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appreciate not everyone has access to Facebook!
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We had the best time last year with our Apple Day, so we are repeating it this year, but having a Harvest Fair and a Treasure Hunt instead!
September 15th - Lane End Village Hall Garden and Finings Wood Bring your donated home grown produce - fruit, veg, cakes, jams etc., up to the village hall garden at 12pm, and then come back and buy some other peoples donations from 2-4pm and enjoy tea and cakes in the Sycamore room! Bring the kids and they can enjoy a treasure hunt with you in the woods and you can then return with your stash and enjoy a relaxing cup of tea! Help us raise funds for this great mission of saving the woods for the community.
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We are up at the Lane End Playing fields with the lovely Sports Association's music day! lots of marshmallows being toasted. Come and visit!
Meet the Marsh Mallow Man, born of #FiningsWood and seasons past, who will be selling toasted marshmallows at the LESA Music Festival tomorrow afternoon 29.06.24 at Lane End Playing Fields. Come and meet him on the Lane End, Finings Wood Group stand, he looks forward to seeing you.
#FiningsWood community Group had a Barn Owl sat on some huge logs of Ash to greet everyone to the Lane End Village Fete & Dog Show today.
Our thank-you's for bringing the owl to life must go to Ritchard Tysoe and an enthusiastic succession of Scouts, James, Jack, Oliver, Sam, Callum and Hannah who all warmed up to the role as the sun came out right on cue and just on time. Hope I have not left anyone out in that line up. Thankyou your support it was most appreciated in drawing attention to the huge Ash logs being sold off a 9" slice at a time in aid of Finings Wood. We still have some left if anyone missed out, maybe for a creative project or feature table top 30" diameter for their garden or simply for firewood. Enquiries to Paul (page admin ) please. The blustery wind made creating the green mandela patterns from leaves and plants rather challenging, but larch twigs and fir cones, baby conkers and flowers stayed around best. Thanks too to Alison Hartnett and her excellent team for such a fabulous afternoon and to everyone who dropped by to find out what and where we are up to with Finings Wood Pauline Thomas - facebook post Just because we are quiet, does not mean things are not afoot!
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 | The Bluebells are really just beginning to flower and looking promising. Don't you just love the drifts of beautiful blue. Mind where you tread and do post your #FiningsWood photos of them here in the coming weeks so we can all see them. Just need it to stop raining now and the mud to dry up a bit ! — in Lane End, Buckinghamshire. |
 | Not such a Good Friday for this old beech tree, blown down across the lower footpath in Finings Wood. There is now a diversion around it until we can get to clear it from the path. Paul Thomas - Facebook |
The first wood anemones in Finings Wood 2024 on display amongst the promise of bluebells this morning. A true indicator that this is Ancient Woodland and a reminder to us all to protect and nurture what is on our doorstep. Our Finings Wood questionnaire also features the Wood Anemone. Have you completed yours yet? Please do it now, it will help with the large grant towards the purchase and future safeguarding of your Woods. Click on this link.
https://forms.gle/P8XTB2ptVKCzLC23A
#finingswood #woodanenome #chilternwalks #ancientwoodland
https://forms.gle/P8XTB2ptVKCzLC23A
#finingswood #woodanenome #chilternwalks #ancientwoodland
 | Sylvana knows all about the QR code on the poster for a link and asks have you done the Finings Wood questionnaire yet? If you have already then thankyou. #Finingswood #Chilternfootpaths #Ancientwoodland |
Many of you have already donated toward the purchase of Finings Wood and we’re incredibly grateful.
However, in order to access the large grants which would make the ultimate difference, we need to evidence that local people use Finings Wood and want it to be saved for future use by the community.
Please would you give us a few minutes of your time to fill out a short survey? Scan the QR code if you're on a different device, or click the link here: https://forms.gle/ymFsbXkZXL4GhLKj7
However, in order to access the large grants which would make the ultimate difference, we need to evidence that local people use Finings Wood and want it to be saved for future use by the community.
