Our Heritage - Our Natural Environment - Bluebell Walk

One element of our Heritage Project is an appreciation of the natural environment in which the Parish Hall is located. Within East Worlington Parish there are several woodlands and in April/May provide a setting for a carpet of bluebells. Historically much more of the land in the area was covered with woodlands and this was reduced with both the demand for timber grew and for greater use of land for farming. Conserving the existing historic woodland and the fauna and flora it supports is important in ensuring continued preservation of our local heritage.

We are very fortunate in that land and woodland being preserved is in the ownership of a local resident at East Worlington House, who provided permission to walk their land and indeed encourages activities that enable further appreciation of the environment.

 

Our Parish Hall providing a focus as a local Heritage Learning Centre has a role in helping people learn more about our natural environment. 

 

On Saturday 29^th April 2017, we organised a learning walk for a group of community members. The walk was arranged and lead by local volunteers who have being fully engaged in the Heritage Project and support its research and shared learning. The walk started at the Parish Hall and took a route down the hill from the Hall across Lawn Meadow to the Little Dart River. 

 

The landowner has constructed a walking bridge across the river using timber from fallen trees and constructed with the skills of local craftspeople.

 

Having crossed the river we found ourselves in a small meadow that is being preserved as an area of natural grassland and wild flower. A clearly marked pathway provided a route across the meadow from the river to the foot of the hillside supporting the woodland.

 

Within the woodland there are recognised paths and bridleways and we followed these on a circular route through the trees. 

 The route provided excellent views of extensive areas of bluebells.

At the end of the circular route we returned to the river and retraced our initial route across Lawn Meadow field and up the hill back to the Hall. On arriving back at the Hall were welcome tea/coffee and cakes refreshments, provided by local volunteers.

This was indeed an enjoyable afternoon appreciating our local natural environment and shared with a range of different members of our community. 

Great intellectual, social and emotional experience.

Writing Workshop "Your memories, Your legacy"

As part of our Heritage Project we aimed at supporting greater learning about our heritage and encouraging the development of skills that enable our heritage to be recorded through the experiences of our community members.

We are very fortunate living within our community is a published author, Wendy Percival who has significant experience of researching family history and using information to create novels. In support of our Heritage Project Wendy facilitated a Writing Workshop called ‘Your memories, Your legacy’. This was attended by local community members and acted both as a stimulus for writing and to learn about research skills and approaches.

As Wendy states, “Discovering why recording personal memories is important no matter how ‘ordinary’ you think you are – the workshop provides tips, ideas and suggestions to get you started”.

Records ensure our heritage is known and understood by a wider group of people and future generations. 

Writing down our memories and experiences contribute to the knowledge we have about life throughout history.

The workshop was attended by 9 local people and through inputs from Wendy time for reflection, time for writing and time to discuss and share engaged in a significant contribution to our ‘Our Heritage’

.

Comments from participants.

• “This was a very valuable and thought provoking workshop”

• “Time to reflect which I don’t usually get”

• “I’ve learnt that recoding my memories as part of our heritage is important”

• “Thinking about early experiences was an emotional experience”

• “I’ve kept a diary all my life and until now never realised how important it could be as a record of social history”

• “Well facilitated workshop. Much preparation had gone into the workshop. A very professional approach”

• “Sharing experiences is interesting and helps greater understanding about our heritage”

• "The handout notes are very useful to ensure I can remember key information offered during the workshop."

EWPH – East Worlington Parish Hall

East Worlington Heritage Group

March Minutes now on line.

Hope you're joining us for the Bluebell Walk on the 29th.