Villagers make a big difference
East Ilsley and Compton residents help in climate fight
WITH the climate emergency agenda front and foremost and COP26 looming, and with world leaders trying to agree on ways forward, communities and individuals are also trying to do their bit.
In East Ilsley and Compton, villagers are trying to make a difference in any way that they can.
“We can’t all tell power stations what to do, but we can do small things which will all add up to hopefully make a big difference,” explains ward councillor Carolyne Culver (Green, Ridgeway).
The villagers of East Ilsley have got together to plant a community orchard on a piece of wasteland.
“We want to plant more trees because of climate change,” she said.
“These used to be allotments in poor condition – I actually dug a car exhaust out of the ground here.
“I think it used to be an unofficial dumping ground.
“We didn’t want it to be an extended car park, but something nice for the community.”
There are now 20 apple
trees, all bearing fruit at the site.
“It looks a bit scruffy on the ground, but that is deliberate, as we wanted to encourage wildlife rather than having it mown like a lawn,” she added.
A few miles up the road in the village of Compton, Ray Fewings has been busy too.
He has something of a cottage industry going, producing bird boxes, bat boxes and hedgehog homes out of old bits of wood donated to him by the village.
In the last year, he has made 50 bird boxes and was putting together his 30th hedgehog retreat when we spoke in his workshop in Newbury Road.
He donates the cash donated for them to different charities, including the Afghan refugees project.
“There are a lot of hedgehogs in Compton,” he explained as he checked over the latest box awaiting collection.
“You lift up the lid and inside there is a tunnel so the hedgehog can bring its grass and cuttings in to make a nest and go to sleep for the winter.
“You surround the box with leaves and soil to keep it warm.”
You walk through Compton, and Mr Fewings’ work is evident around the village, which has also started planting wild flowers on spare allotments.
Jane Gartshore was looking after granddaughter Ayla.
We went through a farm gate to the allotments to see the ends of the plots had wild flowers planted. One was entirely devoted to wild flowers.
“It’s a shame all of the allotments haven’t been taken, but it has certainly encouraged all the pollinators – and it looked lovely – it really did!” she said.