All change! New blog address

Exciting times: this blog has now moved to www.merseyforest.org.uk/griffinwood

Come on over!

Your chance to get involved!

More regular activities are becoming available for local people and visitors to Griffin Wood and everyone is being invited to come along and get involved by joining the Friends group, at the Leaf Centre on Chester Lane from 7pm on Thursday 3rd September 2009.

This is a great opportunity for you and your family to gain free training / to get healthier / to make new friends and if you wish, to take on a role within the committee, to help expand your skills (or just because you want to). You really can do as much or as little as you want!

The Mersey Forest will be offering free training courses for members of the group at Griffin Wood on habitat management (which can be adapted to help improve your garden); species identification and recording and other topics if people show us they are dedicated and interested in attending!

Helen Collins is the new Community Officer at The Mersey Forest, please give her a call on 01925 816217 or email helen.collins@merseyforest.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved.

Friends of Griffin Wood Meetings

If you would like to get involved or find out more about the Friends of Griffin Wood please come along to the next Friends Group Meeting

Date: Thursday 15th January '09
Time: 7pm
Location: Chester Lane Library on Four Acre Lane(WA9 4DE).

For further details please contact Tamsin McCarthy at The Mersey Forest Team on
01925 816 217 or e-mail tamsin@merseyforest.org.uk

November tree planting event at Griffin Wood

Come along and join in with a tree and bulb planting event at Griffin Wood!

Date: Sunday 23rd November
Meet: 10am at the car park of Clockface Country Park on Gorsey Lane

Details:
The Friends of Griffin Wood are hosting a tree and bulb planting event on Sunday 23rd November to enhance the existing woodland. The Mersey Forest and The Friends of Griffin Wood are pleased to invite all those who are interested to take part in the event and contribute to the development of this wonderful community woodland.

The group will meet in the car park of Clockface Country Park on Gorsey Lane at 10am on Sunday 23rd from where it is a 20 minute walk to Griffin Wood. If you would like to attend but have restricted mobility, please contact The Mersey Forest Team on 01925 816 217.

Tools will be provided but please wear appropriate winter clothing including gloves and boots or wellingtons. Hot drinks and refreshments will be available but please bring a packed lunch if you intend to spend the day on site.

Please confirm your attendance by contacing Tamsin McCarthy at The Mersey Forest on 01925 816 217 or e-mail tamsin@merseyforest.org.uk

A bit of fun: A Wordle of the Griffin Wood blog!

A Wordle (from www.wordle.net) is a picture featuring only words taken from a particular website. The more frequently a word appears on the site, the bigger it is on the Wordle. Here is one made from this blog. For the full size version, click here. Enjoy!

Thursday 22nd May Friends Group Meeting

The next Friends Group meeting will be held at the Shining Light Centre, on Forest Rd, Sutton Manor, at 7.30pm. Location is here.

Please come along if you are interested in becoming involved with the Group and works going on at Griffin Wood.

Flower power at Griffin Wood

With new all-access paths in place and a glorious bloom of colour to welcome you, now is a great time to visit Griffin Wood, especially if the weather stays this good!

If you can't make it along, here are some photos of what you're missing...

Sunday double bill!

Come along and join in at a double bill of activities on Sunday 2nd March 2008:

Part I
1½ hour guided walk of new community woodland site at ‘Brickfields’ in Sutton, St Helens.

Times: 10 am – 11.30 am

Meet: 10am at the car park of Chester Lane Community Centre and Library.

Details: Find out about future plans for the development of the Brickfields community woodlands in Sutton and how you could get actively involved in conservation work there. The walk will include a tour of ‘Red Quarry’, which is currently closed to the public.


Part II - Griffin Wood hedgerow planting

Times: 11.30 am – 4pm Sunday March 2nd 2008

Meet: 11.30am in the car park of Chester Lane Community Centre and Library for a minibus to Griffin Wood to help the Friends of Griffin Wood to plant a new hedgerow of berry bearing plants for birds.

Details: The Minibus will return to the car park at 2.30pm and 4pm ( subject to weather conditions). Bring a packed lunch, stout waterproof footwear and clothing and gardening gloves, if you have them. For more details contact The Mersey Forest Office on 01925 816 217 or 07748 337629.

Hope to see you at one or both events!

