Cubs and Scouts plant hedging at Stonebridge Reserve – and ARK’s lambs are for sale

The Second Marlborough Cubs and Scouts have been busy planting more hedging in their local green space – Stonebridge Wild River Reserve.

On Saturday (November 15) the boys and girls – and some parents – joined Anna Forbes, who is Action for the River Kennet (ARK) Stonebridge Project Officer, to plant 130 native trees in the meadow to continue the new hedging planted earlier in the year.

They also started to fill a giant bug palace for animals to hibernate in over the winter months. The afternoon was an opportunity for the children to get their hands dirty and enjoy the outdoors, as well as improving the site for people and for wildlife.

Anna was pleased with what they had achieved: “I hope in the future some of these Cubs and Scouts will come back and help lay the hedge when the trees are big enough, they certainly enjoyed themselves today. It is lovely to see so many children connecting with nature”.

Next Saturday (November 22) from 2.00pm ARK are holding a public planting afternoon at Stonebridge to plant more hedging. Everyone is welcome, please wear wellies and bring a spade.

Meanwhile you can take a firm step towards minimising your ‘food miles’ by buying lamb from ARK.  They are selling the lambs that have been grazing in Cooper’s Meadow – you cannot source meat much more locally than it.

Half a lamb can be bought in three sizes: small means £50 minimum for seven kilograms, medium means £75 minimum for ten kilograms, and large means £120 minimum for sixteen kilograms.

Each half will contain a whole leg, a whole shoulder, some chops, some stewing lamb and some mince.  If you want the leg boned out, the weight will, of course, be lower.

It is a first come first served sale – to register your interest email carolyn@riverkennet.org with name, contact (email/phone) and preferred size.  Collection will be from Andrews Butchers in Marlborough and you will get at least five days notice of when the lamb will be ready – which will be the end of November or early December.

And at ARK’s AGM in the Town Hall on November 24 there will be a raffle for a half lamb with tickets at £5.