Please would you give us a few minutes of your time to fill out a short survey? Scan the QR code if you're on a different device, or click the link here: https://forms.gle/ymFsbXkZXL4GhLKj7
 | There was a lot of water everywhere in #Finingswood after last night's heavy rain. It made an interesting photo with the reflection of blue skies and trees in the water overflowing over the footpath. Definitely waterproof boots required. Pauling Thomas - Facebook |
Introducing Lenny and Tom to Finings Wood and Silvana. As project managers they are helping with our application for a community ownership grant, that, if successful will accelerate the purchase plans. Today we all escaped our screens for a while to meet up and enjoy an early Spring walk and show them around Finings Wood and Lane End. They have the maps as reminders of the day.
It's the year of the dragon, we have a friendly one here in Finings Wood, I wonder if any of our readers and 799 FB followers have spotted him for themselves?
Clue.... It's a favourite spot for the kids that love to climb, close to the footpath.
Maybe after this post our kind green eyed dragon can roar with success that we now have 800 fantastic people interested in helping us raise the profile of #Finingswood becoming community owned and loved. #ancientwoodland #chilternfootpaths #chineseyearofthedragon
Facebook post by Pauline Thomas our resident artist!
Clue.... It's a favourite spot for the kids that love to climb, close to the footpath.
Maybe after this post our kind green eyed dragon can roar with success that we now have 800 fantastic people interested in helping us raise the profile of #Finingswood becoming community owned and loved. #ancientwoodland #chilternfootpaths #chineseyearofthedragon
Facebook post by Pauline Thomas our resident artist!
A big old beech tree is down across the bridleway towards Laceys. If you are walking you can scramble through a path we have cut but a horse would struggle. Back soon with a bigger saw............. All clear now! Paul Thomas - Facebook
From a supporter....
You will be happy to hear that whilst walking my dog this afternoon (Saturday ) I discovered Sylvana’s head in the bushes by the foot path. I have been down to her and reunited her with her head. I don’t think it will fall of again as I’ve wired it on. But if you feel it necessary please check it. As I only used what I had in my car at the time. She’s looking her old beautiful self again tonight.
You will be happy to hear that whilst walking my dog this afternoon (Saturday ) I discovered Sylvana’s head in the bushes by the foot path. I have been down to her and reunited her with her head. I don’t think it will fall of again as I’ve wired it on. But if you feel it necessary please check it. As I only used what I had in my car at the time. She’s looking her old beautiful self again tonight.
Very sad to report that Sylvana has lost her head. It looks like it was carefully removed from her body, It must've happened Friday afternoon 12th or this morning. Did someone want it as a trophy or has it been thrown in a bush nearby? Sylvana was becoming a well known character next to the climbing tree. It's not just the children that will be very upset. Did anyone see anything suspicious? Why?
Good news this morning! We have been successful in being awarded the £15,000 we applied for from the Southwest Chilterns Community Board. Their Manager, Makyla Devlin says " I am so pleased that the Community Board can be part of such an amazing project."
So a big thank you to them, and a thank you to the Lane End Parish Council who have offered (because of the Community Board rules) to receive the money on our behalf. We will ask them for the transfer as soon as we are ready to purchase the woodland.
This is a great way to start 2024 and we are working on the other bids right now
So a big thank you to them, and a thank you to the Lane End Parish Council who have offered (because of the Community Board rules) to receive the money on our behalf. We will ask them for the transfer as soon as we are ready to purchase the woodland.
This is a great way to start 2024 and we are working on the other bids right now
£42 was raised from the sale of the Finings Wood Tea Towel last year. I popped it in the Aviva fund so it was doubled to £84. This was a bit of an experiment and I’d be keen to hear of other ideas for things that could bear artwork featuring our beautiful wood! Caroline Priestly - a supporter and Rachel Wallace for her photography
These words by Magna Carta from `Seasons` 1970 came to mind this New Year's Eve.
For this is the turning of the year,
The final scene before the curtain falls.
And now, beside the road there stands…
The pilgrim of the year to be.
For this is the turning of the year,
The final scene before the curtain falls.
And now, beside the road there stands…
The pilgrim of the year to be.
And a very Happy Christmas from Hedgebeard in Finings Wood.
See you at Winter Wings on Friday 29th December.
See you at Winter Wings on Friday 29th December.
High five! We did it! What a caring, generous, nature-loving and amazing community we have here in the Lane End Parish. The support that the Finings Wood Community Group committee have had from you has helped us keep going. It takes a lot of work, time and effort to mastermind the purchase of a large woodland for our community. But we are getting there!!