Friends of Griffin Wood November Meeting

The next meeting of the Friends of Griffin Wood will be at 7.30pm on Thursday November 1st at Chester Lane Community Centre. Topics for discussion will be planning the orchards, planting the hedgerow and habitat creation. Why not come along and get involved in this dynamic, active group?
For further details contact Mac Carding. Tel 01925 816217

Build a bird hide!

An exciting opportunity has arisen at short notice for us to have the Griffin Wood Bird Hide built THIS WEEK as part of BBC Wild Week.

Details will be advertised on the BBC website here.

From Tuesday 23rd October until Friday 26th October each day from 11am until 3pm members of the public and volunteers from BTCV (British Trust For Conservation Volunteers) will be working to build the bird hide and a bird feeding station for Griffin Wood.

It will be located near to the existing pond surrounded by trees which is in the middle of the far end of the field, so it is a long walk, before you start work!

The Friends of Griffin Wood are most welcome to come and be part of this task as well as any nature-loving newcomers.

As ever there is NO CAR PARKING on Hall Lane. However a lift will be available from Clock Face Country Park Car park at 11am. If you would like to take part in this task and would like to book a lift, please telephone either the task leader, Neil McMahon, on 07740899716 or call The Mersey Forest Team's Ms Mac Carding on 07748 337629.

Summer at Griffin Wood

As climate change delivers a wet and rainy summer, we managed to catch a rare glimpse of sun at Griffin Wood... Hope you enjoy the pics, you can click each image for a bigger version.

Scouts root out forester badge

12th Warrington East Scout Group have been learning all about the forestry industry thanks to a special event held with Paul Nolan, Director of The Mersey Forest, at Griffin Wood.

The two dozen scouts visited the site as part of their forester badge, with Jon Davies, Scout Leader with the group, commenting: “The scouts have had a great opportunity to learn at first hand about the importance of woodland management. They will look back at Griffin Wood in years to come and say, ‘I helped to plant some of those trees’. Learning about our environment and what we can do to help is so very important, and the forester badge was an added incentive.”

To read the full story on The Mersey Forest website click here.

Seed sowing follow-up

Thanks to everyone who came along to the wildflower seed sowing morning last month, with 37 people attending it was a bumper turnout and a big success for the Friends of Griffin Wood's first public event.

To get involved with the Friends of Griffin Wood, email Mac Carding at The Mersey Forest: maccarding@merseyforest.org.uk

May 2007 Friends of Griffin Wood meeting

As well as the wildflower sowing morning on Sunday (13th May), another date for the diary is the next Friends of Griffin Wood meeting, to be held on Thursday 17th May at 7.30pm at Chester Lane Community Centre, Four Acre Lane, Sutton Manor, WA9 4DE. Newcomers are welcome, come along and find out about this emerging volunteer group and how you can help develop Griffin Wood.

Wildflower seed sowing event

Hi all, in the latest exciting piece of news the newly formed volunteer community group for Griffin Wood are holding a wildflower seed sowing morning on Sunday 13th May from 10am to 12noon to which all are welcome to attend.

As always, car parking is not permitted on Hall Lane, so please park at Clockface Country Park car park (see 'Take a peek' section on the right hand side for a map).

Wellies may also be a good idea depending on weather conditions (will we see the trademark Griffin Wood sunshine once again?)

To find out more about the community group for the woodland, either come along to the event, join the mailing list via the form below or call The Mersey Forest Team on 01925 816 217.

Sign up for latest news

If you'd like to receive the latest news on Griffin Wood and details of upcoming events, you can now sign up below to receive periodic news bulletins about the woodland, using the tick boxes to specify what type of activities you would like to hear about.

Your details will remain entirely confidential and will not be shared with any third parties. If you already receive Griffin Wood newsletters you do not need to sign up again.

Name:


Address:






Postcode:


Telephone number:


E-mail address:


Tick this box if you are interested in physical volunteer work at Griffin Wood (eg. tree planting events).

Tick this box if you are interested in getting involved in a regular volunteer group to help develop the woodland.

Tick this box if you would prefer just to be kept informed of developments.

Dedicate a tree at Griffin Wood

Community Forests Northwest’s popular Dedicate a Tree scheme has expanded its list of woodland sites to now offer the chance to celebrate a special occasion or treat a loved one by dedicating a tree at Griffin Wood.

