Wapley Bushes Work Morning, Saturday 14 March

We shall be undertaking general management tasks, including a spring clean, that will help to enhance the biodiversity of this precious nature reserve. Please wear stout footwear. Meet at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US, 10.00am.

Quiz Night Live! - Friday 13 March

This is your chance to have some fun and pick a team of Eggheads and bring them along to our general knowledge quiz in aid of Avon Wildlife Trust. You are most welcome make up a team name and bring your own snacks and beverages. We will also be serving tea and coffee for you in the break. Quiz teams are usually made up of four players at a cost of £2.50 per individual team member. Please contact Malcolm on 01454 310328 to book your team's place. Venue: The Old Grammar School, High Street, Chipping Sodbury, 7.30pm.

Wapley Bridge - latest update

Residents will be aware that work on the bridge has slowed down dramatically over the the last few weeks. This was due to problems with the finish on some of the precast concrete units, but these have now been solved.

Another difficulty has been how to get the large tracked vehicle (the orange one in the photo) across to the other side of the line, because of the traffic restrictions on Besom Lane.

It is now planned to take the big vehicle across the railway track at night, possibly this coming weekend.

Work should then proceed quickly. The concrete sections will still be brought round to the other side on a trailer pulled by a large tractor, via Wapley Common as previously planned.

STOP PRESS: The big vehicle is due to cross the line on Saturday night (28 Feb). The concrete sections will be taken round next week, and most of the Beson Lane parking area will be coned off for the week so that they can get the big tractor and trailer in and out.

Wapley tree workshop very fruitful

Mr Fruit explained how to prune fruit trees to get the best shape in the future

Mr Fruit checking up on some of the pruning carried out by the volunteers

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group were very pleased by the turnout for their Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop at Wapley on 15 February. Twenty people attended, representing eight environmental groups from across South Gloucestershire and a number of private landowners,

The workshop was run by "Mr Fruit" Graham White who has advised the Conservation Group and Dodington Parish Council ever since they planted the "Orchard For The Future" on Wapley Common in March 2011.

"We were very glad to offer this training opportunity to other groups like ourselves" said Cllr Paul Hulbert, who is a regular volunteer at the Nature Reserve. "This area used to have a lot of small orchards, but most have been lost. We're keen to get lots of community orchards started again, and we need to spread the skills needed to maintain them"

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group's next practical event will be a woodland work morning and spring clean on Saturday 14 March from 10.00 am to enhance the biodiversity of this precious nature reserve.

"Everyone is welcome" said Cllr Hulbert. "Please wear stout footwear, but we will provide the tools. We shall be meeting at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US"