Birch, Bonfires, Banjos and Borscht!

Volunteers helped to clear Birch trees from around the Field Centre.

At lunchtime, everybody brought some food to share, Brian's Borscht and Richard's chilli were a real welcome, warming treat after working outside in the cold!

Adam's honey and fig Christmas cake also went down extremely well!

Some of the band members from the Compass Rose Ceilidh band kindly provided the entertainment.

Hugh amazed us with his array of musical instruments. Brian also played the Northumbrian pipes for us. There are now enough volunteer musicians to set up a Foxglove orchestra!

Thank you to everybody for bringing along such lovely food from sausage rolls and quiche to millionnaire's shortbread (and Tony's Parisienne baguettes and mildy salted Irish butter just freshly made)!

Finally, the fourth load of timber was removed from the site today. This will go to the sawmill for use as chip, palettes or saw-wood.  With luck the cost of removal will be offset by the sale of the wood and the clearance of the conifer wood will have been cost neutral.

It was a fun party and brought a year of very hard work and considerable achievement to a fitting end.  Warm thanks are due to all who have volunteered in whatever capacity throughout the year, and to the Reserve Managers who have done an outstanding job.