Learning Volunteers Training Day

Last Friday Learning Volunteers had their first winter training day.  Carrying out a review of the year’s services to schools and working outdoors to exchange with each other the helpful practices each of us uses.  You can see Pete muscled in on the chocolate cake opening of one of our new indoor lunch shelters.  Our thanks to Patrick and the LTVs for their stirling work in so quickly creating it!  In the afternoon Malcolm explained how we can provide services for the new Secondary School  Geography curriculum, although I think the photo was when he justified what he calls very close misses in Liverpool’s last game! 

Volunteer training day - Geology walk

Today Chris Stratton (Learning Officer at Carding Mill Valley) led a geology walk for National Trust, Shropshire Wildlife Trust and Community Wildlife Group volunteers. We started off at Carding Mill Valley, walking down the valley to look at Stretton shail and then walked up the valley looking at the other layers of rock including; Buxton rock and synalds.

We walked up to the reservoir to look at very early fossilised organisms, once believed to be fossilised raindrops but recently organic matter was discovered within them. Then we headed to Wenlock Edge where we looked at the strata and fault lines in Knowle quarry.

Before heading to look at the old lime kilns and learning about burning limestone and charcoal making and walking to Lea quarry to look at fossils.

 

Volunteer Training Day Bird Walk

Last Thursday we had an introductory bird identification training day for volunteers. It was led by Pat who told us all about the species we could find on the Long Mynd throughout the year.  

It was glorious weather and we walked up to the reservoir to search for birds before heading onto the top to Pole bank looking for bramblings. Pat was a brilliant enthusiastic teacher and everyone enjoyed the day.