19 Dec 2024
The Friends of Jersey Lane (FoJL) is celebrating, “a first year of amazing achievements,” according to their chair Jim Watson.
Speaking at their recent AGM, he thanked all involved for their respective contributions, including volunteering activities, raising public awareness, making a positive contribution to the Local Plan and liaising with like-minded community organisations.
Guest speaker, Duncan Gibbons, a trustee of Sustainable St.Albans (SSA), gave an informative presentation that included descriptions of local initiatives being undertaken by organisations which share similarities with FoJL and with whom future liaison would be mutually beneficial.
The meeting also heard details of the various surveys that have already been carried out – encompassing bats, trees, and butterflies – to provide a sound basis for improving the lane’s biodiversity. FoJL has also been able to contribute to the Local and Greenspace Action plans, working in collaboration with HCC’s Countryside Management Service.
To date, regular volunteer sessions have been conducted on the lane; working parties have been involved with hedge and tree planting, clearing invasive, non-native greenery, widening the lane at certain narrow points and wildflower seed sowing on suitably cleared ground.
Discussions are currently underway with a local Scouts and cubs group to examine the possibility of their membership becoming directly involved in caring for a stretch of the lane.
To a great extent FoJL is reliant on grant funding in its efforts to assist and encourage active travel by the lane’s users. The money it is able to raise by this means, in addition to that raised through its own ventures, is needed to cover the costs of working party equipment, as well as to bring to fruition its plans to install information boards at two sites and to design and produce a map showing the network of interconnecting paths and routes centred on the lane.
Sandridge Parish Council has granted funds to purchase capital equipment for use by volunteer working groups.
It is also anticipated that shared usage signage, which addresses the needs and responsibilities of all users of the lane, will soon be installed at significant points. In the meantime, regular volunteering sessions continue; further hedging and sapling planting has been carried out and the first pruning of previously planted hedging is scheduled for the New Year.
For further information on volunteering and donating, visit www.friendsofjerseylane.org.uk or follow their page on Facebook. Alternatively contact them by email: friendsofjerseylane@gmail.com.
