Friends of Great Ashby (FoGA) are delighted to be liaising with our local Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers, for a litter pick on the 20th February 2022. This is to help the community as part of their Thinking Day (Founders day) celebrations. We have circa 100 attendees.

This will be a combined SBC & NHDC event, as ever supported by HCC via FoGA.

This will continuing the leaf clearing/path clearance along Botany Bay Lane and litter picking in Wellfield, Duckfield & Hangbois Woods. See maps below.

We will have the FoGA seniors around too, so we can show you the paths that need to be cut back and maintained in other areas of Botany Bay Lane, should other volunteers wish to come forward – please do bring your own broom and shovel, as FoGA’s are all allocated.

Friends of Great Ashby (FoGA) are delighted to be part of the program keeping our local woods ecological healthy & safe for use. We love the fact that Tanya Dickson of CultureWood runs monthly Forest Schools in Great Ashby!

The next event is on Sunday 20 Feb 2022, 11am to 12:30pm.

The government’s evaluation [1] suggests Forest Schools make a difference in the following ways:

1. Confidence: children had the freedom, time and space to learn and demonstrate independence.

2. Social skills: children gained increased awareness of the consequences of their actions on peers through team activities such as sharing tools and participating in play.

3. Communication: language development was prompted by the children’s sensory experiences.

4. Motivation: the woodland tended to fascinate the children and they developed a keenness to participate and the ability to concentrate over longer periods of time.

5. Physical skills: these improvements were characterised by the development of physical stamina and gross and fine motor skills

6. Knowledge and understanding: the children developed an interest in the natural surroundings and respect for the environment

[1] https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/research/forest-schools-impact-on-young-children-in-england-and-wales/#:~:text=The%20evaluation%20suggests,Recommendations

FoGA are campaigning to ensure that the paths in Great Ashby are kept clear for vulnerable users. FoGA are willing to help, supported by volunteers and the Adept Living Foundation (ALF) CIC.

According to the RNIB , County Councils could be breaking the law under:

1) Section130 (1) of the Highways Act 1980 which imposes a duty on the Highways Authority to assert and protect the rights of the public to use and enjoy the highway. This general duty is reinforced by s.130 (3) which states that the highway authority have a duty to prevent, as far as possible, the obstruction of the highway and

2) the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful for service providers and those exercising public functions, including highways functions, to discriminate against disabled people. This includes a duty not to indirectly discriminate and to make reasonable adjustments where existing arrangements place a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage. In RNIB’s view, a failure by a Highways Authority to exercise its duties under the Highways Act to prevent highway obstructions, places blind and partially sighted people at a particular (substantial) disadvantage and therefore is in breach of the Equality Act.

Please join FoGA in seeking for Local Authorities to meet their obligations. Good to lobby ” To Keep Great Ashby’s Paths Clear & Safe from vegetation” include:

• Cllr Paul Porter of the Great Ashby Community Council (GACC) whose declaration of interests shows that he works for the RNIB and whose profile says he wishes to keep paths clear. paul.porter@greatashbycouncil.org.uk
• Cllr George Davies who has supported the GACC being involved writing to private property owners to ensure that they honour their obligations (see Facebook June 2020). george.davies@greatashbycouncil.org.uk
• Cllr Terry Tyler of North Herts District Council, who is Co-Patron, ex-chair and a member of the operations for FoGA. terry.tyler@north-herts.gov.uk
• Cllr Steve Jarvis of Herts County Council who has agreed to take the matters forward if they are reported to HCC, which they have been: 401002445455 and 401002369635.steve.jarvis@hertfordshire.gov.uk
• Cllr Robin Parker Herts County Councillor (HCC) for Chells Division (who has not responded to requests yet). robin.parker@hertfordshire.gov.uk
• Cllr Phil Bibby, HCC Executive for Highways & Transport, who has responsibility for the legal issues raised above. phil.bibby@hertfordshire.gov.uk

I met up with my good friends of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to greet the new year sunrise in peace and comradeship.

We also shared a beautiful breakfast and then set off for a large scale litter pick – under the watchful brief of Stevenage Mayor Sandra Barr with the equipment provided by Friends of Great Ashby (that is, out of the back of my wife’s car boot)…. thanks again to Darren John Hughes for the hi-viz vests, beautifully modelled by the youth of Stevenage and one old man (see if you can spot Wally!) 🤣🤣🤣🤣 with Adam Spittles and with thanks to Faiza Ginai Spittles.

We then spent some time in the woods 🙂

With special thanks to Amy Danaher Environmental Development Officer
of Stevenage Borough Council’s Direct Services, who made it very easy. We appreciate reciprocal direct and prompt action. On that score Madam Mayor, there has been lots of great feedback on SBC this weekend:

Compliment Form 108630 – submitted on 03/01/2022 at 06:10:08

A big thank you to Amy Danaher for her prompt attention and direct service. We were easily able to conduct our New Year litter pick. In passing too, a big thank you to SBC street team, who keep access into St Nicholas Park from Great Ashby very clear.

And also, it has been noted that the bin collections in SBC are very well conducted. Would it make value for money sense if SBC were to collect for Great Ashby NHDC residents, as you do for some of the North Herts organisations?

Publicise a BIG THANKYOU and please support us in keeping the area surrounding Wedgewood Way ‘s industrial estate clean of litter, which Friends of Great Ashby’s Patron’s have specifically requested

Keith Abrahams

Friends of Great Ashby are please to announce that Usman Butt, Ahmadiyya Muslim community for Stevenage, who lives in Great Ashby, has accepted becoming co- patron.

At the same time Faiza Ginai Spittles and Adam Spittles have been appointed to the management committee.

What a privilege volunteering for FoGA I had the most delightful of afternoons led by the Junior and Little Litter Leaders of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. We walked the woods surrounding the Park and they showed me all the best places to find litter, explaining why it was in the wrong place and the harm it can do. We talked of deer, white harts, badgers, pigeons, red kites, native and non native trees, and foxes and wolves! What fun and the next fun is already being planned. Keith Abrahams 18.12.21.

Meeting in the car park off Serpentine Close, Great Ashby, Stevenage. The Juniors are older then the Little Litter Leaders, who are still welcome to bring their adults along too!

Risk Assessment

Leaves cleared to facility more active travel with a request that NHDC check when the next eight weekly sweeping cycle is due. What3words toxic.dent.fired NHDC Ref: AF385107181

A big thank you to Bonnie & Andy who joined our small team clearing the pheasant wire, which is a risk to little people, pets and wildlife.

Project in Claypitsprings will continue over the next few weeks. Please see here for our work in support of the Great Ashby & District Park Greenspaces Plan.