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Muck in and spread the composting message
Do you know about the dark art of turning garden waste into black gold and want to teach others?
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust has appointed a waste prevention officer to After the training, they can do as much or as little as they’d like. We’ll
help teach the forgotten skills of composting and she is recruiting support them all the way. If they’re doing it right and other people see
volunteers to act as compost ambassadors through one day training that they’re producing lovely compost, they’ll be more inclined to give
courses to teach beginners the basics and bring the more experienced it a try.
up to date with new technologies. “Quite often people give up because their compost has turned smelly
Ambassadors can organise an event like the recent Monster Mulch at as they haven’t put the right mixture into the bin. There’s a surprising
Purton. Others may prefer to give advice to friends and neighbours. variety of materials that you can put into compost, and once you know
WWT compost officer Kate Robinson said, “we’ll give the ambassa- it changes the way you shop.”
dors expertise in composting and this is their only real commitment. Low cost compost binss are available from Enterprise Works, Gypsy
Lane: £10 for 330 litre bins or £25 for a water butt and bin.
Badged up for the blind Details from 0845 077 0757.
www.recyclenow.com/compost
Action for Blind People is marking its 150th anniversary with help
from Lloyds TSB by selling pin badges to raise funds for their work.
Swindon Actionnaires, Action ment Officer for Swindon Bowled over by new playground
for Blind People’s local sports club Actionnaires, said, “we are hop- Children from Haydon Centre Pre-School were guests of honour at
for blind and partially sighted chil- ing to raise £50,000 to give more the opening of a play area by the bowling green.
dren, is keen for readers to visit blind and partially sighted chil- The youngsters had drawn pic-
branches of the bank to buy the dren the opportunity to enjoy tures of themselves playing and
metal ‘All Grown Up’ badges sport. Please buy a badge and parish councillors picked three
which feature characters from spread the word about winners who received prizes on
Rugrats, the Nickelodeon cartoon Actionnaires.” the opening day. The toddler play
featuring Tommy, Chuckie, Susie For details of Actionnaires call equipment includes a slide,
and Angelica. Rebecca on 01722 345440. roundabout, swings and springy
Rebecca Frost, Sports Develop- www.actionforblindpeople.org.uk
animal and replaces the old play-
ground which had seen better
D.A. DRIVEWAYS & PATIOS LTD days.
The parish council secured a
❐ Block Paving ❐ Landscaping ❐ Fencing grant of £10,000 from Hills Waste
Solutions through the Landfill Tax
❐ Decorative Stone ❐ General Maintenance Credit Scheme. This allows landfill
For a professional and affordable service, site operators to divert some of the
free consultation and written quotation money they would pay in landfill Enjoying the new equipment, Abigail
Tel: 01793 878062 or 07866 523898 tax to community projects. Geening, Callum Jefferies, Jake Hobbs
As part of the ongoing renewal the area, another toddler area on the
programme for play equipment in King George V site is now in use.
www.timberdeckingco.co.uk
Bees are not just for honey

Bees are incredibly important for the environment, those busy, buzzy
insects that just get on with what they do, whilst humans get all
Your complete stressed if one gets too close.
TIMBER DECKING Without their ability to spread
Specialist pollen between plants, a major eco-
logical crisis would ensue. The
nation’s bee population is already
under threat from varroa, a seri-
ous Asian parasitic mite, and there
are recent reports of bee colonies
❍ Timber Decking swarming and just disappearing
❍ Easy Assemble for no apparent reason.
The Swindon Branch of the Wilt-
Customised
shire Beekeepers Association
Decking Kits brings together beekeepers and
❍ Tanalised Timber also helps newcomers learn the
skills of looking after bees.
❍ Pergolas, Arbours Keeping a few bees used to be a
& Gazebos simple affair in the past, but it now
❍ Decorative requires a scientific approach says Kieron and Cloe Ferry from Grange Park
Aggregates Ross Gregory of the Beekeepers finding out about honey and bees with
Association. “If people are think- beekeepers Sue Moris, Shirley Stone and
❍ Ornamental ing of going into beekeeping, they Ross Gregory
Fencing can come along and get hands-on queen bee in the hive.
Suppliers of Garden experience with us.” The gardens are open to the pub-
6 Brindley Close Play equipment The association has a base at lic every Wednesday and Friday
Cheney Manor Ind Est TWIGS therapeutic garden, next from 10am to 3.30pm and plants
Swindon SN2 2YW Monday - Friday: 9am - 6pm to Manor Garden Centre at Cheney and crafts are on sale.
Saturday: 9am - 5pm Manor. Their display always at- For details of the association call
01793 488899 tracts a swarm of visitors and Ross Gregory on 762355.
youngsters are always fascinated www.wiltshirebeekeepers.org.uk/
trying to catch a glimpse of the swindon

21 July 07 40 14/6/07, 6:19 pm