Brean Work Camp, April 22nd to May 1st 2017
Preliminary Schedule of works and allocation of volunteers
There is a wide range of work during this week which should ensure that everybody can find a task which they enjoy and find rewarding. The works can be divided into the construction of the path and all its details, the refettling of last year’s path, the building of a 120m long timber bird wing walls at the sluices, domestic matters, including provision and catering, and matters relating to the public, promoting the path, guiding people through the works, signing the route, enlisting supporters and rangers for ongoing maintenance and making the inaugural ride on Monday 1st May a memorable event.
1. Path construction
This will require 3 people receiving the stone as it is delivered by dumper and spreading it, & 1 compacting with a roller. Once this is done, 2/3 people need to make up the shoulders/verges either side and tidy up the whole section. Our target is to complete 150 metres each day, (900m) in total. This involves handling approximately 160 tonnes of stone/day.
Note that certain preliminary works have been done in advance, culverts, fencing and gates, the latter so that the farmers can have livestock in their fields whilst we work alongside.
The whole camp is supported by Larry and Dave who will manage the plant and supply of materials. Larry and Dave are our professionals and any instructions from them must be followed. All volunteers on path construction to wear high viz tops at all times.
Note that the tarmac section beside the main road is being constructed by a local contractor, (Draytons). Our involvement on this section will be limited to finishing off the verges with turf and tidying up.
2. Sandbag headwalls
In total there are 5 ends of culverts which need head walls constructed with sandbags we fill with limestone dust. This work is required early on, 2/3 people.
3. Removal of old fence along Rosemary’s field, and tidying back hedges and vegetation all through
This work can be done at anytime. Take care not to disturb any nesting birds in the hedges.
4. Fencing
The 16m of post and 3 rail fence by the caravan park will require 2 people for 1 day. Our contractor will have erected the new gate. We have 230m of fencing down the length of the campsite field as a reserve project if we have the labour.
5. The bird wall to prevent disturbance to wading and other birds in the Estuary
This is quite a large project which could absorb almost any number of people. Our plan is to drive in the 110 post bases over the first weekend and then to erect the 2m high wall over the week under the artistic direction of Katy Hallet, and Simon Banbury handling practical matters.
6. Concrete Farm crossings
We have two gate areas where Simon Talbot-Ponsonby will organise making a concrete roadway on the Tuesday/Thursday of the week. This will require 2 or 3 people to set out the timber edges, handle the concrete and finish the work off.
7. Refettling last year’s work-camp path
Our work last year has settled down very well. There are a few weeds and grasses growing through which need to be taken out, and the verges need trimming back. This is a task for 2 or 3 people over a couple of days. There is also some work to be done on the Council’s uphill section including the rebuilding of one of the access gates.
8. Route signing from Weston to Brean
John Kirkhope (a Sustrans ranger) has this in hand, but may need some assistants to help remove the existing signing on the now to be abandoned route via circuitous and busy roads.
9. Promotion and Publicity
We will have piles of flyers available and these need to be be distributed around the local holiday camp receptions, in local shops (Weston and Highbridge and elsewhere), as well as meeting and explaining to as many potential users as possible. To this end 2 or 3 people who enjoyed roaming around and talking with passers-by would be very helpful, as would any contacts with the press and media.
10. Future Maintenance
Whilst North Somerset Council is responsible for the path on the Uphill side, Greenways is for the key section across the sluices and down to the sea. We have undertaken to enlist 200/300 supporters over the next 2 to 3 years each donating an average of £20/year to provide us with the funds to maintain the path, fences and vegetation.
As well as asking for work campers to support us in this way, it would be very helpful if we could specifically ask the early users of the path to support Greenways in this way. We will have the appropriate forms available.
11. Work Camp Records
Photographs are always useful but if we could have an archivist to record conversations and chat of the camps this would be an added bonus. Last year Frankie was the camp artist, but is unable to come this year. We would also like to work up a guide for the Weston/Brean route, and any local historians or local knowledge would also be very useful.
12. Domestic matters
Whilst we have made some arrangements for meals from Chris and Claire, but they cannot be with us all the time so we will also need to sort out a rota of shopping and food. There is a café on site (and also excellent showers and washing facilities), as well as pubs and cafes along the coast road. Costs of food will be shared by all campers on a daily basis – I think last year a £5/day contribution worked out about right.
13. Allocation of tasks will be done on a day by day basis, always giving priority to the key elements of the project which we are aiming to complete in time for the opening on May 1st.
14. Inaugural Ride and Walk
This will now leave the Pier at Weston at 12.30 (high tide at 11.13 would prevent us using the beach earlier). We need to plan for this event during the week of the Camp including the making of flags and other visual markers, as well as what sort of celebration we could have at Brean Down. Again ideas are most welcome. (Note we will have a formal opening on Friday 7/7/17 so that officials and others who are not able to make the Bank Holiday Monday can come).
The purpose of the inaugural event and the opening is to promote the Brean Down Way as much as possible, and as early as possible, in order that we can see the largest number of people enjoying the route in its very first year – we have said to the funding bodies that we expect to see 100, 000 people/year across the sluices.
15. Health and Safety matters
All campers will be introduced to the work and the optimum way of doing it, when they arrive. We will supply high viz tops. Please come with appropriate tough working clothes, gloves and strong boots. Some of the tasks – sand bagging and concreting would benefit from having wellington boots.
You will all be given the phone numbers of the key camp managers, and local emergency numbers. The camp will have a number of first aid kits along its length but each camper should bring what would be normal when camping.
Note the campsite is an open field adjacent to a formal campsite, but it has no power nor other facilities in the actual field. Contact Diamond Farm 01278 751041 if you have any queries about the site. Note that Trevor Hicks has kindly made all these facilities available to us at no cost.
John Grimshaw for Greenways and Cycleroutes Limited
21st March 2017
