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Good afternoon and welcome to the last blog of this week documenting the many voluntary roles Alex Ashworth is committing to throughout Lancashire. It's been a fortnight since I last volunteered for Let's Grow Preston and if you recall last time I was given the mighty task of mowing the community garden. Today that task was set upon me once more, this time, however I had come prepared. Acknowledging that last time I wore my heavy waterproof jacket and was sweating buckets by the end of it, today I settled for my high visibility vest on which was so much cooler and kept me going till break which was at 11.55am. On arrival this morning Paul Greenwood let me know of the biscuits on offer during brew time. Much to his disappointment though I said I was on a diet but that he could have my share of the biscuits. He was quite content with that. So the mowing endured and I completed the task in an hour getting all of the community garden mowed and looking presentable once more. It was at the beginning of the mowing where the first of two volunteers arrived. She explained about the peace pole which would be the centrepiece in the peace garden that is currently in development. Volunteer number two arrived shortly after and their task whilst I was busy mowing was to paint the trellis's in the peace garden. A coating of brown enabled it to look more polished and enhance the overall look of the garden too. By at least 11.55am I had completed the mowing of the community garden and it was time to take stock for quarter of an hour over coffee minus the biscuit. I was tempted by a member of another organisation at Preston Parks with a big barrel of chocolate biscuits. I think he was testing my self control and willpower, anyway I didn't give in and instead enjoyed my coffee that Paul had kindly brewed. At 12.15pm it was time for the second half of the mornings activities to proceed. I helped out the two volunteers mentioned earlier with the painting of the trellis's. I found it quite therapeutic and enjoyed chatting to a fellow volunteer. We'd just about wrapped up by 12.45pm but myself and another volunteer wanted to finish the last section of painting and then we were ready to go. The peace pole mentioned earlier was brought to my attention when a fellow volunteer showed me where it was towards the skip area. We both agreed it could do with a little brushing up and some paint to spruce it up. She also talked of potentially including the 'Let's Grow Preston' logo on the peace pole. I agreed and thought it was a great idea. It was approaching 12.55pm and myself and another volunteer stood back and admired our work at the peace garden. It was here where Paul provided us with some words of wisdom:- * Think about doing something * Do the activity * Admire your work. We both took that into consideration as he was right in how you should go about a certain task. The clock struck 1pm and it was time to bid farewell for another session. It was another productive and beneficial time volunteering for Let's Grow Preston. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for a mornings work with LGP.

Good afternoon and welcome to a fresh new work into the busy life of Alex Ashworth and is voluntary commitments in and around the Lancashire district. Last Monday Steve Smith ( senior ranger at Preston Parks ) asked if I'd like to come in on Bank Holiday Monday, without any reluctance I immediately said an affirmative yes. So here I am writing about this mornings activities on Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May 2016. I arrived at the Pavilion base at approximately 9.45am. As I made my way up the path towards the base, Steve asked if I could hear the kettle. This was a clear indication that a brew was on it's way. I reached the base and waited a couple of minutes before I gladly received a warm cup of coffee and by the looks of how the weather was outside I needed it as fuel before the hour of litter clearance was upon us. Litter picker at the ready? Check. Bin bags in order ( two in total)? Check. Fully clothed with waterproof resistant gear on? Check. Then we're both ready to tackle the onslaught of torrential rain, wind, the occasional dog walkers and the resilient joggers. Let's do it. We got back more drenched than when we started but the good news is that the park is clean for another week and above anything that is vital for the Park to run efficiently and in clean working order. After a quarter of an hour having a rest and brew we continued with part two of our morning activity. Last week, if you remember I helped Steve do a series of weeding to the right of the park, this week we concluded that area of weeding into two wheelbarrows. We then did some wildflower sowing in the community fruit garden with seeds from the "Grow Wild" charity from Kew Gardens. The seeds contained ;- common knapweed, cornflower, corn chamomile, corn cockle, corn marigold, corn poppy, hedge bedstraw, meadow buttercup, oxeye daisy, red campion, ribwort plantain, viper's bugloss and yarrow. Steve did a demonstration as to how to plant them. Simply open the seal of the package, place into your hand and scatter them across the fruity garden. I got the first part right but I forgot to place it in my hand and instead scattered it from the package. After a reminder from Steve I corrected my mistake and did it as demonstrated. The seeds were obtained by the ranger on behalf of the Friends of Ashton Park. We'd just about finished and the weather was brightening up. The final task was to take out the weeds we'd collected into the barrows and deposit them into the skip. Steve took care of his barrow and I followed suit with mine. Time was fast approaching 12noon and we had to say our goodbye's for another session. I'll be back at Ashton Park on Wednesday for Let's Grow Preston but for now we bid each other farewell and reconvene mid week. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for another productive morning with Preston Parks and senior ranger Steve Smith, a work colleague whose kind encouragement is exemplary.

