Report on Work Day – September 2024

Autumn Village Workday 6th October

Report to Sticklepath Parish Council 2nd September 2024

The following areas are the focus for this Work Day:

1. Taw River Bridge: weeding and trimming overhanging trees.
2. Skaigh Lane/bridlepath: trimming overhanging hedges and some drainage work
3. Review any minor repairs to Billy Green footbridge
4. Tidying around benches in Billy Green
5. Weeding and tidying the Millenium Garden/Oaktree Green
6. Cutting back any hedging/greenery that obstructs the highway or the pavements, and sweeping up leaves.
7. Specifically, cutting branches on Western verge that obscure Village Gate/Sign
8. Drainage work on Willey Lane
9. Minor repair work on Bus Shelters
10. Tidying around village gates/planters
11. Cleaning the face of Mobile Vehicle Activated 30mph Sign
12. Cleaning the Sticklepath Village Signs.

It is obvious that this is an ambitious task load for one day in October, but it is achievable if there is the support to maintain the village environment and having it looking the best it can for the Winter, and cared for without herbicides.

We hope that groups of village volunteers will meet in Finch Meadow at 10am and 1pm to be detailed to the tasks that they’d prefer to tackle. It is intended that there will be refreshments around 12.15 which brings together those who offer to work in the morning or afternoon – a bit of a handover period !

However, we hope that the list of jobs provides a stimulus not just for this day.  Some of the tasks can, and will, be completed before the WorkDay.  We are very fortunate to have StOC, the conservation group, who have taken on many of the tasks above; year after year. Volunteers from the village and beyond spend their Fridays on Dartmoor and in the Parish; and without them public pathways would not be cleared or drained, fallen trees wouldn’t be removed from the river, and much more. StOC provides most of the tools we use on Village Workdays.

Our Volunteer Road Warden has collaborated with DCC Highways to maintain roads and pavements – even though there’s insufficient budget for it. However, permissions have been given for volunteers to tend the highways – and this year that includes cutting back tree branches…..  a specialist’s job which we won’t be asking everyone to consider. DCC will provide the gear and support for this.

Moreover, residents will be encouraged to tidy the areas around their own properties.  A little weeding around garden walls can prevent breakup of the pavement tarmac. We have received more than our usual amount of kerb cleaning, but if your car was parked in front of the house, there might be large weeds, just waiting to be scraped.   Garden Hedges that overhang the pavement are the resident’s responsibility, but DCC can authorise us to cut these back, and in some circumstances can levy a charge for doing this work.

None of these tasks have to wait until the Workday, and it would be lovely to see October 6^th as the finishing off our shared responsibilities for sprucing up the village.

Contact the Workday Coordinators: cllr.moore@sticklepath.org  cllr.powell@sticklepath.org