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Chidham and Hambrook - More Organisations - Maybush Copse Friends

Maybush Copse Friends is a residents group set up to manage the Maybush Copse site

Maybush Copse Friends

for the history, see below
This page is about Maybush Copse, an 8 acre site off Cot Lane, purchased in 2009 by the Chichester Harbour Trust, with support from the Chichester Harbour Conservancy, the Parish Councils of Southbourne and Chidham & Hambrook, and donations from over 180 local residents
Where is the entrance to Maybush Copse? The entrance to Maybush Copse is in Cot lane, about 200m south of The Barleycorn, or about 50m past the Maybush Drive turning on the right hand side as you go south, opposite a house that stands by itself called 'Roussillon'.
....
A note about the biodiversity and what can be found in Maybush Copse
In case you are interested, these are the kind of trees being planted.
Oak, Hazel, Field Maple, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Ash, Alder Buckthorn, Dogwood, Guelder Rose, Goat Willow, Spindle, and Holly
We are grateful
to the following organisations that have made grants or donations to help pay for the improvement of the site
  The Chichester Harbour Conservancy
The Forestry Commission English Woodland Grant Scheme
Three Harbours and Coastal Plain RDPE LEADER programme
Southbourne Parish Council
Chidham and Hambrook Parish Council
The Old House at Home
Waitrose
Southern Water
Southbourne Lions
West Sussex County Council - CLC Community Initiative Fund
    Linden Homes
Chichester District Council (Local Character Enhancement Grant)
  Kingsbridge Estates have donated 1000 tonnes of soil.

News Update - Jan 2012
If you have looked over the gate at the entrance to Maybush Copse recently, you will have seen that the grass and wildflower mix which was sown back in October on the grassy areas has made very limited progress. It may be because the grass is a slow growing type designed to reduce the amount of mowing required and germination is also slower than normal. However it is surprising because the grass on most front lawns has kept on growing through this mild winter.
The result is we are clearly not in a position to open the site yet, and the grass will not be ready for people to walk on for a while.
With this in mind I think it is unlikely we will be able to open the site until late Spring. Hopefully by then all outstanding issues will have been resolved.

Most of the work on the site has been completed. We are moving towards a programme on management and maintenance. Children at Chidham school have recently made 20 bird boxes which will be placed in trees in the site in time for the breeding season.

We also plan to establish teams of volunteers to record the different fauna and flora – birds, insects, trees and shrubs, wild flowers, mammals, reptiles and amphibians - of the site on a regular basis. It will be good to know what we have, and to see how the balance of species changes with time.

There is a mid week work party planned for Wed Jan 18th from 10am, to replant some of the trees that did not make it. Everyone who would like to come and help (and see the progress so far) is welcome. Please bring gloves, nettle proof clothing and stout footwear. This is a joint work party with the Friends of Chichester Harbour and will be run by Chichester Harbour Conservancy Rangers
Wed
18 Jan 10am - 12
Maybush Copse Midweek Work Party

All welcome. Please bring gloves, nettle proof clothing and stout footwear. This is a joint work party with the Friends of Chichester Harbour supervised by a Conservancy Ranger. Main task is replanting the trees that didn't make it.
Happy New Year!
Sat 26 Nov 10am
Sun 27 Nov 2pm
Maybush Copse Weekend Work Parties

We need to have a go at pulling up nettles, cutting back brambles etc and have a bit of a tidy up. Please can you spare a little time to help? Please have gloves, weather and nettle proof old clothing and stout footwear. If you can, bring something to cut back nettles, or a bucket for rubbish

posted Nov 22
Tue
4 Oct 10am - 12
Maybush Copse Midweek Work Party

All welcome. Please bring gloves, nettle proof clothing and stout footwear. This is a joint work party with the Friends of Chichester Harbour supervised by a Conservancy Ranger.
Tools will be provided

posted Oct 2
Thur
15 Sept 10am - 12
September Midweek Work Party

All welcome. Please bring gloves, nettle proof clothing and stout footwear. This is a joint work party with the Friends of Chichester Harbour supervised by a Conservancy Ranger.
Tools will be provided

posted Sept 5
Monday 15 Aug
Wed
17 Aug 6.30pm
Maybush Copse Evening Work Parties

All welcome. Please bring gloves and stout footwear. Also buckets for picking up stones, litter and debris, and/or shears or similar for cutting back the vegetation.
Come and see the progress!

Aug 2011 - news update
Paths and Fencing completed
New fencing has been completed along the Cot Lane side of the site, along with the new gates.
The other footpaths have also now been completed - the wheelchair path and the woodchip surface paths.
We plan some work parties to tidy things up. Then the next job is to sow a grass/wild flower seed mix on the grassy areas. August is not a good time for this - we need cooler weather and some rain which is always possible in August, but not guaranteed. The grass needs time to grow, and we need approval of the work by the local authorities.
I hope we will be able to open the site around the end of October.

July 2011 - news update
Soil cover system completed
The process of laying geotextile over the planned grassy areas and covering it with 1000 tonnes of soil has been completed. This involved almost 50 vehicle loads of soil being brought on to the site
Site layout planned
Next we plan to sow a grass/wild flower seed mix across these areas. Before we can consider the project comple, the work will need to be approved by the local authorities. I don't know quite when we will be able to open the site but around the end of October seems likely.
The wheel chair accessible path has been completed. Alterations have been made to the entrance.
Work is about to start on the other paths
Wed June 22
Work Party
7pm
Early Evening Work Party
(7pm for an hour or so. We may end up in the pub)
We need to clear nettles and other vegetation from around the planted trees. Stout shoes/boots - may be muddy in places, gloves and sensible clothing. Please bring shears or similar.