Good afternoon and welcome to the last blog of this week documenting the voluntary roles young Alex Ashworth is participating in. This morning was the fortnight schedule I have for the Bees, Butterflies and Bikes group as part of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. I arrived at the meeting point (outside The Anderton Arms pub in Fulwood) at approximately 9.50am. Time soon marched on to 10.am and Chris hadn't arrived so I was getting worried as to whether Chris had text me to let me know it wasn't on and I hadn't received his text. Anyway that was no longer a concern as Chris appeared about 10.05am. After a brief apology as to being a little late I was soon introduced to a new volunteer. She was very friendly and good fun, we soon got chatting as we began working later on. Chris made us aware there was only one seat available in his car as the back was crammed full of trees and plants. This meant I would follow him to the allocated site to do the required work. Our first port of call was at a Guild Wheel site in which we planted Great Burnet and Hedge Woundwort. It was here where myself and the new volunteer had a really good chat whilst carrying out the work. We planted these plants by finding a desirable area, removed some of the grass and used a trowel to scoop out the soil, once done the plant was ready to be sealed in. This took us till 11.15am by which time Chris let us know we were moving to a different site to plant some Meadow Cranesbill and Meadowsweet. So it was back to our sturdy vehicles, Chris to his van and I went to my faithful Toyota Yaris and off we went, up the beaten track, well it was only round the corner but still, it was a dusty road leading to the main road. For the next twenty minutes we planted the Meadow Cranesbill and Meadowsweet as onlookers were going by, including the interested public, dog walkers and cyclists. The sun was beating down on our diligent work and we were all really benefitting from being outside and especially working outdoors making our contribution to a more sustainable and eco-friendly environment and one in which everybody can enjoy too. The final task took us till the finishing time of 12noon. It involved scrambling down a hill and delicately picking out the Himalayan Balsam which at this stage was only about the size of your little finger but it's effective to root them out now before they become to tall to manage and cut back. It was really enjoyable and it increased our perceptiveness so that we could pick out the Balsam individually then remove them from the hillside. We did a small portion of planting some more meadowsweet before we rapped up for another session. On our way back to the van I asked Chris to text me the names of todays plants. He's a busy man so he wrote them down for me as to prevent his forgetfulness. I also asked him if he could write me a reference for next time as evidence of my time with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. He said that would be fine but to remind him via text a couple of days prior to the next session. I'll be back with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust on Wednesday 11th May. This marks the last blog of this week but if your enjoying them look out for the first of a brand new week next Monday. Until then, this is Alex Ashworth signing off for another positive and enjoyable time working with Chris for Bees, Butterflies and Bikes group.

