The Old Forge Pond, Blacksmiths Lane

This is an area which has been neglected for years and has become a haven for wildlife and many wild flowers. The pond has also, over the years, gained a considerable amount of rubbish. A group of villagers under the leadership of Julia and Jasmin have taken on the task of clearing the site to create a more natural environment for the wildlife and wild flowers to flourish.

For more information please contact Jasmin or Julia

email:oldforgeproject@thorpe-morieux.org.uk

01/10/2006

01/08/2006

01/02/2006

The winter solstice was eventually held in the Village Hall as the ground in the pond area was very sticky and wet. The evening went down very well having over 20 supporters and a grand total, after expenses, raised a hundred pounds, which was shared between the village hall and the pond project, also thank you to all those who donated prizes to the raffle.

Next will be the summer solstice so watch out and get those picnics to the ready.

We are also hoping to arrange a moth night so more info nearer the time.

Julia Dalley

01/12/2005

We started work on October 30th and what a bright day it was, a good turn out too. The pond also saw a bit of change on the following Saturday this being the removal of some trees that needed to come down. It now gives extra light into the pond making it better for the newts and other wildlife that will benefit from it. A big thank you to Richard Welham for his time and chainsaw help in taking the trees down for us. The logs were also used in making two other log piles. Two Harvest Mice nests were found during the clean up of the area on the left hand side of the gate so leaving this to over grow has show to be a good habitat for these small creatures, the butterfly box was full of earwigs no butterflies yet. The bat boxes still await a death defying tree climber to place them in the chestnut tree, any offers would be appreciated. Please take note Winter Solstice Party on 21st December come and enjoy yourselves.

01/10/2005

01/08/2005

01/01/2005

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year from the pond project team. On December 5th in the grounds of the pond project a "Winter's Treat" open day took place with mulled wine, hot soup and baked potatoes and John by his fire roasting his chestnuts. A small donation was asked for and you ate and drank what you wanted. It was a dull old day but people did turn out to make it a successful afternoon which raised £70.00. There had been some insect houses placed within the trees and some bird feeders which are popular with the local birds. We shall be pallet stripping and painting the rest of the fence so if anyone would like to help please do come along. Teas are always provided and sometimes the occasional biscuits. Pond dates to remember 6th Feb, 20th Feb, 20th March and 3rd April, 10-12am.

Julia

01/10/2004

Here are some work party dates for the Pond Project. If you wish to come along and lend a hand we start from 10.00am until 12 noon, stout boots and gloves must be worn. If you cannot provide gloves we have a few spare just in case. The dates are October 3rd, 17th and 31st, November 28th. Certain dates are left for special certain occasions. 12th December will be another date but as it is the last one before Christmas, come and have a warmed mulled wine with us and see what has been done at the Pond Project Site. We have a mascot, Harriet Heron, which was found whilst on a clean up one afternoon. There was only a plastic head which was found and it now has a stick for its neck but as it has been there for quite some time under all the rubbish and soil, we thought it would be nice for it to be the Pond project Mascot.

Contact Jasmin or Julia for more info; we still have 449 red tiles awaiting donation and collection if anyone is interested.

01/08/2004

In November 2003 applications were made to various sources for grant funding. This June I was thrilled to receive a letter from Suffolk ACRE saying that an application made via them to the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust Village Initiatives Scheme had been successful. I now hope to engage a contractor to carry out the mechanical clearing of waste from the pond area. This will make a significant step forward in the pond's life. I would like to reassure those who like to keep an eye on what the pond team is up to things may well look worse before they get better. We have support from Babergh District Council and The Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Babergh District Council have stressed that anyone proven to have fly tipped in the pond will be prosecuted. If you would like to join any work parties please contact either Julia or Jasmin. Also thank you to everybody who has purchased plants etc from the stall as this all helps towards us maintaining the pond site.

01/06/2004

With all this rain and sunshine the stinging nettles and other plants have grown quite a bit, and the coppiced hedge is beginning to grow but is in need of a lot of grass clearance to give it a boost. Earlier this month a female pheasant had taken up roost in front of some old logs under some dead ivy. She had been there a while and never moved when I walked by, but tragedy happened on May 5th. A strong smell of fox was noted on the next day, and I found that she had become the fox’s meal that night. The pond has seen some life too. On Wednesday morning as I stood looking at the rubbish and thinking what it would look like when it was cleared, a movement caught my eye. ‘Rat’ I said to myself, but thank heavens it was a field vole scuttling about in the rubbish. I dashed off to get the camera, and crept in hoping to see it again, and eventually it settled down for a clean up five inches in front of my shoe. Snap flash got it. So it’s not all bad news. A robin with a beak full of grubs and a blackbird’s nest with three eggs.

