Brickfields

As we move into tree planting season, The Mersey Forest invites you to join their Top Tree tips workshop which will feature a short talk about trees, how to plant them and which trees might encourage wildlife into your local area.  We are then going out to Brickfields community woodland to learn tree identification and you can learn how to look after trees yourself (and with friends!)

This free event is being held at the Leaf Centre on Four Acre Lane, St Helens from 10-1pm on Sat. 9th October, we really hope you can join us.  There will be another workshop in November so watch this space for information on that!!

Have you ever thought about what it’d be like to be able to make a film; would you like to try getting behind or in front of the camera, being able to say how you feel and showing other people what its like to live where you live and do what you do?  Would you like to work with a professional film maker?   We now running sessions to help you learn film making skills and to make a professional film.

Maybe you’re not sure that film making is your thing, but how about working outdoors in some of your local woodlands?  Would you like the chance for example to help look after and plant trees, get your hands dirty and be part of a team who get to undertake practical conservation tasks, surveys and make a real difference in their local area?  Activities like this can look really good on your CV and volunteering on schemes like this really can help people like YOU get the job of their dreams in the future!!!

You can of course do both! 

Would you like a chance to try things like this out?  Well, we can help you do that!  The Mersey Forest and Groundwork Merseyside have set up the “Wild & Life” project for young people aged between 16-25 (people outside these ages are welcome to join us too) and you can sign up for this and get involved.  We will be working with the Forestry Commission out on their woodland sites.

We will be meeting at the Chester Lane Leaf Centre (WA9 4DE) at 11am on Tuesday 5th October, THIS TUESDAY.  If you’re REALLY keen and want to secure your place please call Helen on 01925 816217 or just come along on the day and see what’s going on! 

We WANT you to be part of this, please come along and give it a go, what have you got to lose?

September may seem a long way away at the moment, but the rate at which this year is flying by, the summer holidays will be nearly gone……… not that we are trying to wish your life away, we just wanted to make you aware of an event that we have planned in September, which you thought you might want to put in your diary now.

On Sat Sept 11th, George Pilkington, our local wildlife expert, will be undertaking a guided walk around the Brickfields and helping participants to uncover and learn how to identify wildife around the site.  Please bring any identification guides and equipment such as binoculars or magnifying glasses that you own.  We will confirm the start time nearer the day.  This is a free event for all the family, or yourself if you just want to come along on your own – everyone is welcome.

The Mersey Forest team obviously work across the whole of The Mersey Forest area (by the way do you know what size area that actually is – see answer at the bottom of this article)?  Therefore, we aren’t able to keep an eye on all the sites that we work on everyday.  But we do know that the public are regular visitors to all of our sites and we would like to ask you to remember that you are the eyes and ears of The Mersey Forest.  If you ever see or spot anything unusual or interesting in your local woodland that you feel is worthy of telling someone about, please do let us know, for example via the comments box on this website and we will make a note of it.  If you have spotted some unusual wildlife, please let us know!  If you have noticed some damaged trees on your walk, drop us a line.  We are not quite the tree police and won’t be able to drop everything and get there within 15 minutes with sirens blazing, but we will investigate these things for you and will contact the relevant partners if problems need to be sorted.   Keeping us informed about your local area doesn’t have to be negative, why not tell us about seeing young people enjoying their woods or new animals / plants you’ve not seen there before – all this information helps us gauge how well sites are doing both in terms of human and wildlife and raises a smile on our faces!!!

So, thank you in advance!

PS answer: 465 square miles

Live chainsaw carving

exhilarating and noisy display of superb carving; Cycling Projects offered attendees a chance to make fruit smoothies with an exercise bike; BTCV helped people make bird boxes and Groundwork greened things up by making hanging baskets.  ReNew Four Acre and Community Forests North West joined in the activities by undertaking surveys and offering the chance to use a wooden apple press and other areas of the centre were filled with the Friends of Griffin Wood and a lively group of local stickmakers and wood turners! 

The Mersey Forest organised the exciting Wood Works event to bring the wood into the town and offer residents of Four Acre the opportunity to contribute their ideas for 5 large wooden sculptures to be installed at the local community woodland, Griffin Wood.  The day started off with a speed carving session, a slight competition between the 5 artists, to see who could carve what in 30 minutes, birds seemed to be the most popular creation and the small sculptures were offered to local sites inclusing the ReNew centre on Millersdale and the Leaf Centre.

 Residents participated in a plasticine workshop creating small sculptures which the artists then selected and made their own large versions of, in wood!  These will be installed at Griffin Wood over the next few weeks and will be available to view as a sculpture trail for regular dog walkers and new visitors.  Make sure you take a visit down there and meet the new additions!

Workshop for sculptures

Hard at work

 The wood comes to town on Saturday 13^th March 2010 with a free carnival of wild crafts in Four Acre.

Families attending the ‘Wood Works’ festival at the Leaf Centre (formerly Chester Lane Community Centre) on Four Acre Lane will see five of the region’s top chainsaw sculptors in action and be able to try a range of activities, from apple pressing to creating garden planters and bird boxes.

Helen Collins of organisers The Mersey Forest said: “This festival is all about bringing something a little different right to people’s doorsteps. The wood sculptures that are created will be installed at nearby Griffin Wood and Brickfields – so not only will it be a great day, it’ll also provide lasting art for the whole community to enjoy.”

The event kicks off at 10.30am outside the Centre with a speed chainsaw carving competition between the five sculptors. Over the course of the morning, members of the public can then suggest ideas for the main pieces to be made during the afternoon and see their suggestions brought to life.

Guests are encouraged to bring a pair of sunglasses if they are sensitive to sawdust.

Indoors there will also be a wide range of stalls and activities throughout the day until 4pm for children and adults, provided by organisations including Groundwork, Cycling Projects, Red Rose Forest, BTCV  and Forestry Commission.

Welcome to Brickfields webpage!

This website provides you with background information about this fantastic community woodland that is tucked away but is also really close to local amenities and housing. 

If you are looking for somewhere to try out your New Year’s resolution of perhaps getting out and about a bit more, then Brickfields is the site for you!  There are loads of different walks available, if you’re wanting to find new places to take your children or your dog for a walk, or the sites are nice areas to explore with a friend or on your own!

Maybe walking’s not your thing but you fancy trying out some new activities in this new year?  Please see our Events or Friends pages to find out how to perhaps join a group of like minded people or to join in activities that you may never have tried before, such as wildlife watching or practical work such as woodwork, tree planting or photography.  If there’s something you fancy trying and its not listed, please visit the Contact Us page and let us know your idea and we may be able to arrange something – it’s up to you, why not give something new a go!! 

We hope to see you at Brickfields soon!