The Children’s Wood and North Kelvin Meadow have arranged for a Community Clean up on the NKM site and adjacent streets for Sunday the 27 April from 11am to 2pm. Community Safety Services are providing a skip which can also be used by participating residents to get rid of unwanted household clutter, not fridges or bulky items please. Refuse Bags and gloves will be provided. This is a Community Clean up event and we invite you to help out. Meet at the Shed in the Meadow at 11am. This is a chance to clean up the site but your street as well and tidy the hoose! Refreshments will be provided.
We applaud the efforts of the majority of dog walkers to proactively clear up messes left by the minority, as well as their own dogs. In an attempt to address the issue of the minority we have asked Community Safety Services for help. This is a public health issue, not just of nuisance value, we need to treat this with not just disgust but try to effect a change in behaviour. Community Safety Services will now visit the site – without warning – and will fine those in charge of aberrant dogs £40. We would of course much prefer that owners take responsibility for picking up their dog’s waste as the majority do but unfortunately a minority don’t. Signs have had limited impact notwithstanding the provision of doggy disposal bags and bins. It is an offence under the 2003 Act with fixed penalty not to clean up after your dog. The biggest threat to public health from dog excrement is toxocariasis – an infection of the roundworm toxocara canis. Symptoms include eye disorders, vague ache, dizziness, nausea, asthma and, in extremely rare cases, seizures/fits. In particular it is extremely dangerous to pregnant women, children and the elderly. Thank you again to the majority.
What you can do:
Great News! The Children’s Wood is a joint winner of the Greener Together Awards 2014. There will be a wooden plaque designed by Scottish artist Kate Ives, arriving to the Children’s Wood very soon. The award recognises all of our efforts to create a greener and more sustainable future for this area. Well done everyone, and thank you for your continued support.
We have many events coming up soon, including the upcoming West-end Festival in June and our work with 14 local schools: Every Saturday Outdoor Learning Club, 10-12pm. The classes encourage children to build dens, work with tools and play and learn outside. All leaders are qualified in some level of Forest School Training. FREE. Every Wednesday – Outdoor playgroup, 10-12pm. All ages of children are welcome to join our Scottish Pre School Play Association a registered parent led playgroup, £1 to pay this includes a snack; On May 4th 11-2pm.a Freecycle event, bring along and take away for free. Free is the act of giving away, good quality, good condition usable items – and giving them a second life. Age range: infant to teens in Kelbourne Street Scout Hall. There will be family yoga in the Children’s Wood at 1pm.too. We’ll be collecting for the Maryhill food bank, so please bring along tins, jars, packets and beverages – see the event flyer on our website for more information. All goods can be dropped off from 9:30am.
We need volunteers to help with running community and schools events. We want to hear from any older people who would like to get involved with running activities which encourage cross generational activity. Do you have experience of managing woodland? if so, we’d like to hear from you. Or, please get in touch with any ideas or feedback. The Children’s Wood Project Committee recognises it needs to reflect community aspiration in its activities but also address issues and concerns timeously. To further this we intend to insert a new consultative section in our website headed “Friends of the Children’s Wood Project.” In that section we will seek ideas, opinion, concern and complaint. We want to consult community about our activities on the meadow and meet community aspiration resolving any difficulties which might arise. We are considering a membership idea for the project. Meantime please do not hesitate to express your views and concerns. It is important that community wishes which reflect the Wild Space identity within the Meadow are promoted. We want, and need a system of robust, consultative governance supported by regular news bulletins meantime do email us at thechildrenswood@gmail.comuntil the new section is in place.
The various groups that use the land have all got off to another busy start for the year. This time of year also tends to be the busiest for maintaining the land as we plant up ready for the summer. Five new patches on the far side of the meadow have been turned over and wild flower meadow seed sown. The plan is shortly to sow wildflower friendly grass seed in the middle muddy area following the public consultation on the temporary fence. Finances are showing an unhealthy overdrawn balance of some £-540 currently. See our website northkelvinmeadow.com for a full update and how to donate.
Volunteers wanted – email us on childrenswood@gmail.com. Please share this bulletin with neighbours and friends