 On Thursday I went along with shears and sickle to trim a path, and to take down some of the nettles in the south end. I’m now scratching after getting stung a fair few times. Don’t forget, if you want to visit or lend a hand, do come along. Work parties need stout gloves and a good pair of boots. Tea is provided.

Thank you Jasmin for the kind loan of your house for a wonderful coffee morning on April 24th. Proceeds went to the Village Hall and the Pond Project, which received £197.50. This included a very unexpected donation, so I thank you very much. It turned out a wonderful day, and thanks to those who came and enjoyed the sunshine while it lasted and made the coffee morning so successful.

Does anyone know of any Black Poplars in the village? I’d be grateful if you’d contact me.

Julia

01/04/2004 Project Update

The Pond Project is progressing well.

A green area is being left to allow wild plants to grow. These will be surveyed later on for our records. Bird boxes have now been placed around the area, and a few stumpy trees left for this purpose. A wide variety of birds have been seen in the area. The hedge has been cut right down and signsof new growth are beginning to show. The honeysuckle is growing rapidly and some of it has fallen over. We have yet to make an arch to support it. As the ground ivy is removed we are uncovering some nice surprises, such as plenty of lords andladies popping through. This definitely shows a change for the better. The rabbits have vacated the area and the holes are being filled in so we cannot fall down them. We've also cut back the lilac to tidy it up and stop it poking us in the head. Six primroses have been planted along the ditch and th elm logs have been sorted, ready to be taken away and made into a bench.

Thanks to Gerald and Liz for supporting us at the Pancake party, which raised £166.15 for the Pond Project.

A fund-raisng Coffe Morning will be held at little Home Farm ( at the Union Jack ) on April 24th from 10am to 12 noon. Enjoy a cup of coffee and browse through the photos of the work we have carried out so far. There will be a cake and produce stall, books,gifts and a draw. Donations for the stalls will be gladly received on the morning.

01/02/2004  Project Update:

First, I would like to thank everybody for what they are doing for this project and the hard work involved. Special thanks to the Parish Council for lookinto this area, for the help offered by Strutt and Parker Farms and of course the reliable Bulls Wood coppicing team. This is an update of what has been going on in the last two months.

November 16th 2003 the first pond clearance work party took place with nine people turning up to help. So far three work parties have taken place with the fourth on 11th january, weather permitting. In between, work has continued during the week, improving the area little by little, struggling with a bow saw taking down stumps and small tree and making them into small logs to be bagged up for firewood.

On December 2nd part of the ditch was tidied, resulting in 450 red four inch windowsill tiles being retrieved. These are cleaned and stacked and awaiting someone to make a kind donation and take them away.

December 3rd brought Mark, the Bulls Wood tree surgeon, out to spray paint some of the larger trees that had grown too high which meant they completely blocked light from the pond. A lot of the wood is elm, which is good news as this means that the hedging will sucker back. Other ares will need new hedging later on. 

December 7th brought the sound of a chainsaw, and with no haste I walked down to the pond project area to find Strutt and Parker had sent one of their men to take down the marked trees. After watching three of them fall it really did make a difference, and the loader came and took the tops away. Strutt and Parker have been very supportive offering practical help and this has given the pond team a big boost. Thank you.

Sunday 14th december, the last work party of the year, the sun shone, the canopy was open and the area looked great. Now all we had to do was tidy the blackthorn in the pond and some small shrubby trees round the edge, then it was time for a practice trim of the hedge line. What a difference!

Do join in on 25th january at 10am, meeting at the Old Forge Site by the office. Don't worry, tea and biscuits provided. If you're coming wear stout boots and bring a pair of gloves. Accompanied children are welcome.

On february 8th, bring the children as we shall be putting up the wondeful bird boxes, kindly donated by Dick and Joyce Welham, ready for the birds to use in the spring. If the children would like to make a bird box at home and bring it with them on the day, that would be brilliant.

01/12/2003     Project Update:

On November 16th the tidy up began with eight enthusiastic volunteers who turned out on a sunny Sunday morning to clear the open area of the site of the Old Forge. A lot was accomplished in that one morning and a good clear opening can now be seen.

Another work morning is booked for 14th December, so if you would like to come and give a hand please do so. Keep in mind that stout boots and gloves must be worn. We start from 10am onwards and teas will be provided.

On a Help Wanted list: Please could somebody loan us a chipper for our wood? Thank you.