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TWEACK NEWS

TWEACK (The Withdean Westdene and Eldred Avenue Copse Keepers ) continues to assist the BHCC (Brighton and Hove City Council) to manage the Withdean and Westdene Woods LNR (Local Nature Reserve). It organizes regular woodland manage-ment days led by the BHCC ranger, Neil Doyle, and has a monthly programme planned to the end of 2017.

The next woodland management day will be on Saturday 27 May (10.30 - 13.00). Please meet at the main entrance to Withdean Stadium woods situated on Withdean Road.

Our AGM will be on Monday 5th June in the Barn, Westdene Green, at 10.00 am. This is a very important meeting as we urgently need to fill two important posts on the committee namely chair and secretary. The current chair and secretary are standing down after over twenty years of service. It is because they feel TWEACK needs new ideas and new ways of looking after the woods. Martin Wilson, the chair, is a founder member and is very proud of what TWEACK has achieved so far. Without the formation of TWEACK the strip of woods on Eldred Avenue might have been built on, depriving the area of a much needed breathing space. In addition, the management of Withdean and Westdene woods has provided opportunities for wildlife to thrive and create a biodiversity that is desperately needed in urban areas. TWEACK is looking for younger members with new ideas to con-tinue and to add more to the its success. Lili Wilson, the secretary, has been organizing liaison with members and experts regarding arrangements of woodland management days and social events and also managing TWEACK website and publicity. They will both remain members and will actively support the group. With the loss of two of the committee members there will only be two other members left, namely Mike Letton, the treasurer, and Marcus Oldfield, the Brighton and Hove Wildlife Forum Representative. Mike and Marcus have recently been trained by BHCC to work on their own in the reserve without direct supervision by the ranger. In addition Mike has passed the First Aid course to be able to lead groups on woodland management days. However, they need the sup-port of local residents on the committee to help organize events.

If you believe in keeping the woods in this area, enjoy walking in them, learning more about the habitat of all the mammals, birds, butterflies, plants, trees, insects and many other creatures that live in the woods, you will find working withTWEACK and even being on the committee a lot of fun, because the work in itself is rewarding. TWEACK desper-ately needs new ideas and new ways of looking after the woods, and it is you who can contribute to this. When next time you walk in the woods and enjoy a picnic or walking your dog, think of all the work that needs doing in order to maintain the paths and to en-hance the woodland so that everyone can enjoy it and its wildlife. If TWEACK cannot find new committee members and increase its membership, it cannot continue to exist especially as BHCC is now increasingly relying on volun-teers for managing its woodlands. If you live in the area and use Withdean and Westdene woods for walking , exercising or enjoying nature please come and help. If we don’t receive more help TWEACK will cease to exist and the LNR will not be looked after as it has been since 1993.

If you would like to help please come to the AGM (Monday 5 June 2017 at 10 am in Westdene Green Barn) or contact Martin Wilson (martinwilsonjj@yahoo.co.uk)

Posted in The Post Community on Jun 01, 2017