Our volunteers had a change of pace this week as we visited Coed Gwilym Park for the first time in several months. Three jobs kept us all busy, whilst Bob was quick out of the blocks to clean out the boat that’s taken so much of his time in 2024!

A big pile of earth has sat invitingly in the woods behind the canoe store and we decided to repurpose it into a new flower border alongside the towpath. Gordon modified some old concrete bench ends to form a supporting wall which was backfilled with the earth. Aled barrowed it over, while Gordon, Duncan and Lance filled the hole. Duncan moved in a lonely azalea, and our ace gardener Martin will aim to plant some trailing shrubs in the holes to form a floral wall, and other shrubs in the border above.

Recent storms had left a layer of mud in front of the store and leaves clogged the drains, but Moira and Christina (yes, it is them under those woolly hats!) cleared away the mess before turning to a bit of gardening on the big border. Christina sawed up several rotten branches and stacked them into a neat bug hotel.

Coffee break coincided perfectly with a good rain shower, so we crammed into the canoe store to enjoy wonderful fruit and lemon drizzle cakes, and other fine fare, provided this week by Jan W.

Alan, Mike F and Bob did some urgent repairs on the high canoe racking. Years of moving the heavy boats in and out has loosened some joints and dislodged several supports. Bob cut new lengths and Alan shinned up a ladder and fixed them in place. We took the opportunity to put the canoes on their gunwales for winter storage, as they were replaced.

It was a good mornings effort with another couple of essential jobs completed ahead of this years canoe hire season, which starts at the park at Easter.