Fulbourn Fen Nature Reserve Work Parties

Dates for winter 2021/2022

Sunday 17 October 2021

Sunday 14 November

Sunday 12 December

Sunday 9 January 2022

Sunday 6 February

Sunday 6 March

The Wildlife Trust work parties begin again on Sunday 17 October. We meet at 10.00am at the car park at the end of Stonebridge Lane before walking to the meadows. Children are very welcome but must be under the supervision of a parent or guardian. Please wear sturdy footwear, gloves and appropriate clothing. The meadows can be wet or damp in places. Covid precautions will be observed, and tools will be cleaned before and after use.

Unfortunately, it is not possible at the moment to provide the usual mid-morning refreshments, so please bring your own.

For more information, please contact the Volunteer Warden Pete Montgomery: pete.hazlett@gmail.com

The Nature Reserve meadows are recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The winter work parties do valuable work in helping with clearance of scrub that benefits the wild orchids which proliferate here in the fen conditions. The orchid count in June 2021 recorded 3,370 orchids, mostly marsh orchids, but also bee orchids, pyramidal orchids, and common spotted orchids. Green twayblade orchids also are numerous but are not counted as they are difficult to identify. This year’s count was the highest number since records began in 2001, testimony to the Wildlife Trust’s excellent stewardship.

Annual Orchid Count on Fulbourn Nature Reserve

Thursday 7 June, meeting at 6.00pm at the Reserve entrance in Stonebridge Lane

Do join us to help with the annual orchid count in East Fen Pasture – all welcome. No experience is necessary and we should finish by around 8.00pm(ish). A great way to really experience the huge numbers of flowers across the meadow, an area away from the main path. Walking boots are advised, together with covering for legs and arms.

It would help the organizers, the Wildlife Trust, if you would let them know you are coming to help – email pete.monty@gmail.com

The weather is looking good!

Fulbourn Community Market

Saturday 9 June in the Townley Hall, Fulbourn Centre from 2.30pm to 5.00pm

A great mix as usual of food, crafts and personal items. Including local breads, cakes and savouries, local produce, and Fulbourn’s Moonshine Brewery ales (at very competitive prices!). Original prints, fine art, crafts and cards, plus affordable jewellery, home, table and fabric gifts, decorations and toys. Also handmade lotions, soaps and cosmetics, and natural health products and supplements. And more, including plants and a Fulbourn swifts stand. The WI cafe will be there as always. Free children’s crafts on the stage will this time be done by the Primary School PTfA to raise awareness of their campaign to provide new play equipment – activities include design your own play equipment using toothpicks and sweets! Do come and support them while seeing what is on offer at the market.

Fulbourn Repair Cafe

Saturday 17 March 2018, 2.00 to 4.30pm, Townley Hall, Fulbourn Centre, Home End

What to do with stuff that’s broken or doesn’t work anymore? Bring it along to Fulbourn’s third Repair Cafe and a skilled volunteer will try to help you fix it. It’s best to book your item in, either by emailing fulbournforum@gmail.com with a short description of the item and the problem, or you can book online at: www.circularcambridge.org/events/fulbourn-repair-cafe-2/

You may also turn up on the day but you may have to wait for a slot. Refreshments.

Fulbourn Community Market

Saturday 10 March, 2.30 to 5.00pm, Townley Hall, Fulbourn Centre, Home End

It will be a full hall with artisan bread from Abundance Bakehouse, cakes, tarts, and savouries, including samosas and bharjis. Fruit and veg, marmalade, chutneys, local honey from David Adam, eggs from Herrings House, Wilbraham Road, Cambridge Cheese Company (incl. olives, pies, scotch eggs and salmon) and other local produce. Fulbourn’s Moonshine Brewery bottle conditioned ales. BeeBeeWraps natural beeswax and organic cotton food wraps. Fine chocolate from Little Beetle. Handmade crafts, fine art, ceramics, original prints, cards, and affordable jewellery; crafted home, kitchen, table and fabric gifts. Plants and seeds. Free activities for children making crafts on the stage. Cafe with homemade cakes by the WI. Info: fulbournforum@gmail.com

Fulbourn Christmas Community Market Saturday 9 December

Saturday 9 December 2017

2.30 to 5.00pm in the Townley Hall at the Fulbourn Centre, Home End, CB21 5BS

 

 

 

Don’t finish your Christmas shopping until you have visited your local market, brimming with Xmas gifts and goodies, as well as the usual fare!

It will be another full market packed with food – artisan bread, cakes, mince pies, buns, tarts, and savouries, including some gluten free baked items. Organic fruit and veg, jams, chutneys, local honey and eggs, Cambridge Cheese Company (cheese, olives, pies, scotch eggs and salmon) and other local produce.  And drink – Fulbourn’s Moonshine Brewery bottle conditioned ales and Fulbourn apple juice. Handmade crafts, fine art, ceramics, original prints, cards, and affordable jewellery; crafted home, kitchen, table and fabric gifts; home decorations, lamps, models, toys, and glass suncatchers; handmade natural lotions, deodorants, soaps and cosmetics; and natural health personal use products and supplements. Not forgetting  Christmas plants, decorations and puddings…….and more!

Again this year, there will be free activities for children making Christmas crafts on the stage – so bring the family (and plenty of bags), have a great afternoon, and stay to enjoy refreshments at the WI café – good cakes, great value!

