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Friday 30 August 2013

New Skip arrives behind the Salvation Army building

30th August 2013
NEW SKIP ARRIVES BEHIND SALVATION ARMY BUILDING.

This morning the Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust members where up early having the full skip removed and a new empty one put out . This is necessary for removing the rubbish which has been moved by the Trust and the SSPT Volunteers on Wednesday. FOSWMT are trying to make the woodland safer for Children.


You can read more about this by joining Friends of Speckled Wood from our website by clicking here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofspeckledwood/

Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust wants to say a special thank you to Frenches Skip Hire for there help.

Wednesday 28 August 2013

The Trust is out canvassing

28th August 2013
THE TRUST IS OUT CANVASSING
The Trust has been out collecting objections for the planning application in the Village at Victoria Avenue. The Trust believes that this should not be approved and is collected objections online and by visiting peoples houses. The voting is very slow at the moment and people are not responding to the vote. It is really important if we are going to save and buy Speckled Wood that this Planning Application is rejected. Please vote you can object on paper by filling in one of our paper forms or vote online at:
http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/gb/consultation/
Please help its is important that this application is rejected. This is probably one of the most important votes  we have had to date so please vote .

More scrap removed by volunteers in woodland.

28th August 2013
MORE SCRAP REMOVED BY VOLUNTEERS IN THE WOODLAND
Today the Trust and the SSPT volunteers removed a further large quantity of rubbish from the woodland the members were amazed of the quantity of buried rubbish in this area which is starting to look much safer. The trust members wish to Thank Lee , Tom , Kelly, Martin and Chris for there help.  The rubbish did not make it into the skip because a car driver blocked the access to the skip preventing it from being emptied this morning. More information and further pictures can be found in our group pages. If you are not a member click join from our website page.

Tuesday 27 August 2013

FOSWMT and SSPT volunteers will be hoping to clear more scrap from the woodland tomorrow.

27th August 2013
FOSWMT AND SSPT VOLUNTEERS WILL BE HOPING TO CLEAR MORE SCRAP FROM THE WOODLAND TOMORROW.

The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust is set to continue its scrap clearing form the upper woodland tomorrow this is the second of two dates arranged by the Trust and is not associated with another group Ore Community Land Trust.

This is the second of two days which the Trust has been given by the SSPT and we are hoping that the Volunteers will have a good day in the woodland.  

The Trust wants to say a huge thank you to Frenches Skip Hire.

The vote is still running online please do not forget to vote
http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/gb/consultation/

Sunday 25 August 2013

The Trusts Vote to save the Nature Reserve goes online

25th August 2013
THE TRUSTS VOTE TO SAVE THE NATURE RESERVE GOES ONLINE.
The Trust has been forced to put its vote system back up due to failures in the Hastings Borough Council Planning Application Portal. Numerous people have said their objections are not being shown on the Council System. Please continue to register objections here as well.

The new vote emails forward planning directly with your objection or support for this Outline Planning Application HS/OA/13/00600 . You can add an additional comment and this is sent directly to the right place to register your feeling about building in this beautiful nature reserve.

The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust vote is here:



http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/gb/consultation/

PLEASE VOTE SAVE THIS NATURE RESERVE FOR OUR CHILDREN



Saturday 24 August 2013

We are hearing reports that the Hastings Planning site is not recording objections

24th August 2013.
WE ARE HEARING REPORTS THAT THE HASTINGS PLANNING SITE IS NOT RECORDING OBJECTIONS.
Two users of the Speckled Wood site have contacted Administrators today to state that they have made objections twice on the Hastings Planning system today under reference HS/0A/13/0600 and the system has not shown the Objection registered on the system. We ask users to check to see if  they have received an email in relation to thier objection . If the have please forward it to the  fplanning@hastings.gov.uk email address and mention the fault you are experiencing please.

These problems came today after a fault was shown stating there was an error when you tried to access the planning area. We are told the system was rebooted but it does not seem to have cleared the fault. Please keep trying . We are working on an alternative site on our own website

The Council Planning Website is here: http://publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=makeComment&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_100731 You can click this link and choose Make a comment then Object as one of the options  before sending in your details and comment

The Hastings Borough Planning Council Planning site goes down this morning.

24th August 2013
THE HASTINGS BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING SITE GOES DOWN THIS MORNING.
Early this morning at around 5:00am the Hastings Borough Council Planning site which was newly written this year went down and will no longer allow you to search for any applications or get on the system to write comments. There is also some worry that comments on application may have been lost as these have not been updating for two days .

publicaccess.hastings.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=_HSTBC_DCAPR_100731

This is principally worrying as the Outline planning application on part of Speckled Wood is currently running and objections being gathered. The Trust has notified the authority about this today and is making plans again to take the matter onto its own website as it did last year.

Thursday 22 August 2013

The Village Green issue and Disposal of two plots of land.

23rd August 2013

THE VILLAGE GREEN ISSUE AND DISPOSAL.

