FESTIVAL’S AT THE CUTTING EDGE
Mayor and mayoress join in ‘wonderful’ event at meadows
by Katherine Clementine
katherine.clementine@trinitymirror.com HILLINGDON’S mayor and mayoress proved they have green fingers by taking part in the annual Scything Festival on Pinn Meadows.
Friends of Pinn Meadows, a group of Ruislip residents who protect and maintain the grassy area between Elmbridge Drive and St Martin’s Approach, joined in the fun.
They donned their best garden gloves after attending a two-day scything workshop, organised by Hillingdon Council.
Rob Cousins, chairman of the Friends of Pinn Meadows, said: “It was a great success with the mayor and mayoress commenting what a wonderful event it was and how they enjoyed getting involved.
“It was fantastic to see how enthusiastic the mayor and mayoress were to participate and how delighted they were to see what a difference scything makes to the environment.”
The group sat down to enjoy a community picnic after clearing the overgrown grassy area near to the River Pinn.
Scything is an ancient, environmentally friendly technique which the group used to collect seeds from the yellow rattle wildflower so they can be sown around other parts of the meadows.
An experienced scyther is said to be able to cut one or two acres a day.
The event, now in its second year, took place on Saturday, July 18.
Friends of Pinn Meadows hold monthly meetings to help preserve and maintain the meadows, under the direction of Hillingdon’s Countryside and Conservation officer.