Dudmaston Revisited – Covid Christmas Comes Early….
It was perhaps with a little trepidation that the Group returned to another of its normally familiar locations at Dudmaston Hall with the ranger team over THREE consecutive days this last weekend. Covid regulations cut short elements of what would otherwise be the Group’s Christmas weekend, normally comprising festive eating and drinking, along with some cut and burn.
Would enough members turn out with Covid restrictions? would it still be festive?? would we find something interesting to do???
With Chairman Chris leading one workday; ticking off the Covid boxes with Ranger Mike; and doing a passing impression of Santa with his colourful hat, handing out at least some Christmas cards and good cheer, along with Christine and Harvey on Sunday – we shouldn’t have worried…..
Work parties were oversubscribed on two of the three days as the volunteers headed to a tucked away part of the estate, as Saturday leader Matthew recounts:
It was great to return to Dudmaston after a break of many months, as we drove in convoy to the worksite at ‘Dudmaston Bank’, or was it area 23, at least at the start, a dark and tucked away site beside the A-road near Comer Woods, somewhere only one or two of the group had worked before. (Ed’s note: in a quieter moment Mike admitted he may have planted some of the conifers within the plantation in his early days on the Estate, some twenty plus years ago!)
In Covid style, we all spread out – apart from the two couples present! – and got to work rejuvenating the woodland. Find a good tree specimen was the instruction: creating space and light around the decent trees, thinning and taking out weak and damaged ones. Some were “squirrelled” at a common height – the animals destroying the leaders; others were still strangely bent over by weight of snow, damage caused three winters ago. These were dispatched to the two enormous fires – warming and encouraging all those present, working under mostly heavy skies, low-hanging mist and with temperatures staying close to zero in the shade.
We welcomed visitors Paul and Sharon who quickly rolled up their sleeves (metaphorically at least) with Paul returning for a second day….. (Seems Matthew also took a fancy to Paul’s smart electric Nissan)
By Day Three nearly all currently active Group members had made it out to work and wish others an early Merry Christmas. The sought after light was also reaching the understorey. With Rangers Mike and Helen whizzing round clearing stumps with their chainsaws, all could see the rewards for their efforts.
Heavy rains held off; no one got stuck in the mud with their cars; and in Matthew’s words …it was (almost) just like the old days…..!
There’s now a provisional programme of regular weekend workdays across a mix of sites right through until the Spring, so hopefully all that pent up festive enthusiasm will linger well into 2021!
Shropshire and Staffordshire National Trust Volunteers 