Friends of the Valley and Little Dene Annual Report
2018 Committee Annual Report
We continue to evolve! This is the first Annual Report since adding Little Dene Park into the FOVALD portfolio and our constitution!
It is rewarding to know that the City Council and the Freemen seem to be content with the quality of our maintenance work, not only on the Valley surrounds & Little Dene Park, but also on the Moorfield verges and the Little Moor paths.
In addition, it is stimulating that we receive many complements from local residents. A big “Thank You” to our band of volunteers. So what have we been doing?
Management & Maintenance
Our Tuesday group “Lending a Hand” continues to thrive – there are 15 regulars and weekly attendance averages between 6-10.
As usual, the autumn leaf shedding generated an extended workload, with estimates of between 200-300 bags of leaves collected for composting.
Our new strimmer/cutter did a great job in shredding the leaves, so we have 2 substantial heaps of compost warmed up by millions of micro-organisms! Nature in action!
After our 2018 plan for Little Dene Park was approved by the Freemen & the Council, much effort was spent bringing the Park back up to scratch. Two or thee projects within the plan deserve mention.
The Moorfield shrub bed
The original shrubs had their feet in clay and were long past their best!
Thanks to David B for “adopting” this bed, adjusting the shape and donating and digging in lots of compost to give the new occupants a good start.
Thanks also to Kate B for the design & choice of shrub and to David for assisting with the purchasing – two actually came from RHS Wisley!!
The bed also contains 500 crocus bulbs donated via Rosemary M’s contacts at Gosforth Rotary.
Renovating the 3 public seats
The resident who took this project by the “scruff of the neck” was Cornelia M. This was no small task.
However, her perseverance and enthusiasm, coupled with Jeanette’s stamina, got the job done.
The finished product is excellent. The life of the timber seats has been doubled and the appearance vastly improved.
Well done Cornelia, Jeanette & all others who helped.
Thank You Susan Lydia
The project that most captured our imagination was replacing the lost plaque commemorating Susan Lydia Challoner’s bequest in 1953 that paid for the park entrance to & from Moor Road South.
Again this was a team effort, with Christine D finding the eloquent words for the replacement plaque and finding the stonemason to embed it, Cornelia sourcing the plaque and Rosalind Hall & her Mum providing the interesting background detail.
Our MP, Catherine McKinnell, a former local resident & user of the entrance, agreeing to unveil the plaque was the “icing on the cake”.
Although highlighting these 3 projects, a lot of work goes on, year round, in regaining control of the bushes & borders in the park that had been left unchecked for a long time. Rosemary M’s unstinting work needs to be mentioned!
We are conscious that the Little Dene has probably received less attention than it ought. The Lodore Road slopes were twice cleared of debris & litter and the verge cut back.
A major piece of work was carried out by West Jesmond Tree Surgeons early in 2019, when three substantial tree limbs overhanging Lodore Road were removed. Thanks to all the residents who contributed to the costs.
As the Valley is a much larger space surrounded by mature trees, the impact of our work is less noticeable.
Creating grass paths onto the Valley from Lodore Road was well received by users, although the annual wildflower show on the bankside did not produce the expected splash of colour in 2018.
However, the variety of trees & shrubs on display continue to be augmented by residents contributions, with Frank S adding another magnolia and another supporter contributing young lime & hazel trees.
Usage
The Valley is a meeting place all year round – especially for dog-walkers.
The sheltered location and the almost rural surroundings help to create an environment which also attracts individuals and groups of students looking for relaxation, especially on sunny days.
Our hoped for survey of usage on the Valley did not transpire in 2018. It should be a priority for this year.
The Valley comes alive when it snows in winter.
It snowed twice in winter 2018.
On both occasions the Lodore Road slopes were packed with families sledging, making snowmen and just enjoying the snow & the surroundings.
We did manage to survey the usage of the route through Little Dene Park in early January.
A total of 272 passed through the park between 8.00am & 5.00pm on Friday 11 January. Bearing in mind the time of year, this probably means that total usage may well be more than 120,000. It is a well used route.
Wildlife
Most of the bird boxes in the Little Dene were occupied last year and already this year the great spotted woodpecker has been heard and bullfinches have been seen. We are due another bird survey in 2020.
Several types of butterfly were seen on the Valley in 2018, notably red admiral, comma and small tortoiseshell.
In 2019, perhaps we should encourage users to keep a record of butterflies that are seen. There has only been one reported sighting of a fox in the vicinity of the Valley in the last 12 months and one hedgehog.
Committee of Friends of the Valley and Little Dene
February 2019
Read more: You can read more about the work of FOVALD and see a plan of the Valley, Little Dene and Little Dene Park on the FOVALD page.
The Friends of the Valley, Little Dene and Little Dene Park’s (FOVALD) Lending a Hand Group has recently commissioned a new plaque to tell the story of the ‘hole in the wall’ at Little Dene Park.
Members of FOVALD, the Lending a Hand Group and local High West Jesmond residents attended the ceremony to learn more about the generosity of Susan Lydia Challoner and the history of this part of High West Jesmond.
The ‘hole in the wall’ has become a very well used route for residents in Gosforth and High West Jesmond.
Here is a photograph taken by Chris Morgan who was visiting High West Jesmond at the time and spotted the work party busy with their work.
A fun filled weekend for family & friends, starting on Saturday 1st September through to Sunday 2nd September 11am – 5pm , including, live music, funfair rides, inflatable football, Active Newcastle, children’s crafts, Kirkley Hall Zoo, climbing wall, face painting , smoothie bike, raffles, stalls selling a wide range of flowers, produce and preserves, advice on bee keeping and organic gardening and much more, all taking place within the beautiful setting of Leazes Park, Newcastle’s oldest park, close to the city centre.
