park Drive, West Bowling, BD4.

Today was the day to enjoy the tree blossom in the Orchard.  It is a picture to see fruit blossom in full bloom. And today although it has been better we were treated to a good display. Unfortunately the cold weather made us less appreciative. Nevertheless, two groups from Bradford College, two from Bowling Park Primary, a group from a community orchard near Settle and the BEES volunteers enjoyed the day’s activities.
The college groups prepared and sowed seeds in two of the growing beds. Then they joined in an art activity, which was to make picture inspired by the day which will be made into an outdoor collage. The school groups carried out a minibeast hunt, pond dipping and planting seedlings in the vegetable bed. The group from Settle enjoyed the site. Meanwhile the BEES volunteers, started constructing new compost bins, summer pruned, weeded areas and mowed the grass. All of which improve the site. Being an open day there was plenty of homemade cake for the visitors.
Today we worked with 15 volunteers.
Click here to see other photos of the day.

 

 

 

SUNDAY 29th April 2012: Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Bretton Lakes, Family Heron Day.

**please book a place in advance**

DEPART 9.30am

We will run craft activities as part of the family fun day, run this time each year when the young herons from the 60 nesting pairs are visible in their nests. Volunteers will have an opportunity to see the reserve, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and meet other conservation groups.

Friday 27th April 2012: Newhall Park Primary School, Newhall Park Drive, Bierley, BD4.

Today our task was at the school where we are making environmental education resources for the pupils. The pond was lined. As it had previously been dug by a digger and having rained so much in the past few it had nearly filled itself. But in order to carry out the job properly and install the liner, we first had to bail out the water. The team were then able to check and adjust the level of the pond to ensure that it would fill correctly.  After this old carpet was placed into the hole and this will protect the liner, which was then fitted. We are now waiting for the water to fill up to finally landscape the edges. And judging by the amount of rain that has already fallen this should be soon.
Another task was to sow the meadow. First we had to dig out as many of the persistent weeds as possible. A good proportion of them were dug out using forks and mattocks. And then the seeds were mixed sand and sown over the area and raked in. Sowing a meadow at this time of year makes it prone to drought so the recent rain will aid the germination process. A grass and flower mix of 80:20 was chosen. The wildflowers included ox eye daisy, greater and lesser knapweed, yarrow and cowslip. They will produce a fine colourful display and useful nectar source.
A delivery of 8 tree trunk benches was received and these had to be positioned in the walkways. However they are very heavy and required 6 strong people, lots of rope and the technique learnt on our Hutton Roof residential to move them. By the end of the day we had managed to move 5 and have the others to face next time. The final task we managed to undertake was to mow the pathways and this is helping the area take good shape.

We have organised a further two tasks days at the school to try and complete the work.

Today we worked with 11 volunteers.

Click here to see other photos of the day.
 

Friday 20th April 2012: Greengates Primary School, Stockhill Road, Greengates, Bradford, BD10.

Returning to the school we were able to take on several tasks. The path was replaced in the growing area. First the sides were rebuilt and then hard core was put on the surface, which had to barrowed across the school. It was then packed down using the wacker plate. Finally a woodchip covering was used to finish the area. The result was pleasing and will make this area more useable in the future. Another task that was undertaken was the development of the woodland walk. Here the nettles and brambles had to be dug out. This proved to be hard graft, but by the end a good area had been cleared. Also the construction of the compost bins was completed and the school will now be able to compost their waste.
We were visited by the chair of Bradford YMCA who was really pleased and amazed with the quality and amount of work that has been achieved. So well done to everyone.
And although the skies threatened all day we managed to avoid getting wet.

Today we worked with 11 volunteers.

Click here to see other photos of the day.

Friday 13th April 2012: Esholt Sports and Leisure Club, Esholt Lane, Esholt, BD17.

A group of 11 returned to the pond area at the club to continue with the project to develop the nature area. We were able to take on two tasks today. One group worked in the pond to further clear the silt that had built up. The silt was dug from the bottom using forks and rakes and piled on the side. This was then moved away using buckets and barrows. The work proved very wet, dirty and heavy but worthwhile. The other task was to create a screen so that people can watch the birds and wildlife that visit the pond. Four posts were put into the ground. Holes were dug to about a metre deep and they were secured with rocks. Even though no concrete was used the posts were secure. Willow which had been previously cut was then woven around the posts. By the end of the day we had completed the screen to about knee high. It is intended that the screen will be made to full height of the posts and seats put in for people. It was pleasing to see a number of frogs in and around the pond area and plants including Meadowsweet and Lesser Celendine thriving in the area.

Click here to see other photos of the area.


Friday 30th Mar 2012: BEES Urban Nature Reserve, University Campus, Laisteridge Lane, BD5.

Thirteen volunteers work at the Reserve today. We undertook a variety of tasks including a little bit of woodland thinning to allow more light to reach the ground flora on the bank and railway cutting. We transplanted some red campion from the woodland area to the banking.

We removed nettles from the meadow and snowberry from the woodland area. Litter was cleared from around the site and the steps and path were topped up with bark that had been donated from RG group at the new ASDA building site on Cemetery Road.

The primroses, marsh marigolds and blackthorn were in full flower. Not only did we hear a chiff chaff, which will have arrived from Africa in the last few days, but had a really good view of one. Bumble bees, honey bees and small tortoiseshell butterflies were enjoying the sun, and there was female mallard on the pond.

Friday 23rd March 2012: Tree Planting location TBC

This was our first visit to a project that is being run by Forest of Bradford. We were working around a neglected pond that was overshadowed by the surrounding hawthorn trees. Our job was to coppice some of the trees to let more light reach the water. Many of the trees had been coppiced some time ago, and the regrowth was tangled and dense creating quite a challenge in some cases to remove the stems one at a time.

The other challenge was to fell the trees so they didn’t splash in the black mud and water of the pond; on the whole we were successful indicating everyone’s skill at using a ‘bird’s beak’ cut to control the direction of felling. When we next visit the site after Easter we will have plenty of opportunity to get covered in mud as we will clearing silt from the pond.

Although FoB had finished planting the hedge we did sneak a few extra trees alongside.

Today 16 volunteers were involved, including two visitors from Cataluña. But sadly this was the last task for our wonderful Global Exchange volunteers Mel and Nat who have helped tremendously with all BEES' projects over the past 12 weeks.