Information and Events
We last put news on this page on September 2, 2010
Bat walk in Shrewsbury Park:
Enjoy the wonder of bats at twilight
Friday 17th September 2010
6:45 pm – 8:30 pm
Meet at the west car park. If the weather is poor, we will have an indoor bat talk at Shrewsbury House.
| Time | Activity |
| 6.45pm | Welcome and brief talk |
| 7:11pm | Sunset Hands on bat identification and how to use a bat detector |
| 7:20 pm | Start of the walk |
| 8:30pm | Feedback and finish |
Important information
- Please bring sensible cloths (waterproof jacket, walking shoes) and a torch if you have one.
- Part of the walk is accessible for person with wheelchairs. Person with mobility difficulties should let the walk leader know before the start of the walk as some part of the path can be relatively steep.
Find out more
- You can download a leaflet about the Bat Walk event (pdf, 85kb)
- If you have any learning disability, mobility difficulty or other impairments, or if you have further enquiries, please contact Xavier at xhamon@bats.org.uk 0754983442 or Carol at fspdog@hotmail.com / 07789 204155.
- Please email Carol to let us know if you are coming to the bat walk.
The Count Bat project is supported by the following funders:
K9s: Learn more about their health, care and behaviour
Sunday 19 September, 10am to 2pm, Shrewsbury Park
Entrance and parking
via Plum Lane
- Meet canine behaviourist Emma Collings and hear about her aim to help dog owners achieve a happy and balanced bond with their dog. At 11am Emma will be carrying out a special display of recall tactics and general control methods
- Get advice from the Charlton branch of Pets at home
- Have your dog micro chipped on site by Companion Care vets for a special event price of only £10.00
- Benefit from a FREE dog health check consisting of coat, ears, eyes, teeth, weight and general visual check
- Learn about BARK - Greenwich Council's initiative for borough-wide action for responsible K9s as well as dog control orders and legislation
- Say hello to the Met Police Dog Handling Team and find out more about this special K9 police service.
- Find out more from the Canine Awareness Leaflet (pdf, 49kb)
2010 AGM
This took place in the Park, and proved to be an ideal setting. The Committee were elected for the following year (always room for more...). Kathy Smith, Chair, informed the meeting of the success of the Summer Festival, and the clean up days. She thanked the Management Committee members for their hard work throughout the year.
John Frankis, Treasurer, presented the accounts. We have a small surplus, which we will spend on buying bluebells for the woods.
We then discussed ideas to improve the Park, these included:
- water supply for humans, dogs and wildlife
- viewpoint sign at the top of the field
- flora and fauna signs
- chasing up the Council regarding the picnic area
- secure and improve Garland Road entrance
- prevent flooding of Dothill.
Under Any other Business, John Denton told us he had spotted a Purple Emperor butterfly, which was rare in this area. Andy said he knew someone who would present a "star gazing" evening for us. Owen told us he volunteered at Meridan Radio (Queen Elizabeth hospital) and wants to produce information about the Park. Andy told us about the Heritage Crim initiative which wants to tackle environmental crime.
When the business ended, people went into groups to work on the quiz that Kathy had prepared. There were 3 groups, the "no hopers" (Andy, Owen and Ron), the "Old Codgers" (John, Ray, Richard and Mr Willis), and the "Woodland Wonders" (Bev, Carol, Kris and Libby - shown left).
It was close, but the all women team "Woodland Wonders" won. Their prize was a baseball bat and a free year's subscription to the Friends of Shrewsbury Park.
Everyone enjoyed themselves and it kept dry!
See more photos of the 2010 AGM
Ticks
A number of dog owners have reported seeing ticks on their dogs. I always check my dog after a visit to Woodlands Farm!
There is a useful web site, www.bada-uk.org, (Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK) which has information about ticks, how to avoid them and how to remove them.
They suggest that you should search your pet thoroughly for any attached ticks as they can be very tiny (less than 1mm), even when fully engorged. Brush against, as well as with, the hair-growth to see any ticks that are close to the skin.
You should check around and inside the ears, around the eyes, on the chin and around the muzzle, as well as between pads and toes.
Tick Removal Instructions
Ideally, wear rubber / plastic gloves or, in the absence of gloves, shield fingers with tissue or paper.
- Choose the most suitable twister hook, according to the size of the tick (O’Tom Tick Twister hook pack contains two sizes, one for adult ticks and one for the tiny nymph ticks).
- Engage the hook by approaching the tick from the side (the body of the tick is flat) until it is held securely.
- Lift the hook very lightly and TURN IT (screwing or unscrewing). The tick detaches itself after 2-3 rotations.
- After removing the tick, disinfect the bite site and wash hands with soap and water.
- Save the tick for identification in case you become ill within several weeks. Write the date of the bite in pencil on a piece of paper and put it with the tick in a sealed plastic bag and store it in a freezer. Your doctor can use the information to assist in making an accurate diagnosis. Although not every tick carries Borreliosis or any of the associated co-infections, immediate removal of an attached tick is recommended.
DO NOT use petroleum jelly, any liquid solutions, or freeze / burn the tick, as this will stimulate it to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing the chance of infection.
| Date | Event | Where | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 September 2010 | Come along and learn about the bats in Shrewsbury Park and how to use a bat box to hear them. | At the notice board next to the car park | 6.45pm |
| 5 December 2010 | We will be holding a Christmas event in the Park. Details to follow. | TBC | TBC |
Our newsletters
- Friends Newsletter 1 (pdf, 747kb)
- Friends Newsletter 2 (pdf, 1.27mb)
- Friends Newsletter 3 (pdf, 1.26mb)
- Friends Newsletter 4 (pdf, 1.53mb)
- Friends Newsletter 5 (pdf, 794kb)
