23rd Mar 06
Local company SC Johnson dig deep for Tongham Community Wood
Tongham Wood Improvement Group (TWIG) are bringing all season colour to the play area of Tongham Community Wood thanks to the help of local volunteers and to Frimley-based company SC Johnson who provided over £1,300 funding.The generous donation from SC Johnson has financed two planting projects in the wood. The first was completed at the end of February when 15 trees were planted to form Cherry Tree Walk creating a welcoming entrance into the wood. The second main project took place on Sunday 19th March with ‘The Big Dig’. The conservation task lived up to its name with an astounding thirty-four volunteers turning up – three times more than normal. This included 17 volunteers from the fourth Farnham (Tongham) scouts, local residents and those from further afield. They planted 34 trees around the central play area comprising a mixture of field maple and three cherry varieties.
Jane McCarty, Project Manager, said
“We were thrilled by the level of local support received for this project – both financial from local company SC Johnson, as well as volunteer hours from residents and in-kind support of equipment from Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership. It is TWIG’s most successful endeavour we have seen to date. We want to send out a huge thank you to all our supporters on that day.”
The play area provides a safe open space in the wood for children to run around. The circular planting scheme will provide a colourful backdrop for all seasons as well as attracting wildlife to the fruit and blossom of the trees.
Tongham Wood Improvement Group are always seeking volunteers to help. They meet the third Sunday of each month, at the main entrance off Garbetts Way, at 10.30am, bring sturdy boots and outdoor wear. For further information visit www.tonghamwood.org.uk
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EDITOR NOTES
• Photo taken by John Etherton, possible caption: “Local volunteers take time out from The Big Dig to appreciate the fruits of their labour”
• Tongham Wood Improvement Group (TWIG) was formed in July 2004 and is a local voluntary group set up to promote and manage Tongham Community Wood. Working under the guidance of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, TWIG has gradually been improving the area for the enjoyment and well being of the whole community, and also to protect the area from further development for the benefit of the local community. Visit www.tonghamwood.org.uk
• Tongham Community Wood is semi-natural woodland, with old oak stands and coppice stools, and is ideal for dog walkers and children.
• SC Johnson is a family company now in its fifth generation. Founded by Samuel Curtis Johnson in 1886 the UK became its first subsidiary in 1915. This global company now has a presence in over 70 countries around the world. The main UK company is situated in Frimley Green in Surrey where it moved from West Drayton in 1960.
• SC Johnson is dedicated to improving, protecting and sustaining the environment. The UK company gives time and funding for projects such as rebuilding ponds in local woodlands, restoration work on the local canal, and employees volunteer to help in initiatives to improve the local environment.
• The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership (BVCP) is funded by the County, District and Parish Councils along the River Blackwater. It works to promote community action in conservation and recreation and to protect the Valley for the enjoyment and well being of the whole community. For more information about BVCP visit www.blackwater-valley.org.uk
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