Once again the Dotcom Walkers arranged a walk from Cuerden Valley Park to Lisieux Hall to celebrate the fact so many organisations in or near the park involve volunteers in their work.
The Park itself is a trust which organises working parties of volunteers on the first Sunday of every month. The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside has its head office at the Barn in the park. Next door Sue Ryder Care in Cuerden Hall provides opportunities for volunteering in many aspects of its work. To the north of the park St Catherine’s Hospice Care has established a large base of volunteer support while Brothers of Charity Services at Lisieux Hall offers a wide range of volunteer opportunities.
This year the walk was different in that the Wildlife Trust demonstrated two activities where people can help support conservation work. At the Dragonfly Pond Joanne led us in pond dipping. This is part of the Biodiverse Society Project. Later we went to Dog Kennel Wood to help extract Himalayan balsam.
Early afternoon we arrived at Lisieux Hall where Liz McClennan chair of Voice For All and Becky from the Voice for All group gave us a presentation about the role of self advocacy within Brothers of Charity Services. This was followed by lunch in the chapel and then the now traditional walk to the Mound.
Lots of thanks – to Michael Swarbrick who led the walk and kept us on time, to David Beattie volunteer with the Wildlife Trust (and who once worked for BoCS) for his instructive contribution , to Catherine Haddon, Joanne Moore and Sarah Gorman of the Wildlife Trust for their preparations and leading in the activities, to David and Teresa Preedy and Jim Skipper for marshalling the road crossings, to BoCS volunteers, Michael and Sandy Holden and Agnes Paul at the chapel for organising our brews, to Dorothy Klemm and Peter Mather BoCS volunteers for their support on this and the two previous walks, to Liz Beaver for co-ordinating the BoCS volunteers, to David Johnstone for the supply of hi-vis jackets, to John Whitehead, Becky Gammon and Liz McClennan for their warm welcome at Lisieux, to Brian Jones volunteer with the Wildlife Trust for recording the event with his camera and to Jean Bury for helping by giving lifts to Dorothy and Brian after the Mound.
Look forward to seeing everyone in 2016,
Bob Clare
