Friends of Watts Meadow, Rochester

Thankyou to all the volunteers who joined the annual hayrake - all done in a couple of hours, and now we can look forward to more wildflowers next year. And we found masses of frogs hiding in the comfrey!

Thanks to volunteers this morning, we now have a new picnic bench in Watts Meadow (paid for by Friends group) and have made a start on bringing more light into one of the clearings - cutting back dense hawthorn

Part 2 - as part of national volunteering week, thanks to @medway_council and @MugsForum - Watts Meadow friends joined an event at Capstone park to say thankyou to the many groups who look after footpaths and green spaces

A two part volunteer day - morning spent in Watts Meadow. Thankyou to the team who cleared paths and removed the base of the burned bin

Thanks to the small group of volunteers who helped clear paths in Watts Meadow- nettles had been growing rampant, but now handrails cleared and other path edges clipped back

Incident in Watts Meadow this evening - one of our bins is now just a metal shell. Remember to ring 112 if you see anything that needs reporting. Fire brigade have now put this out (plastic burns like a torch, for a long time)

Thanks to the volunteers who joined us this morning - new benches cleaned and oiled, and litter cleared.

Blossom looking lovely in Watts Meadow

Thanks to the small group of volunteers who joined our session today. Spindleberry whips planted - good for nature and to re-wild some of the muddy areas. Also litter pick and benches cleaned.

To anyone worried about the tree cutting in Watts Meadow - don't be! It is all part of our management plan. More details here: friendsofwattsmeadow.wordpre…

Thankyou to the volunteers who joined our first task day of 2024. We planted around 30 whips- hawthorn and blackthorn to reinforce our wild areas, and dog roses on a bank by the sleeper seat.

Another Watts Meadow #BigGardenBirdWatch reported - 13 species this year, on a lovely sunny morning friendsofwattsmeadow.wordpre…

Good to welcome members of other local greenspaces friends groups to Watts Meadow today as @MugsForum led a group around part of the new Rochester trail

If you have eaten too much and feel you need exercise, or have family visiting and would like to explore Rochester, do take a look at the new Rochester trail - we're on the map! friendsofwattsmeadow.wordpre…

As it is pouring with rain (and 2 of the organisers have covid) we have decided to cancel our Christmas gathering in Watts Meadow. Sorry to those looking forward to mince pies and the trail. We'll share our plans for 2024 in the New Year

The new Rochester trail is officially open - ribbon cut by the Mayor of Medway, and the short route walked (with a tiny detour to admire the view from the top of Watts Meadow

The full story behind our new benches friendsofwattsmeadow.wordpre…

THANKYOU to all the volunteers who helped to install our 2 new benches in Watts Meadow. Lovely excuse now to break your walk, sit and enjoy the views over towards the Great Lines and Chatham Dockyard

Next phase of our "are you sitting comfortably?" project has started - the first of 3 new benches in Watts Meadow is in place. Do join our task day on Saturday morning if you'd like to lend a hand and help place the next 2

We'll be there!