Roughmoor Spinney in Whilton Village has been open to the public since 2000, and has been developed, maintained and managed by a Spinney Management Group (SMG) comprising volunteers from the Parish.  You are encouraged to visit and enjoy it but also be vigilant of any hazards that may be in the area, particularly following periods of inclement weather when there can be occasions where trees or branches may have fallen and have yet to be cleared away.  If you do notice anything that may be a danger, please report it to the Parish Council clerk by email.

 

If you have not been down to the Spinney since the 22nd September you will certainly be surprised!  Treeworx have done a major clearance of 8 trees, assessed as potentially unsafe by our Tree Consultant, and reduced 3 others.  There is more light and open space especially at the pond end.  The new look gives the Parish Council an opportunity to consider new possibilities over managing the trees that remain, potentially introducing more wildlife and woodland flowers.

Consultations have commenced with both the Wildlife Trust and The Small Woodlands Association, and contact with more local similar facilities.  A possible 10 year development plan may evolve - so any ideas or thoughts from you all are welcome, if you would write to me.  We may in the end require a sub-group to consider a submission to the Council; so again if you would like to be involved let me know.

The future is there to plan for, but everyday maintenance and monthly risk assessments need to go on.  Our 7 volunteers have been hard at work on 3 occasions since the tree work was done and are likely to be needed at least once a month for the winter months.  It was great to be given the name of a new volunteer the other day, so if there are others reading this, do contact me.

Meanwhile do give the Spinney a Yule Tide wander.

Keith Hiscock, Parish Councilor  (email)

(1 December 2021)

 

Some time ago, about 300 trees were planted across Daventry District.  This is part of the Woodland Trust's Big Climate Fightback initiative - a campaign to get one million people to join the fight against climate change by pledging to plant a tree during National Tree Week.  That week ended on 1st December 2019.

National Tree Week is the UK's largest tree celebration, inspiring communities across the UK to plant thousands of trees every year since 1975.  Marking the start of the tree planting season, the campaign has its roots in the response to the Dutch Elm Disease crisis of the 1960s, which wiped out more than 20 million of our most significant landscape trees.  People came together to "Plant A Tree in ‘73", and every year since, organisations, professionals, schools and our amazing network of volunteer Tree Wardens have planted trees around the country to lay down roots for a tree-filled future.

Whilton Parish Council joined the campaign and received a pack of native trees, namely Crab Apple, Field Maple and Hazel.

Most of these are now in the Spinney and were planted by volunteers and the Pre-School children.

 

 

Over autumn 2019, members of the Spinney Management Group working in partnership with the Parish Council were able to organise three work parties, with volunteers from the village too.  The pond was cleared and the overgrowth removed. Trees were pruned, and work began on clearing out the stream with the aim of preventing blockages.  Some work was done on weekdays as well as weekends, according to the times offered by volunteers.  A new raised walkway was professionally installed by a contractor in March 2019 using grants from the Parish Council, Daventry District Council and funds held by the Spinney Management Group, now replaced by the Parish Council.  This makes the whole Spinney more accessible whatever the weather and the viewing platform at the pond gives much better access for observations there.

We would like to thank all who have given their time and energy.