Good afternoon and welcome another day in Alex's voluntary week. This morning was INTACT day. As you've probably read in previous blogs I volunteer my time fortnightly for INTACT and having been doing so for the past month or so. I arrived right on 9.30am and dressed ready for action to tackle the morning's gardening duties. I signed in at reception and asked if Barry had arrived ( Barry is my tutor and helper at INTACT). Barry was running a little behind so I made my way to the café and waited for Barry whilst enjoying the cafe's top quality coffee. Soon Barry arrived and after I finished my brew I made my way to the back of the INTACT centre where the gardens are, for Barry asked if I could move two pots with tulips in from the front of the centre to the back towards the fence. Following on from two weeks ago, when I planted the radishes and the previous time before that when I planted the onions, Barry showed me their progression and I was quite impressed as to how far they had come on in such a short time. The first task to do was to plant ten sunflower seeds into ten small pots with a small portion of soil in. This involved putting the correct amount of soil in the pot then creating a little insertion into which the seed would lay, then seal it with your hand. This went according to plan until I lost one seed in the wind so ten became nine but Barry reassured me and said it was fine. The next gardening duty to do involved having ten large pots with soil from the beds plus fresh soil mixed in from the bag. Into the ten large pots were French beans three in each then a gentle tap once planted to complete it. I found this both therapeutic and very relaxing. It also taught me how French beans can grow in quite close proximity without being affected. Barry had to go out for a while so he left me to it and everything was fine. Barry returned ten minutes later and asked how I was getting on and nearly completed all ten. Barry asked if I could fill the seed tray with soil, this took place after the brew break. Five minutes later I did a little watering on the French beans and the sunflower seeds I planted earlier. I complete Barry's request before the break and filled up a seed tray with soil then dusted it off with sieve to finish. Our morning was nearly complete but there was one major task that needed to be finalised. If you recall last time I was at INTACT thieves had broken in to the gardens and sabotaged areas such as the greenhouse and the tap. Two weeks later it appears they may have been here again as footprints were found on some of the soil and the gate was left open. The gate being left open got Barry in to thinking it needed more security. With a little help from his assistant ( who could that be?) we set about screwing and placing in some nails and a lock below the handle of the gate. Barry's DIY came to good use and we got the job done successfully. It was approaching 11.30am so my time this morning with INTACT was complete. Barry and I made arrangements regarding the next time I come in which would be May 10th and he assured me that he would let me know if, for any reason he couldn't make it next time then he would make necessary plans for jobs for me to do in the garden. We said our goodbyes and agreed to meet in a fortnight, unless anything drastic changes. It was an excellent morning's work and it beneficial learning from someone who really his way round the garden. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for my time today at INTACT.

Good afternoon and welcome to a brand new week into the voluntary roles Alex Ashworth is taking part in, in and around the North West of Lancashire. This morning I volunteered my time with Preston Parks at Ashton Park. It was a welcome return to the Monday routine as I hadn't seen and worked with Steve Smith ( senior park ranger ) for some time so it was refreshing to continue our work friendship. It was 9.45am and as I made my way up the path towards the pavilion base, Steve greeted me with open arms and encouraged me with the words, " come on Alex". It was good to be back. What shocked Steve the most before we began our litter duties was when I announced I was turning down the biscuits, due in part to a health issue which has prompted me to cut down on sugary things. He even invited me to have the alternative, a banana or a tangerine but I turned them down too because they upset my stomach. Once the dietary requirements were dealt with we made our way outside complete with litter picker, several bin bags and a litter carrier. We were more than ready to tackle the weekends onslaught of litter that scattered the park. We split up and did the work diligently although at times I thought I had lost Steve but we somehow found each other amidst the dog walkers and the weekly joggers in the park. It was coming to 11.25am and we'd nearly reached the end of our litter clearance. We were both in dire need of a brew despite the absence of chocolate biscuits although I think Steve ate my share in the end. " A great way to start your Monday morning, a nice, clean park". I couldn't agree with you more Steve as we had concluded part one of the morning session and were ready for brief break. After our coffee break we had ten minutes left in which to make a start taking some weeds out in an area to the right of the pavilion base. We had a wheelbarrow each and a fork to take out all the unnecessary weeds. By 12noon it was time to go. With the bank holiday Monday taking place next week we were initially going to give next week a break but Steve could sense my eagerness and my keen involvement to help out where I can so we have resolved to meet next week, Monday 2nd May at the same time 10am. It was great to be back working together again and benefit from the camaraderie that shapes our unique work friendship. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for another rewarding and enjoyable day volunteering for Preston Parks.