As you may have heard yesterday, the Aviva crowd funding has just closed and this fund was so good to us - to start with we were matched by 2x each donation (with Save our Wild Isles funds), and then matched by Aviva.
The grand totals are: 410 pledges
Donating a total of £25,564
So what next?
Phew we can all have a little rest – as all funding bodies have a little lull in activity over Christmas.
But we have a further 4 lots of funding bids already in progress, 3 being assessed right now. These will add to our excellent start and enable us to purchase Finings Wood for everyone. Three bids are in and the fourth is being moved along by members of the team who have a Zoom meeting set up with their advisors next week.
We will keep you posted as we hear news. In the meantime you will hear very soon of a little fun thing for families planned for the woods on December 29th. So look out for the upcoming information on this free event.
Have a lovely Christmas, a good rest, and be ready for action in the new year
Dr Jill Eyres
As you may have heard yesterday, the Aviva crowd funding has just closed and this fund was so good to us - to start with we were matched by 2x each donation (with Save our Wild Isles funds), and then matched by Aviva.
The grand totals are: 410 pledges
Donating a total of £25,564
So what next?
Phew we can all have a little rest – as all funding bodies have a little lull in activity over Christmas.
But we have a further 4 lots of funding bids already in progress, 3 being assessed right now. These will add to our excellent start and enable us to purchase Finings Wood for everyone. Three bids are in and the fourth is being moved along by members of the team who have a Zoom meeting set up with their advisors next week.
We will keep you posted as we hear news. In the meantime you will hear very soon of a little fun thing for families planned for the woods on December 29th. So look out for the upcoming information on this free event.
Have a lovely Christmas, a good rest, and be ready for action in the new year
Dr Jill Eyres
When the thrill of new toys have waned and parents are desperate to get antsy kids out of the house, we're running a children's activity trail in the woods 10-30am-12.30pm on Friday 29 December. Meet at the entrance to Finings Wood by Lacey's.
Winter Wings children's trail is themed around birds migrating from the frozen north to the safety of Finings Wood - and the adventures they have on the way. Our little redwings and fieldfares will encounter scary Mrs Owl, spin a giant compass to find their way, battle through stormy weather and make a bird feeder from pine cones and seeds.
Wrap up warm and see you there!
Winter Wings children's trail is themed around birds migrating from the frozen north to the safety of Finings Wood - and the adventures they have on the way. Our little redwings and fieldfares will encounter scary Mrs Owl, spin a giant compass to find their way, battle through stormy weather and make a bird feeder from pine cones and seeds.
Wrap up warm and see you there!
Wow. Just wow. And thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The Aviva crowdfunder has now ended, and you helped us raise a spectacular £25,564!!
This is brilliant and goes towards our goal of owning Finings Wood for the community!
You are all amazing and we are so thankful words do not seem enough.
Our committee would also like to say a HUGE thank you to Jill Eyers our committee member for grants. She worked so hard on this project getting it to be accepted and is a force to be reckoned with. Jill will be giving you all an update of info regarding the grant in another post, then we will leave you in peace until tomorrow when we announce a little Xmas gift from us to the families with little ones in the village taking place in-between Christmas and New Year in the woods! Watch this space.
We still have a long way to go to own this woodland, but today our little team are so chuffed with this amazing amount raised and are rather loving our incredible supporters who personally donated from this village and surrounding villages and donations from businesses and more. The messages of support showing in the fund are so lovely to read. Big hugs. HUGE!
This is brilliant and goes towards our goal of owning Finings Wood for the community!
You are all amazing and we are so thankful words do not seem enough.
Our committee would also like to say a HUGE thank you to Jill Eyers our committee member for grants. She worked so hard on this project getting it to be accepted and is a force to be reckoned with. Jill will be giving you all an update of info regarding the grant in another post, then we will leave you in peace until tomorrow when we announce a little Xmas gift from us to the families with little ones in the village taking place in-between Christmas and New Year in the woods! Watch this space.
We still have a long way to go to own this woodland, but today our little team are so chuffed with this amazing amount raised and are rather loving our incredible supporters who personally donated from this village and surrounding villages and donations from businesses and more. The messages of support showing in the fund are so lovely to read. Big hugs. HUGE!
AuthorFinings Wood Group news provided by our Secretary, Paul Thomas and other contributors |
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