NEWS, FEBRUARY 2017

With Christmas behind us, a new year is upon us and, with all resolutions broken by now, I expect we are all looking forward to new adventures. It’s a bit gloomy here in the Don Gorge as I write, with damp and cold prevailing, but despite the fact that all the perennials in our garden have well and truly gone, winter-flowering shrubs are in bloom, catkins and snowdrops are coming along well, bulbs are sprouting, and buds are beginning to show on several other shrubs.

Spring is always the time for a good spring clean and with that in mind, we have joined the Keep Britain Tidy weekend event and are having another litter pick on Saturday 4 March, so please put this date in your diary to come along and join us. As last year, when we ‘Cleaned for the Queen’, we will cover the trans-pennine trail, the island and the fish pass area and really hoping that it won’t have to be postponed due to flooding again. Posters and more information will be displayed a bit nearer the time.

We have applied for a Tesco grant to enhance the area behind the fish pass where there is an historic wall. If we get the money, we expect to start around April time by clearing the area of fallen trees and other debris before rebuilding the wall and steps where necessary and planting appropriate shrubs and trees near the sculpture. We haven’t heard whether we have been given this opportunity yet, but I hope Tesco shoppers will make sure they get a token with their shopping so that they can vote for us if we are chosen as one of three projects to benefit.

Our Himalayan Balsam project last year was considered to be a great success, but will need following up again this year. It will be interesting to see whether the overall amount has been reduced when it starts to grow again, as it surely will. We will be looking for new volunteers to help with all this work so please give it your careful consideration and see if you are able to join us. We have a hardy band of conservation volunteers who turn out regularly, but few are young and we need some new blood if we are to continue to carry out the much-needed work.  Anyone who bought our 2017 Calendar will have easy access to the Tuesday working days; if you didn’t get one, please get in touch. Perhaps we could organise some weekend working if that was easier for some people. Please let me know.

Talking of calendars, our first was a great success, having sold out before Christmas. We intend to repeat this next year and would welcome photos covering the whole year. Please send jpeg images to me if you think you have a good one – or more!

I am also in the process of arranging themed walks, perhaps once a month, during the summer so look out for posters or add your name to our Friends list by emailing me if you would like a more direct contact. If you are already a Friend, please encourage others to join us.

 Finally, it will be our AGM on Monday evening 13 March, when we hope to have a speaker again. We are returning to Sprotbrough for it, but really hope Warmsworth residents will join us. We have been looking for a new Treasurer for a couple of years now and, as half the Don Gorge is in Warmsworth, would also welcome one or two residents from there. Again, please contact me if you are interested.

 Liz Reeve, Secretary Tel: 01302 313030
Email: lizreeve@dongorgecommunitygroup.com
Website: http://www.dongorgecommunitygroup.com/

THE DON GORGE CALENDAR 2017

Our first ever calendar of the Don Gorge for 2017 is now available. With thirteen full-colour photographs, it shows the Gorge at different times of the year, as well as showing useful dates and reminders of our Conservation Volunteer working days. It also comes with an envelope so that it can be sent to friends and family. Copies may be purchased at a cost of £5 each and enquiries should be made by email to lizreeve@dongorgecommunitygroup.com or by telephone to 01302 313030.

INFORMATION LEAFLETS

We currently have three leaflets available, “The Don Gorge”, “Visitors Guide” and “Walks from Warmsworth”, which can be downloaded from our own or the ‘Visit Doncaster’ website. However, we would like to expand our range by producing a series of information leaflets on particular topics. We would therefore be interested to hear from anyone who has expertise in, for example, trees, flowers, birds, geology, butterflies and moths, etc, who would be willing to provide information for such leaflets. All enquiries or offers should be made to the Secretary email: lizreeve@dongorgecommunitygroup.com Tel: 01302 313030

THE DON GORGE CALENDAR 2017

Our first calendar, in full colour and depicting aspects of the Don Gorge, will be available soon, complete with an envelope so that it can be posted to friends and relatives. Copies will cost £5 each, but orders may be placed in advance at the reduced price of £4. All enquiries or offers should be made to the Secretary email: lizreeve@dongorgecommunitygroup.com Tel: 01302 313030

RIVER DON HERITAGE WALK

You are invited to register for this walk. Please do so by emailing or texting as per the poster so that they know how many to expect. Many thanks.

FISHING TASTER DAY GREAT SUCCESS

The weathermen promised a mixed day and we certainly got more than we bargained for. Rain in the morning, rain at mid-day and an absolute deluge at closing time, when we ended up like drowned rats as we dismantled the gazebo. But it didn’t deter the youngsters. From 10 o’ clock, they were arriving to take the bait and throughout the day over 50 sat on their boxes with mums or dads in attendance, receiving instruction and dangling their lines in the canal in the hope of catching fish. Surprisingly, to me anyway, many did and were thrilled to do so, even if they were only small ones. The Canal & Rivers Trust were equally thrilled with the response, so I suppose we should look out for more of the same at some time. The start given us when the Co-op sponsored the clean-up near the fish pass has encouraged our volunteers so that anyone now looking over the bridge side will see the great strides that have been made in clearing the balsam. It will grow back of course, but we aim to keep on top of it throughout the summer and will see how successful we have been by the time the seeding period is over. Well done everyone who has helped so far. I have been quite despondent over the litter problem in the last few weeks. It seems to be everywhere. I have phoned the council twice to empty bins, which they have done, but it continues to be a problem throughout the gorge from the Sprotborough side all the way up the hairpin bend to Warmsworth. Signs of drug use have also been found on the car park, along with takeaway food cartons, etc, and reported to the police, who will be keeping an eye on the situation. Users beware! We have recently started a friends group so that we can share information about events which are taking place; anyone who would like their name adding to the list, please email me and I will do so. There is no cost involved, it is just a communication tool, so don’t be shy. On a personal note, our garden has recently been judged for Doncaster in Bloom; anyone who would like to look round may do so, either by ringing the doorbell or phoning in advance if there are more than two or three of you. Donations will be in aid of the Don Gorge Community Group. Liz Reeve Secretary, Don Gorge Community Group 4 Lower Sprotborough Tel: 01302 313030 Email: lizreeve@dongorgecommunitygroup.com Blog: http://dongorgecommunitygroup.blogspot.com

CO-OP CLEAN-UP DAY - SATURDAY 2 JULY 2016

A VERY BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO TURNED UP TO HELP WITH THE BALSAM BASHING YESTERDAY. Although we would obviously have liked more to have joined us, fifteen people did turn out in what started as good dry weather, but eventually turned into a bit of a wash-out, causing us to finish earlier than expected. However, we did have a small litter pick - thankfully not too much around this time - and made quite a good start with the balsam. Thank you also to Dot and Mike Miller and Darren Alexander from the Co-op for providing goody bags, equipment and physical labour throughout the event. Anyone who would like to help with trying to get rid of this invasive plant at any time is welcome to pull a bit out as they enjoy a walk in the area of the fish pass - or anywhere else for that matter. It generally pulls out quite easily and can be left on the ground to rot away. I attach a photo so that those less knowing will be able to identify it. If it gets to the flowering stage, as shown in the photo, it throws out thousands of seeds, all of which are likely to grow the following year.

Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is a relative of the busy Lizzie, but reaches well over head height, and is a major weed problem, especially on riverbanks and waste land, but can also invade gardens. It grows rapidly and spreads quickly, smothering other vegetation as it goes.