Prices begin at £10 and include a certificate, personalised with a chosen message to mark the dedication, along with a map to guide the recipient to the woodland. To dedicate a tree or find out more call Ruth Puttick on 0161 872 1660 or visit the Community Forests Northwest website here.

Thank you all!

Thanks to everyone who came along to the two community tree planting days last week, it was great to meet so many new faces and your enthusiasm and effort were much appreciated. There are some nice photos from Sunday which are in the slideshow above, click on the images for a bigger version (launches in a new window). Also don't forget the meetings in April if you're interested in finding out about getting involved in a woodland volunteer group for Griffin Wood and other nearby sites (see below).

Meetings to establish woodland group

Would you like to be part of a regular group which meets to carry out conservation work and to plan development work at Griffin Wood and at other woodlands near to Sutton Leach and Clock Face?
The Mersey Forest will provide support, funding, training and guidance to the group. We are committed to encouraging local people to become practically involved in caring for the local environment.

If you would like to be part of this, please come along to one of the following preliminary meetings:

Monday 16th April at 7.30pm or Thursday 26th April at 7.30pm at Chester Lane Community Centre, Fouracre Lane, St Helens, WA9 4DE.

If you are unable to attend on either of these dates or would like to have more information, please contact Mac Carding at The Mersey Forest on 01925 816217. Community events supported by Cory Environmental Trust.

Tree planting invitation

You are warmly invited to come along between 10.30am and 3.30pm on either Wednesday 21st or Sunday 25th March to plant trees at Griffin Wood. No experience is necessary, families and nature lovers welcome!

Tools will be supplied, but please wear Wellington boots and gloves. No public vehicles are permitted on Hall Lane - car parking for Griffin Wood is at Clock Face Country Park, from where you can follow signs to Griffin Wood on foot. If you would like to attend but have restricted mobility and are not able to walk from Clock Face Country Park, or require any further information please contact The Mersey Forest Team on 01925 816217.

For directions, click here.

Work begins at Griffin Wood

Work is now underway to prepare the ground for sowing the wildflower meadows and planting the trees. The development of Griffin Wood will be done in stages over the next few years, starting with the planting of thousands of trees during February and March this year.

Final design for woodland

The final design plan for Griffin Wood, the new community woodland at the end of Hall Lane, Bold is now available in the 'Take a peek' section of this site (see right hand column). Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas and information to the consultation process which enabled us to create this design.

New name for site is Griffin Wood!

Griffin Wood has been chosen as the official name for the 'New Community Woodland In South St Helens' by site owners Community Forests Northwest. They selected Griffin Wood from a shortlist suggested by members of the public during the community consultation held in autumn 2006. The name links in well with the local area as a griffin features in the legend of how Bold got its name and also appears on the St Helens coat of arms.

Draft design simulation

Below are a selection of screenshots from a 3D simulation illustrating what the draft plan for the new woodland would look like in 10 years time. The draft design plan itself can be downloaded here. If you would like to comment on the design, either email michaelbray@merseyforest.org.uk or post a comment on this website before the end of November 2006. We look forward to hearing from you.

Drop-in meetings: See the design!

Following the two recent open days at the new woodland site, The Mersey Forest Team have been busy compiling the feedback received and producing a draft woodland design. You are invited to a pair of consultation meetings to see the 3D model of the site and to have your say in this exciting next stage of the woodland’s development.

On Thursday 16th November there will be a drop-in design consultation meeting at Burtonwood Library on Chapel Lane from 2pm to 7pm. Come along at any stage between these times to see the draft woodland design and to share your thoughts.

Alternatively you can also see the design on Saturday 18th November at Chester Lane Community Centre in Sutton Leach between 10am and 1pm. Again, pop in at any stage between these times to see the draft woodland design and to give us your feedback.

Look forward to seeing some of you there!

Review of open days

Many thanks to the dozens of people who came along to the two recent open days at the new woodland, we hope that you all enjoyed yourselves as much as we did. The weather may have been a little blustery at times, but the dreaded rain held off and I’m sure everyone would agree that a good time was had by all. We’ve been delighted by the quality and detail of the feedback that we’ve received as to how you would like to see the woodland develop, and we will now be taking these ideas forward into a draft design for the woodland later this month. Thanks again for your time and ideas, and for those of you who left your details to keep involved in the project, we’ll be in touch soon!