Please note the dates for the 2018 Markets: 10 March, 9 June, 8 September, 8 December. For more information please contact David Cottee on 880616 or fulbournforum@gmail.com

 

Litter Pick Sunday 22 October

 

Thank you to everyone who helped with Fulbourn Forum’s second litter pick this year. 41 people, including several children, were involved on the day filling over 60 large plastic sacks (see picture), collecting many larger items as well, and providing refreshments after the event.

This makes such a huge difference to the village. Thanks also to the many people who pick up pieces of litter throughout the year either outside their homes or as they are walking or cycling around the village. Yes, it keeps coming back, largely thrown from cars it seems, especially along the approach roads, but if we want to maintain a pleasant environment, there seems to be no alternative. More volunteers are always very useful, so look out for the posters next year – the next pick is likely to be Sunday 8 April 2018.

Apple Pressing Day Sunday 15 October

We would like to thank everyone, over 70 of you, including a number of children, for contributing to the success of the Fulbourn Apple Pressing Day on Sunday 15th October.

Everyone pulled out the stops by either making teas, donating cakes to keep us going, and by picking or providing apples of course; or by washing, chopping, scratting, pressing, filling bottles, and pasteurising!

Together we produced around 180 bottles of Fulbourn Apple Juice; a fantastic community coming together. It was fewer bottles than the 240 from 2016 but the apples weren’t so abundant this year. This also accounted for the pressing processes coming to a close earlier than last year. There are a small number of bottles of juice left which will be for sale at the Fulbourn Christmas Community Market on December 9th in the Townley Hall, from 2.30pm.

We hope you found it enjoyable and that you’ll come again next year!

Fulbourn Gardening Society Talk by Pippa Vine: Nurturing Nature and Wooing Wildlife. Tuesday 17 October

At 7.30pm in the Swifts Meeting Room, Haggis Gap, Fulbourn, CB21 5HD (within the Library)

Pippa was a founder committee member of Fulbourn Forum and has only recently relinquished that role to move to Bristol to be nearer to her family. However, we are delighted that she is returning to give this talk for Fulbourn Gardening Society centred around her love of permaculture gardening, and in particular the development of her own garden in Fulbourn. Entrance is £2 for non-members, free to members.

Fulbourn Nature Reserve Work Parties

A great way to get to know you local reserve better, help maintain the important flora and biodiversity, and get a little exercise into the bargain! These sessions are invaluable to the Wildlife Trust who manage the work parties through the local volunteer wardens. Do give it a try – you will be very welcome. Enjoyment guaranteed!

The dates for 2017/2018 are:

Sunday 5 November

Sunday 3 December

Sunday 7 January

Sunday 4 February

Sunday 4 March

 

Meet just before 10.00am at the car park at the end of Stonebridge Lane. The work party will finish around 12.30 to 1.00pm latest, but stay aas long as you can. Hot coffee and biscuits provided. Children are very welcome, accompanied by an adult. Please wear stout footwear and protective gloves.

For more information contact the Wildlife Trust volunteer wardens:

Peter Montgomery – pete.monty@gmail.com / 07747 065854

Anthjony Godsell – mottledandpied@gmail.com / 07784 248303

Fulbourn Community Litter Pick Sunday 22 October

Sunday 22 October. Meet between 2.00 and 2.30pm outside the Fulbourn Centre

We hope that you can join us for the second village litter pick of 2017. As usual, there is a lot of litter but with plenty of volunteers we should be able to cover most of the village and get out along the numerous approach roads towards the parish boundaries. Pickers and bags (and bag holders) will be available from outside the Fulbourn Centre but please bring your own pickers if you have them. And don’t forget suitable gloves and, if you have one, a hi-vis vest for when on road verges – however, we will have gloves and a few vests to borrow if necessary.

If required, lifts can be provided to and from your picking area, and refreshments will be available back at the Centre between 4.00 and 5.30pm. Arrangements will be made for collection of the filled bags from the roadside – no need to carry them back.

If you cannot make the Sunday afternoon but would still like to help, contact us for the pickers and bags so that you can litter pick your chosen area in the morning or on another day – several people have been doing this recently.

Although there is usually a good turnout of volunteers, a few more hands would enable more areas to be cleared of litter. We shall also be looking for a couple of volunteers (with suitable wellington boots!) able to help clear the ditch along Hinton Road. Do come and join in if you can, even for just an hour – it makes such a difference to the village

Apple Pressing Day Sunday 15 October

From 10.00am to 5.00pm in the Old Stables, Fulbourn Manor.

This will be our sixth apple pressing event – do join us for another great day!

Hopefully some of our regular apple providers will have some for us again this year, but if you have an abundance that you cannot possibly eat or keep, then please let us know. We always need lots! 

Bring apples on the day (in the morning if possible), but we may be able to help pick and/or collect if necessary during the preceding week (we have long-handled pickers for larger trees). Any quality windfalls should be freshly gathered and clean please – those covered with grass or mud are difficult to use. Please let us know in advance if you are planning to bring some apples.

 

We now have enough bottles for the event. This year we are using some new bottles as well as some recycled ones.

 

We shall be serving drinks and cakes (including apple cakes) during the day – offers of cakes gratefully accepted. Many willing hands will be needed throughout the day for a variety of activities – washing, cutting, crushing, pressing, bottling, pateurising, labelling etc. – so do come along if you can, even for just a short while. Supervised children are most welcome – we have had helpers and visitors from 2yrs to 92yrs, who have had a great day. If possible, please let us know in advance that you will be coming to help. All helpers (and apple providers) will, of course, take home some bottles.

 

You are also welcome to just come and watch the action while enjoying a drink and some cake, and go away with a bottle of Fulbourn Apple Juice 2017 for a small donation. Don’t miss it!