The Village Green matter is due to escalate today. A large number of objections are known to have been handed in with regard to  the matter of the disposal of the two parcels of land at the Village Green . The matter is now on its last day.

It is known that these Objections will be discussed at a Property Management Group. It is thought as there is at least two groups interested in this disposal of land that there will be some form of Consultation. This has been something the Trust has been asking for and welcomes this despite hearing that another group raised £500.00 of paperwork costs for this purpose last month. The Trust is starting to question where this groups information is coming from.

Please ensure that if this matter comes to a consultation you are aware of what paperwork you are signing and what that might mean to the Village Green and the rest of the woodland.

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust volunteers working alongside SSPT volunteers

21st August 2013
FRIENDS OF SPECKLED WOOD MANAGEMENT TRUST VOLUNTEERS WORKING ALONGSIDE THE SSPT VOLUNTEERS.
Today the volunteers from the SSPT worked fabulously alongside the Trust members to remove 1.5 Tons of rubbish from the woodland into a skip behind the Salvation Army.  The Trust was very impressed with the hard work that was done by its members and the visiting volunteers and are hoping that the volunteers  will return to
help continue to remove this rubbish next week.  The area which was used as a staging point was thoroughly cleared before the volunteers left the area. A spokesperson from the Trust said "it was a lovely day working in the sunshine and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves".

The whole story is pictorially shown at the following online Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.529351823804645.1073741858.363895927016903&type=3

The Trust sends a big thank you to Frenches Skips

21st August 2013
THE TRUST SENDS A BIG THANK YOU TO FRENCHES SKIPS.
This morning Frenches Skips delivered a skip to behind the Salvation Army . This was a very difficult maneuver as there was only just enough room for the vehicle to reverse. The Trust had been out the previous evening to try to widen the road to allow this to happen. The Trust was very worried in the morning and very relieved to find that the Skip was brought in and dropped off with very little discussion.

The Trust want to say a big thank you to Frenches Skips as with out their cooperation much of our work would be impossible.

Tuesday 20 August 2013

The Trust has been busy finding a site for its skip

20th August 2012.
THE TRUST HAS BEEN BUSY FINDING A SITE FOR ITS SKIP.

Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust have been very busy this evening as the Councils Estates Department would not allow them to put their skip on the Village Green so that the team from SSTP and the Groups volunteers could continue to remove scrap from the woodland.

The Trust was not worried by this and have found a suitable place to put the skip and has the support from local residents to enable this clearance to happen. The current situation with the disposal of the Village Green is thought to be responsible for this decision. The Trust is very resourceful and has managed to secure a site by its hard work.

The boundary of the woodland had needed tidying up and now looks much better for the work put in by the Trust. If you would like to see more pictures and read more about this please click here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.529048790501615.1073741857.363895927016903&type=1

The Trust has been out early clearing the woodland

20th April 2013
THE TRUST HAS BEEN OUT EARLY CLEARING THE WOODLAND.

The members of Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust Trust have been out early this morning picking up litter in the woodland as it wanted the woodland looking marvelous for the first visit of the SSPT visitors which will be arriving tomorrow morning to help clear a large area of rubbish from the Woodland. The woodland is looking lovely and we ask the public to bear with us tomorrow as there will be a lot of workers from FOSWMT and SSPT in the woodland carrying material. To read more about the woodland clearup todaye please look online here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.528823180524176.1073741856.363895927016903&type=1

FOSWMT and SSPT volunteers will be hoping to clear around 1.5 tonnes of scrap from the woodland tomorrow.

20th August 2013.
FOSWMT AND SSPT VOLUNTEERS WILL BE HOPING TO CLEAR AROUND 1.5 TONNES OF SCRAP FROM THE WOODLAND TOMORROW.

The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust is set to continue its scrap clearing form the upper woodland tomorrow this is the first of two dates arranged by the Trust and is not associated with another group Ore Community Land Trust.

The Trust is hoping that this clearance will help them make the upper woodland more beautiful and safer for children to play in. As the high amounts of scrap in the upper part of the woodland which the trust had hoped that the other group was dealing with and had not been cleared after it spent months clearing the lower valley of around six skip loads of scrap material. The trust is trying to arrange a skip to be placed in the top area to collect this material.

Sunday 18 August 2013

Probably the rarest plant we have found to-date

18th August 2013
PROBABLY THE RAREST PLANT WE HAVE FOUND TO-DATE.
Today after another photographic exercise taking pictures of everything that they have not photographed before a chance photograph commented on my Mr Mark Duffell saying "probably the rarest and most interesting plant you have put up on here!" 

The  find was then added to the BSBI database by Mr Duffel. The Trust was very pleased by this find as they have been photographing plants in Speckled Wood for over a year. A spokesperson said it was very difficult to photograph everything and wonders what else may still be found. This year alone the Trust involvement have identified many more species that have been missed by all the planning biological studies.  A spokesperson for the Trust said this was probably because they only every take no more than two days to do their study which is hardly conclusive.