Good afternoon and welcome to the latest instalment of the voluntary roles Alex Ashworth is enjoying and benefiting from, in and around the North West of Lancashire. Last week I volunteered my time for a couple of hours for Let's Grow Preston. I arrived slightly earlier as planned at roughly 10.45am. I waited in my car till 11am for Paul Greenwood to open up the pavilion at Ashton Park. Buzzing and raring to go Paul gave me the rewarding task of mowing the grass. In the heat of the day I was sweltering especially as I had my thick jacket on and waterproofs. I was more dressed for winter than spring/early summer! Paul in-fact commented on my unusual choice of clothing, even as the sweat poured down my brow I was determined to finish my patch of grass to mow and felt more dressed as a gardener despite the absurdity of it. By 11.15am another volunteer appeared and she continued her work on the peace garden which is really taking shape now and an act of clearance is rapidly taking place of the old shrubs/ grass areas that need depositing in replace of some more newer, colourful and inspiring flowers and plants. At 11.45am I had concluded my stint of mowing and was in dire need of a coffee. Fortunately, Paul was more than ready to provide me with refreshments, the plus side being that I got to eat at least three chocolate biscuits. Part two of the morning session included tidying the areas around the left hand side of the raised beds with a spade. It was awkward for the mower to reach these parts so Paul suggested at the beginning of the session that I use a spade once the mowing had finished and remove the long grass so it looked presentable. I joined a fellow volunteer for the duration of the morning which took us up to 12.45pm. I helped her unload some debris to the skip and generally cleaned up the peace garden area where she had been working. At the end of the session Paul suggested when I volunteer on a Wednesday to initiate the proceedings by mowing the grass then continue from there on in. I was thrilled by this prospect as it gives me the practical experience I need. Paul showed us both where the completed greenhouse is located and the potential for more things to be implemented as time goes on for volunteers and staff. It was an excellent mornings work and the bonus being the sun was constantly shining for us, if only I had left my jacket in my car! This is Alex Ashworth signing off for another productive and life enriching time volunteering for 'Let's Grow Preston'.

Good morning and welcome to yet another insight into the volunteer work Alex Ashworth is contributing to in his local community of Preston. The other day I volunteered my time with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust with the group 'Bees, Butterflies and Bikes'. Lead of the group Chris Taylor provides excellent teaching and practical help in the realm of gardening so you know your in safe hands when Chris directs the volunteers into action. This time with the group things were a little different. Chris explained that some members of The Guild Users Group would be joining us in planting several trees (Oak Trees and Birch Trees) around the Guild Wheel Cycle Path. He revealed that this has greater significance as the man who contributed a lot to The Guild Wheel and a pioneer in the world of conservation sadly passed away recently so the planting of trees would be in memory and lasting legacy of the blueprint he made when he was alive. Before the members of The Guild Users Group arrived Chris drove to a previous place of work at the orchard where a series of apple and plum trees were taking shape. Chris made the point of how amazing the site would look in a couple of years time. We then went to the Guild Wheel Cycle Path and as we were still waiting we worked together pulling up some old doc weeds. After quarter of an hour the area looked more improved and we were both quite chuffed with our work. At this point just after 10.30am the Guild User Group members arrived. Even greater significance came when the members revealed they were the wife and daughter of the late conservationist mentioned earlier. We all went to the designated site and Chris reviewed some previous work done earlier in the year, the planting of a series of holly trees. A practical demonstration of how to plant the batch of todays trees was then considered and a brief delegation of who should work with who. After much discussion and debate we endeavoured to get the work done. It was pleasant working with 'mum' as she explained her taste in music. In-fact a classical concert was her next port of call once she had concluded her time this morning with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. A couple of hours soon went by and we all felt closer to nature having planted a series of trees, having breathed in the fresh countryside air and having heard and seen a vast array of birds that observed our morning's work. The Guild Users Group departed and Chris and I were just about to finish when I saw a member of another volunteer job I participate in. He was cycling through the cycle path and clocked it was me. We know each other from the Green Gym conservation group I go to every Thursday morning. He explained he's retiring in a month or so , so Chris captured a perfect opportunity to let him know about volunteer roles within the Lancashire Wildlife Trust. He seemed quite keen. Nice work Chris. Having driven me back to the place of meeting, Chris and I said our goodbyes and wished each other well. It won't be long before that becomes permanent fixture too as this group is rapping up at the end of June 2016. It's been an excellent time working for Chris and I'll always value his encouragement and support. For now though, I'll be back in two weeks, taking us up to April 27th. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for another trailblazing session in my volunteer pursuits.

