All being well the Green Space volunteers will be able to start work again (in groups of 6) from Thursday 1 April. One of the priority tasks is continuing work on the rockery, which has, sadly, suffered from being used as a play area during lockdown.

The Pump Room cafe will reopen from 8 March for takeaway only but it is planned to put back the tables and chairs on 12 April. So it should be possible to hold a Drop In at the end of April.

Cheltenham Borough Council’s Green Space Development department has secured European Union Regional Development Funding to desilt some areas of Pittville Park lakes and undertake habitat improvements.
The proposed work will
 reduce flooding downstream
 reduce bank erosion
 improve water quality
 improve wildfowl habitats
 improve aquatic habitats

The areas affected, shown in red on the map above, include the Residuum, the south bank of the Upper Lake, the smaller boating lake and the area around the waterfall at the west end of the Lower Lake, and work will be undertaken between January and March 2021. This is one of CBC’s urban greening projects match funded by the European Union Regional development fund. The total cost is £60k

More information about the urban greening projects are on the website:

https://www.cheltenham.gov.uk/info/33/parks_and_open_spaces/1495/urban_greening/4

The beautiful and anceint cedar tree in Albemarle Gate is safe. Gloucestershire County Council have decided it will not be felled and they will see to the repairs to the nearby houses. A good outcome all round and many thanks are due to those who led the campaign to save it and to all those who supported them.

The last GSV working party of 2020 was on Thursday 17 December. A good turn out and many jobs tackled – from litter picking, putting bark on paths, weeding the rockery, neatening path edges, clearing under trees and, at last, planting shrubs in Bed 38. Three cherry trees (generously donated by Sally Thomas) have also been planted, so the bed should look good all year round – quite a contrast to its previous raggedy appearance. The working party ended at the Central Cross Cafe for coffee and cake (and socially distanced chat), kindly provided by the CBC Green Space team. A good end to what has been a difficult and frustrating year.

The Friends of Pittville Green Space volunteers (23 of them despite the cold and damp weather) were back at work on 3 December after the November lockdown. Various tasks were tackled but the most significant one was planting up the rockery after several months delay. The next working party will be on 17 December when it is planned to plant the shrubs in Bed 38 – pictured above.