Friday 16 August 2013

Following the succesful 'Come and play in the Woodland' a new date is confirmed

16th August 2013
FOLLOWING THE SUCCESSFUL 'COME AND PLAY IN THE WOODLAND'  A NEW DATE IS CONFIRMED.

On the 31st July 2013 the Trust in association with the Ore Church Mice Pre-School had their first 'come and play in the woodland ' day. This event was very successful even though it rained . Spirits were high and over one hundred people attended and had amazing fun.

As this even was so popular we are running another event Saturday 7th September at 2:00pm til 4:00pm with the Ore Church Mice Pre School and the Sussex Wildlife Trust with more to do and more fun crammed into just two hours.

If you would like to help or come to the event or find out more details please join the Facebook event here : https://www.facebook.com/events/576958745676516/ or come along on the day if you are a child please bring your parent or grandparent.

Wednesday 14 August 2013

The Trust is working clearing tipped rubish from pathways this evening

 14th August 2013
THE TRUST IS WORKING CLEARING TIPPED RUBBISH FROM THE PATHWAYS THIS EVENING
The TRust was bust moving tipped material from the pathways to a central point away from the main paths which will be the new collecting point should the skip not arrive in the upper area in time for the SSTP volunteers arrival.

The Trust is looking forward to the arrival of the SSTP volunteers and has tried to simplify the tasks so that they will get progressively more engaging as the work removing the material continues. There is is still some material from the top area that need moving to this new pile . Work will continue up here until the material is in a central point . This has worked well in the past and means that volunteers know if they are in the Woodland they can move material here.

An area of the woodland cleared for SSPT Volunteers to come and help

14th August 2013
AN AREA OF THE WOODLAND HAS BEEN CLEARED TO ALLOW SSPT VOLUNTEERS TO COME AND HELP.

With the date SSPT volunteers are due to come assist the Trust in removing a huge pile of tipped rubbish  approaching fast in under two weeks.

The Trust has been busy clearing a route that the material can be removed from this area. The route will only be used for this and left to return to its woodland state after.

There is a serious amount of tipped rubbish here and two days have been set aside to do this.  The Trust has also been clearing other top areas and removing rubbish from these. It is hoped that the skip will be moved in position in time to deal with this material.

if you would like more information on the Trusts activities please join via our Facebook Group : https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofspeckledwood/

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Skip move from Frederick Rd to behind the Salvation Army

13th August 2013
SKIP MOVE FROM FREDERICK RD TO BEHIND THE SALVATION ARMY.
The Skip currently in Speckled Wood brought in by Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust is due to be removed emptied and an attempt is going to be made to put it behind the Salvation Army through the entrance to SAE at 384 Old London Rd. The Trust want to thank French's Skips and the garages at 394 Old London Road for helping and wish to appologise for any inconvenience that will be caused by this move. The Skip will be used to remove material that has been tipped in the upper area of Speckled Wood.

Chief Legal Office sends welcomed correspondence in writing.

13th August 2013
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICE SENDS WELCOMED CORRESPONDENCE IN WRITING.
The Chief Legal Office of Hastings Borough Council has written to us in response to our letter of inquiry regarding the Ore Village Green. Their reference HM/PRO649 and two parcels of land. This was very welcomed the letter states that "there is no leases in place and none drafted". We have formally written back to The Chief Legal Office for clarification of the objection process and asking for a week extension to the Public Notice period due to a problem with the documents not being available at the Town Hall or Aquila House  due to the movement of departments. We have also invited Hastings Borough Council Estates Department to open a dialogue with us in reference this process and to demonstrate our commitments to the woodland. The Trust has been assured by the Council that if the Disposal of the Lease does not happen the site will not be built on if it remains maintained by the Council.

Wednesday 7 August 2013

The Trust meet with Sussex Wildlife Trust

07th August 2013
THE TRUST MEET WITH THE SUSSEX WILDLIFE TRUST
Yesterday the Trust held its bi-monthly meeting to discuss with its group how things had progressed and which direction the group was headed. The meeting was well attended and much discussion was had by members of the group.

The Sussex Wildlife Trust attended this meeting making a start to formalize relations with the Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust. A spokesman from the Trust said this was very good news and lots of new creative ideas were shared with the group. These we hope to implement soon with the help of our contact.

The BIGLOCAL attended this meeting and  gave details of the current BIGLOCAL position telling us the next steps

Friday 2 August 2013

August Newsletter Published

2nd August 2013
AUGUST NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED
The August newsletter has now been published by the Trust . Thank you Kelly for your hard work and the rest of the team for setting the document. The Newsletter can now be circulated it is availablr here http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/gb/news/2013-08-02%20-%20FOSWMT%20newsletter.pdf. For more information on our activities or news stories please book mark http://www.friendsofspeckledwood.org.uk/gb/news The Friends of Speckled Wood Management Trust newsroom.