Good afternoon and welcome to the latest experiences within the voluntary sector for young Alex Ashworth. Today was INTACT day. I attend fortnight gardening sessions at INTACT, which is based at Ingol near Preston. If you remember my last post regarding INTACT I got soaked to the bone with rain and planted a series of white onions. This time the weather was on our side but there was, however, another setback we were yet to encounter. I arrived at INTACT this morning at 9.30am and as I was about to put my gardening suit of armor on I noticed Barry ( my trainer ) caught me and informed me they have had a break in. I put the remainder of my gardening gear on, signed in at reception and made my way to the gardening area at the back of the building. Barry highlighted how much damage the vandals had caused by showing me the greenhouse and the tap area of which was badly vandalised. This meant that we didn't proceed to gardening related duties till about 10.30am. The greenhouse re-enforcement which was made of bamboo reeds and disused pop bottles was broken apart so I helped Barry to restore the damage made. This took us roughly an hour or so, during which a former volunteer appeared and, like us, was disappointed in the work of the vandals. He cheered Barry up though by giving him a journal in which he could record his recent or past gardening activities. By 10.30am we'd concluded the greenhouse repair work and we were much in need of a brew. We had a brief coffee break and then Barry had a go at getting the tap back in shape. Barry was concerned at this juncture as we'd done minimal if any gardening work. That was, however about to change. In the greenhouse were a series of planting trays. Following the guidelines from kitchen staff, Barry had a list of vegetables of which we could plant. There were five trays in total, four of which I would work on and Barry did the fifth. In carrying out this task each tray needed at least five rows to be made, then an insertion of 8-10 seeds. The rows would then be closed up, secured tightly by hand and labelled with the name, date and year. The teaching session was excellent, practical and easily understood. Barry did the carrots then I worked on leeks, beetroot and spring onion. Barry concentrated on the radishes. A final sealing was complete which meant a sprinkle of water. I was taught that they sprout quickly but their growth takes much longer. Time nearly had the better of us. We just had one small task to complete, a portion of weeding. I helped Barry take the trays to his car and the bamboo reeds. It was slightly awkward fitting them in his boot but with some minor adjustments we did it. Another successful morning volunteering at INTACT. I'll be back there in a couple of weeks which will take us up to April 26th. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for the latest update in my volunteering pursuits.

We have received a very kind donation of Japanese and Sedum Speactabile from Viv Berry Thank you very much Viv, these will be put to good use!

Brighter Blooms (http://www.brighterblooms.co.uk) have kindly donated lots of seed potatoes to Let's Grow Preston. These are available free to Communty Groups so if you would like some please come to Ashton Community Garden on Ashton Park today (Wed 6th April) or tomorrow between 11:00 am and 3:00pm

