Oooh its a goodie!! Our wonderful Christmas Hamper raffle launches today! £5 a ticket, it will close at 8pm on Monday 22nd December. Just look at the fantastic contents! As per last year, we have 2 hampers, a first and second prize.
You can pay using Paypal (You dont need an account using the button or QR code below, or straight to our bank account.)
If you do the bank account, please message me, and advise so I can contact you if you win! We will allocate the numbers to you and confirm by email or messenger.
Our website has all the details too... https://www.finingswood.org.uk/christmas-raffle.html
Lets smash last years £800 raised!! GO FOR IT!
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/AFEJLGHMPSCUN

There are just not enough words to describe how devastated we all are in our Finings Wood group and throughout the village, to hear that our wonderful trustee and dear friend Paul Rees Thomas passed away this week whilst fighting a very aggressive cancer found only this summer.
Paul was the founder of our group. The guiding light about everything in Finings Wood, as he has walked in it nearly every day since he moved to Lane End when first married to lovely Pauline Thomas.
He lived and breathed the woods and because of his incredible talent and career as a wood carver, it was a match made in heaven.
His daughter Holly Rachel Haynes and their family have such wonderful memories in the woods and have shared some of their favourite pictures here all taken in Finings Wood.
We send our heartfelt love to all of the family and have lost a true friend and such a kind, gentle man, but will keep his mission alive and will fight to save these woods for the village and for generations to come.— feeling heartbroken with Pauline Thomas and 2 others
Caroline Watson - Facebook Post

On Saturday, a few of our committee popped over to Paul and Pauline's and went apple picking. Thanks both - I haven't picked apples since I was a youngster. Good fun apart from Alastair Broom dropping apples on my head!...we also got some lovely little plums too. Will be back I think. Thanks to to Romi from Londis for lending us some crates!
This morning Mike Watson took them over to the wonderful https://www.chilternridge.com/ to get them pressed into our lovely apple juice we sell for Finings Wood funds. Last time I think the committee bought most of the bottles it was so yummy. Thanks Mike!

Go and visit! It's a great place with their own little shop there too.
Author - Caroline Watson - Facebook post - Committee Member

​Lane end residents have until 30th June to respond to the Parish Council who want to hear your comments about how the Chalky Fields money is to be used. See the link at the bottom to add your voice, especially for the Finings Wood purchase. See you at the Fete.
Slip into the cool green shade where leaves gently whisper and each soft step melts away the stress of the day. That’s the power of ancient woodland and we’re lucky enough to have it on our doorstep with Finings Wood.
Scientific studies prove that being in nature is crucial for our health and wellbeing. More housing is needed, but as more and more of Lane End’s green spaces disappear under developers’ paving, it’s also vital to safeguard the pockets of nature that we cherish.
Securing Finings Wood for the community of Lane End:
Protects the wood from falling into the wrong hands so we can all continue to access it
Allows us to restore areas with the potential for high quality woodland
Offers new leisure opportunities in less sensitive areas of the woodland, for example:
Off-road cycling
Fitness trail
Enclosed dog exercise and agility area
Children’s wild play trail
Training and volunteering opportunities in bushcraft, wildlife and woodland skills for adults and youth groups such as youth clubs, scouts and DofE
Finings Wood Community Group is regulated by the Charity Commission. Thanks to local support, £56k has already been raised towards the purchase of Finings Wood. £200k from the sale of Chalky Fields would allow us to unlock new sources of funding, bringing us closer to a position where we can make an offer.
View this and other projects here and email your support for Finings Wood to Hayley, the clerk at the Parish Council.
https://www.laneendparishcouncil.gov.uk/
clerk@laneendparishcouncil.gov.uk

Author - Paul Thomas - Facebook post - Committee Member​

The muddy footpaths in #finingswood are drying up and the weather looks good for the weekend so plan a trip out and feel the sun on your back. Listen out for the tap tapping woodpeckers, the deep croak of the ravens and the high altitude whisper of the skylark.
#chilternfootpaths #birdsong
Facebook post by Paul Thomas

Happy New Years Eve! Well we have not been successful in finding our hamper winners Marie and Thomas P as no contact form filled in as per our rules. 
They have until 12pm tomorrow to claim then we will do a redraw. Hope they come forward! ​

Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful supporters.
Wishing for a restful and peaceful time for all.
Let's hope we find our pot of gold in 2025 to save these woods for the village to own.