Many thanks to all those who have been in touch seeking info regarding work-parties, and more so to those who have been out clearing off their own bat. Apologies for my lack of energy in recent months.

For most of the year, we have had good flow along the Misbourne. The strange gap between Chalfont St Giles and Chalfont St Peter that has seemed more pronounced in recent years reappeared within a couple of months of the winter recharge. Maybe, we would have kept continuity longer if we had worked diligently downstream of St Giles. Usual details of dips – thanks as ever to Dave Anderson – flows and rainfall, will be on the website in a day or so

Flow still continues strongly from the leat across the ford in Mill Lane, St Giles, and arrives under the Pheasant Hill bridge. I find the state of the river through St Giles thoroughly depressing – even the pretty bridge has been “awaiting repair” for possibly more than a year. In a letter sometime back, I announced St Giles Parish Council’s joint plans with The Conservation Volunteers for a “green gym” to clear the jungle but have seen no action. However, we have seen before that a well attended, enthusiastic team effort can make a big difference very quickly.

This, then, is a brief “call to arms” for work parties on Wednesday 15th September from 2.00 pm and Saturday 18th September. On the Saturday, I’m sure that some will prefer the morning, (which I can’t attend) so we need one or more time-served volunteers to undertake to collect tools from me beforehand and lead a small team from, say 10.00 to 12.00. Afternoon activities would again start from 2.00, when I can help.

Key areas to target are St Giles, as above, meeting at the duckpond; St Peter’s by the tennis courts where it may stil be possible to encourage flow back to the Scout Hut and, as ever, the stretch currently dry but badly over grown by The Greyhound. Should there be a surfeit of volunteers (!!!!!), then work downsteram of Mill Lane is also likely to be very satisfying.

Please let me know if you can join any of:
Wednesday 15th 2.00 pm
Saturday 18th 10.00 am
Saturday 18th 2.00 pm
Or, if you would just like some tools to go off-piste another time,
and your shoe size for waders and which location you would prefer, if possible.

Also, could you marshal and co-ordinate a team on 18th morning?

Finally, do any of you have any contact details for landowners/landusers between St Giles and St Peter as there have been various changes recently?

And, finally (2), it would be hugely helpful if some of you were happy to take a big (1 cu m) bag or two of green waste to the tip ……… or even run a shuttle service while teams are working. (The tip will no longer accept the trailer we used to use).