Author: Caversham GLOBE

GetReading article on felling of 7 poplars in Christchurch meadows.

As most GLOBE members will know, Reading Borough council are preparing the Christchurch meadows site for the building of a new Pedestrian/Cycle bridge.

Getreading have written an article on their website which talks about the felling of 7 poplar of the 70 poplar trees that run along the meadow and George street.

The poplars have been removed to allow an access point for building vehicles to be created coming off George street into the park.

22.10.2014 RBC contractors preparing site access to Christchurch meadows via George street.
22.10.2014 RBC contractors preparing site access to Christchurch meadows via George street.

As mentioned in the Article, GLOBE has been part of the discussions regarding these trees. The line of poplars are a well known landmark in Caversham and can be seen for miles. Therefore GLOBE members have been pushing RBC to maintain this landmark.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“According to the council, the row of poplars is around 30 years old and the trees, nearing the end of their safe life, are susceptible to disease.

Three trees fell during strong winds last winter.

The council has already held discussions with Caversham Globe, the Save Christchurch Meadows group and Reading Tree Wardens about replacing these trees with new Lombardy poplars.”

Source: Getreading website article.

The rest of the article can be read by clicking on the following link here.

Reading RESCUE October 2014

Reading BridgeSeveral items of flytipping and old metal road signs dredged out of the Thames at Reading Bridge by Caversham GLOBE supporters this weekend.

Our contribution to the October Reading RESCUE event which took place across the town from 9-11 October. An old shopping trolley was also pulled from the river at King’s Meadow.

The wonderful volunteers hard at work planting!

GLOBE Volunteers and the Church street planters

In April 2011 Reading Borough Council (RBC) told Caversham GLOBE that, due to budget cuts, the Council would no longer be maintaining the 22 planting boxes along Church Street Caversham. These planters had been installed by RBC in 2001 as a millenium project to improve the appearance of Caversham village centre. In 2012, Caversham GLOBE agreed to look after the 10 RBC planters on the BT Telephone Exchange frontage. The following year, encouraged by the Caversham Traders Association (CTA), GLOBE extended its work to include the 12 RBC planters on the north side of Church Street. This is how it was reported in the local paper “Get Reading” in May 2013 when the planters were all woodstained, selectively pruned and partially replanted.

'Winning the right to tidy' - Getreading article
‘Winning the right to tidy’ – Getreading article

Thanks were due to the Caversham Traders Association, Drews Hardware for materials and RBC for a small grant. 10 Caversham GLOBE activists gave up much of their Bank Holiday time to carry out the first stage of painting and replanting. Then six volunteers from Scottish & Southern Energy Vastern Road Offices, as part of their “Community Programme”, later assisted in concluding these improvements for Spring 2013. Five of the Caversham traders made the generous gesture of paying the costs of buying new plants. GLOBE subsequently watered and replanted, with the help of Green Shoots Garden Centre (part of the Ways and Means Trust Charity).

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The wonderful volunteers hard at work planting!
The wonderful volunteers hard at work planting!
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The end result - GLOBE still maintain these plants to this day.
The end result – GLOBE still maintain these plants to this day.

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In June 2014, as result of the installation of Bicycle Hire stands, some of the planters on the BT Exchange forecourt have been replaced and we await replanting by Reading Borough Council. In the meantime,GLOBE has been encouraging BT Facilities Management to implement a maintenance programme for a tidy frontage and removal of the remaining redundant railings. This eyesore should soon be just a bad memory!

btexchange_before
This eyesore should soon be just a bad memory!

Richard Denney October 2014

Walk around Caversham lakes

Many of you will know that Lafarge Aggregates, and its predecessors Redland and Folleys, have extracted gravel along the Thames over many years. In 2010 Lafarge put forward plans to create some so called “permissive footpaths” along with other facilities such as a bird habitats, a hide and fishery lakes with parking.

We are proposing to meet at 2 pm this Sunday 5 October to walk some of the paths that have now been established.

Lafarge Lakes map of Dec 2010 proposals annotated to show restrictions September 2014

 

The approach to this is off Henley Road at the traffic light junction with Caversham Park Road. Go down the private road towards the marina for about 300 yards, where you’ll see a small car park on the left through a gate. There is also space to park at the side of the road at this point if coming by car/bike. We shall meet there at 2 pm..

So far as distance is concerned, this will vary for individuals, as one could do up to 4 miles. on this you will have the choice. The ground is dry at the moment and flat, though uneven on some of the paths.  Low growing brambles occur on some of the informal paths but there are wide grassy and flat.paths too.What will we see, apart from anglers? There’s not a lot of open water views because willow, alder and shrubbery grows extensively along the banks. You’ll see the same waterfowl as on the Thames and maybe woodpeckers, fox and evidence of rabbits. A few impressive trees remain from the former farming era. Most of the flora has gone over.
I’ve attached a map which you may find helpful. Decisions about who walks where can be made when we meet. If you have any questions please contact me Richard Denney via this GLOBE email or 07768 958407.. What ever the weather some of us will be there.  It is an “own risk” activity so please wear your preferred footwear etc and keep yourself and companions safe whilst we are on the site. Best wishes, Richard Denney
Caversham GLOBE

Latest GLOBE Annual Report published

Caversham GLOBE’s Annual Report for the calendar year 2013 has now been published following approval at our AGM on 24 June 2014. It shows the huge range of local environmental issues and activities that Caversham GLOBE supporters have been involved in. The report can be found on the Downloads – Reports page.