If you missed the open days but would still like to see the site and get involved, don’t forget that the woodland is now open for walkers and for quiet recreation, so why not take a stroll or a bike ride and take a look. For a map, click ‘Map of site location’ on the right hand side of this page. If you visit by car, please note that there is strictly no parking at the woodland site itself, but that there is a car park at nearby Clockface Country Park.

If you have any ideas or comments about the new woodland, we’d be pleased to hear from you. Add a comment to this website (instructions at the foot of the page) or email michaelbray@merseyforest.org.uk.

Interested in getting involved?

If you'd like to get involved in the new community woodland being developed in South St Helens, we'd love to hear from you. Whether you are interested in designing and organising the new woodland, helping with the physical management of the site such as tree planting, sowing wildflowers or helping to dig ponds, or would just prefer to be kept informed of developments, please get in touch.

Email Mike Bray from the woodland consultation team at michaelbray@merseyforest.org.uk or call The Mersey Forest Offices on 01925 816 217.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Site naming competition

Woodland seeks new name: your help needed!

Every good woodland needs a name, and this one is no different. Give us your suggestions for what the new site should be called and be in with a chance of your idea becoming the official name for the woodland!

To enter, simply email michaelbray@merseyforest.org.uk with your name for the woodland. To share your idea with others, why not also add it to this post as a comment (for instructions see the article on the right hand side entitled 'Have your say: how to leave your comments').

Good luck!

Site open days

Take a walk around the new woodland-to-be and give us your ideas for its development by coming along to one of the two site open days being hosted by The Mersey Forest Team this autumn.

Thursday 26th October 2006
Meet at Clockface Country Park car park (see local area map under 'Take a peek') for a walk to the site followed by tours of the new woodland from The Mersey Forest Team (total walk time 1 to 1.5 hours). Departures from the car park will be at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.

Saturday 4th November 2006
Meet at Chester Lane Community Centre (see local area map under 'Take a peek') for a free minibus trip to the new woodland and site tour by The Mersey Forest Team (total walk time 45min to 1 hour). Minibuses depart at 10.30am and 12.30pm.

Don't forget to bring appropriate footwear as the ground could be muddy!

Slideshow of site photos

Welcome to the inaugural photo slideshow of the new woodland site! As you can see we have a great mixture of beautiful existing mature woodland along with a large 'blank canvas' area ready to be transformed into a thriving wood. Give us your views on the features you'd like to see included in the new woodland by adding a comment to this page (see instructions below)...

Have your say: How to leave your comments

As well as keeping you informed about the latest news on the project, this website gives you the opportunity to share your ideas on how you’d like to see the new woodland take shape. Whether you’d like to see your favourite type of tree, interesting features such as ponds, or have any other ideas for the site, we want to know your views.

One of the easiest ways to have your say on the development of the new woodland is to leave a comment on the articles on this website. Leaving comments is quick and simple and you do not need to have a username or password.

Instructions on posting comments:

1. From the main page, under the heading ‘Get Involved’ (in the white box) click on the article you’d like to comment on. This will take you to this article's page.

2. Below the article you will see a comments section. Here you can read any other comments that have been left so far, and add your own by clicking ‘Post a comment’.

3. Write your comment in the box, then to sign it click ‘Other’ and fill in your name. Alteratively, to post your comment anonymously click on the appropriate button.

4. Click ‘Publish your comment’. Thank you! Your comment will now be sent to The Mersey Forest Team for approval before appearing on the website. To return to the main page, click ‘A New Community Woodland In South St Helens’ near the top of the screen.

If you have any queries or would prefer to comment privately, feel free to email michaelbray@merseyforest.org.uk or to call Mike Bray at The Mersey Forest Offices on 01925 816 217.

Thank you for your input, your views are much appreciated!

Welcome!

Welcome to the official blog of the New Community Woodland in South St Helens!

On this site you'll be able to find out all about the new woodland that is being developed by Community Forests Northwest and The Mersey Forest. You'll be able to get in touch to give us your ideas for the design of the woodland, and to contact us to let us know how you'd like to get involved.

We look forward to hearing from you,

The Mersey Forest Team