clearup weekend

We couldn't believe how much we managed to clear. It was good fun working and chatting. Me and tom really enjoyed the fresh air, labouring and chat! Can't wait to see the progress over the year.It is already quite a transformation. Well done to everyone for all the hard work!

September Weekend Clearance Work

before

While other folk were having a lie-in or heading off for the start of a long weekend, on Saturday morning Jan H was taking delivery of a 20 yard skip (if you didn't already know, these things are huge).

after

We had set aside two days to blitz the overgrown area where the Community Garden will be sited.  It became clear quite quickly that this was a bigger job than any of us envisaged.  Fortunately lots (over a dozen households) of people came along to muck in .

After hacking down the shoulder-height nettles, we discovered all sorts of weird and wonderful objects including a fire extinguisher, a games piece from Connect 4 and Pure Garage Rewind Back to the Old Skool CD.

Any initial fears about ordering too large a skip proved unfounded as we soon began to fill it with weeds and debris.

We also discovered this little fella....a shrew who must have been a bit bewildered at seeing several children all peering at him.

There were shrieks of "Can I hold him?" and "Look at the funny-looking mouse!" (n.b. shrews aren't rodents) from the kids. 

As shrews have a high metabolism and need to eat every few hours (some of these little mammals will perish if they go without food for as little as two hours), we retreated from the vicinity to let him find a hidey hole.

After four hours of tilth and filth it was apparent that we needed a second day so back we came on Sunday to begin the painstaking job of removing the nettle roots and levelling out the mounds of earth.

The area in front of the burnt trees is a horrendous mess of masonry, metal, Tvek-like material and broken glass - all of which seem to be fused together after the many arson attacks.  Clearing this section is going to be a long term project.

We've still a lot of work to do but we are almost at the stage where we can put in some raised beds and get sowing some vegetable seeds!

Next step is for East Lothian Council to remove the fire-damaged trees; and for the Friends of Cuthill Park to thin out the foliage along the wire fence ready for planting the edible hedgerow in November.  Why not join us?  We're a friendly bunch and you could be part of a fantastic community project.

A HUGE thank you everyone who came along over the two days.

Prestonlinks Woodland Group

After an initial flurry of activity, the Prestonlinks Woodland Group has been inactive for a wee while now.  


Perhaps the combined might of the Friends of Cuthill Park and Prestonlinks Woodland Group could achieve great things?  At the very least we could pool our knowledge, swap tips, share tools etc?

If you are interested in helping to manage two orchards, a small woodland and an area of wildflower meadow (10 hectares of land to the west and south of Cockenzie Power Station's Coal Plant) then come along to a meeting in the ante-room in Prestonpans Town Hall on Tuesday 5th October at 6.45 for 7.00 p.m.  

If you want to be involved but can't come along then give Stuart Macpherson, Biodiversity Officer a call on 01620 827242 or email him at smacpherson@eastlothian.gov.uk

Fruitful Discussions

At Thursday evening's Friends of Cuthill Park meeting we agreed a couple of work-in dates:

Saturday 18th September: 1-6p.m.
Site clearance
Removal of weeds, debris and dumped rubbish from the northern corner of the park.


Sunday 19th September: tbc
A second day of clearance, if necessary.
(This is also Speak Like a Pirate Day which be fun!)
Saturday 2nd October: 2pm onwards
The Big Bulb Plant
A day of planting 1,000 purple crocuses, kindly gifted to us by Longniddry & District Rotary Club (see here for more information).
Saturday 30th October: 2pm onwards
Any outstanding jobs, building raised beds etc.

We are also going to be busy in November  planting the 150 trees in the Woodland Trust 'Jams, jellies, chutneys & cordials' pack which will be used to create an edible hedgerow along the western perimeter fence.

We need LOADS of help to bring the plans for a community garden to fruition.  Please consider coming along to some of our work days.  It'll be fun!

Friends of Cuthill Park Meeting - Thursday 26th August @ 7p.m.

The Friends group is small and friendly and you are assured of a warm welcome.

We meet on an ad hoc basis in the Prestoungrange Gothenburg a.k.a. The Goth, Prestonpans High Street.

We've lots to discuss at the meeting including the way forward with the community garden and some of the exciting events taking place in Cuthill Park.  We would love to have your input so why not come along?!

Portobello Community Growing Space - an inspiration

At the Portobello Food Fair there was a wealth of information about community gardening, composting, knitting your own vegetables (yes really) but when it comes down to it, there's nothing like getting your wellies dirty yourself and learning by experience....

...which is something the gardeners at Porty Community Growing Space know all about.

The change to the Portobello Town Hall site in just over a year is astounding.  It's been a learning curve for all involved,  not least getting the Council on board, getting a bank account set up and having to deal with practical issues such as getting water on site.  So what would they do differently?

"Nothing" comes the reply.  "The key to the success of the project was getting the right people involved - people who would commit to the project in the longer term".

It's that sort of commitment we need to secure the future of a similar project in Cuthill Park!

MAY 2009

August 2010

Focus on a Crocus!

This year’s Big Bulb Plant in Cuthill Park (Saturday 2 October) is going to be even BIGGER, thanks to Longniddry & District Rotary Club, who have kindly offered to donate one thousand purple crocuses!


Hopefully the crocuses will be in bloom on Rotary Day, 23 February 2011 as a reminder of the amazing work the Rotarions do to eradicate Polio worldwide (the purple flowers represent the colour of ink dabbed on a child’s little finger to indicate they have been immunised against the disease).

Read more about Focus On The Crocus and http://www.thanksforlife.org.

Please help us mark this vital work with a blaze of purple colour next springtime!