RESCUE 2014 – Help clean up litter hotspots around Caversham!

Reading RESCUE 2014 [Rivers and Environmental Spaces Clean-Up Event].  Caversham GLOBE has organised the following events for RESCUE 2014. All help is welcome.

Please arrive in good time to familiarise yourself with the safety notes and sign our attendance sheet as required for public liability insurance purposes. NOTE. It’s important that participants wear the right clothing and footwear due to ground conditions, working near brambles/undergrowth and weather.

Friday 14 March – Beech Wood off Badgers Rise, end of Hemdean Road 10 am. Meet by junction of Badgers Rise and Hemdean Road. All help is welcome, so please come along. If needed, you can contact Richard Denney via   info@www.cavershamglobe.org.uk or on 07768 958407.

Friday 14 March – Christchurch Meadow/George Street area from 2 pm. Meet at the corner of George Street and Gosbrook Road by the entrance to Christchurch Meadow next to the advertising posters. All help is welcome, so please come along. If needed, you can contact Richard Denney viainfo@www.cavershamglobe.org.uk or on 07768 958407.

Saturday 15 March – Far end of The Warren by start of Bridle Path from 10.30 am. Meet at far end of The Warren by 10.30 am. All help is welcome, so please come along. If needed, you can contact Richard Denney via info@www.cavershamglobe.org.uk or on 07768 958407.

Sunday 16 March – 10.30 am Meet at corner of Rectory Road and Hemdean Road by 10.30 am. All help is welcome, so please come along. If needed, you can contact Dave Kenny via info@www.cavershamglobe.org.uk or on 07906 630378. Plan is to clear some areas of Caversham centre.

Sunday 16 March – Hill’s Meadow and View Island from 2 pm PROMPT. Meet by the “Thames 21” Van in the gravel area near the skate park on Hill’s Meadow by 2 pm. If needed, you can contact Dave Kenny via info@www.cavershamglobe.org.uk or on 07906 630378.

Caversham GLOBE

Caversham GLOBE meetings in 2014

The dates have now been confirmed for meetings of Caversham GLOBE Group throughout 2014. All of our meetings start promptly at 7.15 pm with tea/coffee available from 7pm.  Meetings are held in the Large Upstairs Hall at Church House, 59 Church Street, Caversham RG4 8AX on the following dates (all TUESDAYS):

28 January, 25 February, 25 March, 22 April, 27 May, 24 June, 22 July, 26 August, 23 September, 28 October, 25 November,  23 December 2014

RESCUE 2013 – LOCAL CLEAN UP OF LITTER AND FLY TIPPING HOT SPOTS

The annual spring RESCUE (Rivers and Environmental Spaces Clean Up Event), which is organised by Reading Borough Council and supported by many groups and organisations across the borough,  is due to take place from Thursday to Sunday 21 to 24  March.  Caversham GLOBE will once again be organising clean up activities in our area.  We welcome residents to come along and help with these activities. Litter picking tools and sacks are provided by the Council. See some pictures in our Gallery pages for the astonishing amount of unsightly and often hazardous litter and fly tipping that inconsiderate people have left in Caversham’s open spaces and watercourses.  If you think you may be available to help with a couple of hours litter picking for this campaign, please see our “contacts” page.

Our Diary Page has now been updated with details of the events being co-ordinated by Caversham GLOBE on Friday 22 March and Saturday 23 March. All help would be welcome at these events.

UPDATE 23 March: Thanks to all who helped out with the cleanup at Thames Prom on Friday 22 March,  a huge amount of litter and flytipped rubbish was collected.  Unfortunatley our cleanup on 23 March has been cancelled becasue of the bad weather, but will be rearranged as soon as possible.

Autumn RESCUE clean up of local woodlands and waterways 12/13 October 2012

Local residents and GLOBE supporters will be invited to help with this clean up of our area, organised by Reading Borough Council and supported by many organisations across the Borough.  A productive Spring RESCUE (Rivers & Environmental Spaces Clean Up Event) has taken place for the past 5 years or so, resulting in many environmental hazards, unsightly litter and fly-tipped material being recovered.

The Warren RESCUE 2011 collection March 2011

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR LARGER IMAGE

So, if you or someone you know can help, an entry for your diary NOW  please – 12/13 October –  also, if you of  know of an area that would benefit from a clean up, please let us know. More details will be publicised over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Thanks.

Shopping Trolley Rescue

Shopping trolleys in the Thames – hazards for river users & wildlife

Three Caversham GLOBE activists resorted to a boat on the Thames in July 2012 with the aim of removing a wheelie bin and some shopping trolleys that had been spotted near Caversham Bridge. Over the course of the afternoon, with curious on-lookers, a total of 13 shopping trolleys were brought to the river bank as well as the wheelie bin. Some of the longer submerged trolleys were supporting river mussels, snails and weed. 12 of the trolleys were owned by Waitrose, indicating a problem that the Caversham store needs to resolve.  

CLICK ON PICTURES FOR BIGGER IMAGE

Waitrose trolley rescued from Thames July 2012

 

Waitrose trolleys on Thames side Prom July 2012