Good afternoon and welcome to the latest update into the volunteer world of Mr Alex Ashworth. So I arrived a little earlier than expected at 9.30am at the Pavilion Base HQ. Senior Park Ranger Steve Smith was dealing with some important phone duties so I helped myself to a cup of coffee and ( quite aptly ) a ginger nut, a name I may have been referred too at some point in my life. As the time marched on to 10am and after several slurps of our coffee and a sugar rush of biscuits we were both ready to get on with the mornings tasks. The first point of call was to plant a series of crocuses donated by the 'Friends of Ashton Park' group via Bannister Hall nursery. Steve had located an area that was ideal to spruce up the park and make it more inviting for passers by. Once we had dug several holes we planted the crocuses in and tucked them in nice and gently so they were ready for bed. Task number two was a litter clearance. Steve had recently cleared the park so it didn't need too much work to be done. Due to this Steve decided to have just one little pick and one bin bag, so I followed Steve round the park in an orderly fashion and helped to tidy up certain areas that had been abused, for example it was clear the branches of trees had been attacked by some foolish people so I cleared them away from the path and put them under a tree. By 11.15am we had concluded the first part of our morning's work and it was time for a reflection and rest with a good cup of coffee and of course one or two biscuits. Steve asked me my plans for the rest of the week and in reply I said I am busy with my voluntary work. Tomorrow sees me continue my duties at Leyland Day Centre, but that's not one for blogging so you'll just have to use your imagination about what I get up to there. In the last half hour or so of our morning together we continued doing some more planting. We planted some crocosmia in the fruit garden to brighten up the area donated by a member of the "Friends of Haslam Park" group. We also planted some Achellia which was split in order to propagate new plants by division. This too was in the fruit garden. A source of which was originally from the Rangers allotment. Spring is a perfect time to create new plants by division or "splitting" as it's often called. Words of wisdom from a man who knows his stuff when it's comes to gardening. Steve also revealed to me his place of escapism, his allotments. He's intending on cutting down his work at his allotments by reducing two to one yet still benefitting from the practical yet pleasurable downtime he spends on them. When the clock struck 11.45am it was just about time to go. Another enjoyable time at Preston Parks. With practical involvement and continuous learning it makes for a very productive morning. It really is a genuine privilege to volunteer my time with Steve on Monday mornings. He is the ideal boss and mentor, never pushy or pressured, just relaxed and laidback. I really appreciate him giving me this opportunity. Sadly they'll be no Preston Parks next week but we'll resume gardening based activities in a couple of weeks. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for another eventful morning volunteering for Preston Parks.

Good afternoon and welcome to the next update within the Let's Grow Preston team. I arrived at roughly 10.50am to the Ashton Park Pavilion base. From there, Paul Greenwood ( community involvement worker) let me know how long he'd be able to stay today and what the overall plan was. Soon another volunteer arrived and then another, all in quick succession. Once we were all together we made our way to the Peace Garden and absorbed ourselves in several jobs until Annie Wynn arrived ( chair of Let's Grow Preston ). As mentioned in another blog Annie had kindly received a donation of spades and trowels yesterday so without further ado we got on with a portion of the work. Annie guided the three musketeers ( myself and two other volunteers ) round the Peace Garden in order to resolve what should stay and what should go ( no I'm not breaking into a song by The Clash). Annie let us know the names of several plants and shrubs, the importance of some as opposed to others and the great clearance of some we would have to endure. A fellow volunteer took some excellent notes as we were going round to enable us to consider the general scope of the peace garden and how it can be improved much to the welfare of others and to benefit the general public as they relax and reflect in this neglected haven. As we reached the sign 'Peace Garden 2006' I though it would be good to create a new sign marking the 10th anniversary from it's first makeover. I also came up with the idea to create a rainbow effect in the centre of the peace garden with certain plants representing the colours of the rainbow. Annie thought this was a good idea but she did stress that some plants don't flower all year long so you would have to have quite a wide variety in the rainbow format. Annie gave us some sound advice as to how to go about the transformation of the garden. She gave clear insight and knowledge of the many plant life, grass, flowers and shrubs immersed in the garden. We were all well aware as to the big undertaking that would be needed in order for it look and feel good but we were prepared to take that challenge on when we agreed to get involved. All of us only had a small minority of time today. Paul had to lock up the pavilion base and another member required some much needed TLC, something am sure we wished we could all have sometimes. Despite the small portion of time we began the big clearance job that saw some of deadhead plants, cut back huge plants and, much to the shocked reaction from Paul as it was being taken to the skip, the loss of the lavender. With the work being underway, Paul wanted to capture the action, so the snap happy camera was out again. Picturing a moment in time and giving clear evidence of our time this afternoon. After several trips to the skip and much debating as to what should be removed and included all of us left the tranquil retreat of the peace garden for another week. We left feeling that little bit more reassured from Annie's guidance that our eventual goal in making the peace garden a perfect escapism and a place for quiet solitude, a reality. We've agreed to meet again next Wednesday , April 6th at 11am for another session. This is Alex Ashworth signing off for another eventful day volunteering for Let's Grow Preston.