Fettle, Kettle & Cake!

Volunteering is a great way to meet other people, have a go at a new skill or help others to learn a skill, to be active outdoors and these monthly Tuesday sessions provide a space for you to have some time out in the woodland; all of which are known to improve wellbeing.

The tasks will require participants to be able to walk along the uneven and sometimes steep woodland footpaths, be willing to have-a-go at a variety of tasks, be willing to spend time with like-minded people and spend some of the session making a cuppa and eating cake...or a healthy snack if preferred!

Tasks can include woodland maintenance, such as coppicing, path repairs and clearing, rhododendron pulling, sign maintenance & litter picking. Tasks may also involve helping to care for Shining Cliff hostel, the hostel in the woods.

The session meeting point at 12.30 tends to be at the private woodland car park in Shining Cliff woods, or at Shining Cliff hostel, and you will be sent directions on how to get to both places on booking. The session will end at 3pm at the car park, or at the hostel which is a 10 minute walk from the car park area.

An email stating the session meeting point will be sent out a few days before the session.

Booking online is essential. There is a suggested donation of £2 for the session which is waived if you bring homemade cake!

There is access to a toilet at the Woodland Hut, but we are not always working near the hut. If you would prefer access to the toilet during the session, please let Kate know in advance, so the session can be planned to accommodate this.

Sessions are led by Kate Tuck, who runs Shining Cliff hostel. Kate has a varied background that includes conservation work, nursing, outdoor education and is a Level 3 Forest Forest School leader.

'Fettle' for these volunteer sessions means to be in good spirits and have an energetic approach, and it also borrows from the Yorkshire meaning of putting things in order.

My thanks to Charlotte Burrill for the suggestion of the session name of 'Fettle, Kettle and Cake'.

The volunteer sessions go ahead in most weathers, except snow, thunderstorms and forecast wind speeds above 32mph. They can be cancelled at short notice if the weather forecast changes, so please check emails on the morning of the session in case of a late cancellation.

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