June 2011 - news update 2
Works starts on grassy areas
The process of laying geotextile over the planned grassy areas and covering it with soil has started. Work has also started on the paths, and new gate and front fence.
Site layout planned
Once the soil has been spread, we will sow a grass/wild flower seed mix and hope that it rains....
Above is the view looking south over Chichester Harbour from the planned location for one of the bench seats where the footpath meets the southern edge of the site.

news update June 2011
Works starts on grassy areas
Firstly the top surface is scraped and various creatures rescued and relocated. see photos. About 30 Toads, and a handful of slow worms and voles were rescued.
Next the areas will be leveled, and then geotextile laid and soil will be brought on to the site.
Site layout planned
The cover plan requires a thousand tonnes of soil, which has kindly been donated by Kingsbridge Estates. 1000 tonnes sounds a lot but it is quite a large area to cover.
The ecological management plan for Maybush Copse
by Lindsay Carrington Ecological services for the Chichester Harbour Conservancy.
posted May 11 2011
June 1st
2011
Update
Work Party (June 1st) - the party cleared ferns and nettles from around the planted trees and cleared nettles from the planned paths. The trees need rain.
Grassy areas: The work has not yet started on the soil cover for the grassy areas. However we think this will now start in the next few weeks.
Wednesday June 1st
10am - 12am
Work Party (we need your help)
a variety of tasks - tree care and maintenance, glass picking, nettle bashing, so nettle proof clothing. stout shoes and gloves are advised.
posted May 27
Wednesday May 18th
10am - 12am
Work Party
a variety of tasks - tree care and maintenance, watering, nettle bashing. This will be a combined work party with the Friends of Chichester Harbour
posted May 17
21 April
from 7.30pm
at The Old House at Home
Maybush Copse
Prize Draw
A great evening
see photos/report
posted Apr 26
Thanks to John Huetson at The Old House at Home for supporting and hosting the event.
April 8th 2011. The Trustees of the Chichester Harbour Trust visit Maybush Copse
(They picked a nice day for it.)
Apart from blackthorn in blossom, there are several clumps of daffodils, primroses, and there will be bluebells and wild garlic.
Monday
March 28th
at 7.30pm
Maybush Copse Friends
AGM
St. Wilfrid's Church Hall
Broad Road
Guest speaker-
Sir Jeremy Thomas, KCMG Chairman of the Chichester Harbour Trust
Sunday
March 27th
3pm

Maybush Copse Friends
Litter Pick
Lots of rubbish was collected and put in the skip for removal. Thanks to everyone who turned out.
Feb 17th 2011:
Chidham School, Southbourne Juniors and Southbourne Infants School
visit Maybush Copse to plant trees.

Chairman of Southbourne Parish Council Chris Bulbeck presents cheque to Maybush Copse Friends to help with site improvement
Sunday Jan 30 2pm
 Last minute Sunday afternoon work party, treasure hunt and Bonfire
 Great turn out, and a lot of rubbish collected

It was a great afternoon for children to be on the site. Thanks to Steve Clark for bringing his home brew along. Thanks also to Pyromaniacs Anonymous who were well represented.

Did we find any treasure? That would be telling....
(Pyromaniacs and home brew ..... fortunately no serious casualties reported!)
Excellent turnout of around 30 people.
Some of the rubbish to go in a skip
Demolition of the derelict shower block
And there it was .... gone!
You may not have known, but there was a derelict building that used to be a washroom and toilet block on the site. The roof had fallen in and it was covered in ivy and partly filled with rubbish - nasty and dangerous. It has now been demolished, which has made another significant change to the site
and when it was all cleared away, all that was left (apart from the solid base) was a great water tank which will go for scrap metal.
Saturday Jan 22

Plant a tree in Maybush Copse!
see the Chichester Observer story - Jan 27
Something to tell your Children or Grandchildren
‘ And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here'
(William Shakespeare, Henry V, says ‘Don't miss the fun ')
we all get our instructions
Planting the first tree!
 
 
Around 30 people turned out. An excellent response. We planted around 400 trees -
Oak, Hazel, Field Maple, Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Ash, Alder Buckthorn, Dogwood, Guelder Rose, Goat Willow, Spindle, and Holly

The next Work Party
Saturday January 22nd 2011 at 2pm (to 4pm )

We will start planting trees
(well, more like twigs but they will grow into trees).
No special skill required. Tools will be provided. There will be a Conservancy Ranger present to show us what to do.
We especially need your help because we want to open the site to the public this summer and there is a lot to be done.
Please come along - dress code warm and waterproof clothing, stout shoes or boots and gloves.
The next work party will be Tuesday February 22 at 10am

Maybush Copse: planning permission granted
link to the Chichester District Planning site
improving the site in terms of biodiversity, the planting of the grassy areas and the woodland, and making the site accessible to the public.
 Site layout planned
posted
Nov 24

Maybush Copse Work Party
Saturday October 30th
at 2pm (to 4pm )
Thanks to everyone who turned out.
Maybush Copse: Application for planning permission
Success ! - the planning application has been approved

Chichester Harbour Conservancy has made an application to Chichester District Council for planning permission related to Maybush Copse. The application reference is SOU/10/04552/COU

The purpose of the application is to get permission for a change of use to a community woodland with associated paths, to bring on to the site the soil necessary to create the grassy areas, and to make access improvements.This is an essential part of the progress towards improving the site in terms of biodiversity, the planting of the grassy areas and the woodland, and making the site accessible to the public.
You can find the details at This Chichester District Council web page

Tues
19th Oct

10am

Chichester Harbour Conservancy will lead a
Maybush Copse Work Party
- clearance of vegetation prior to tree planting. You need stout shoes/boots and gloves. Bring appropriate tools if possible .
posted
Sep 16

News update: Sept 2010
We are in the process of removing reptiles from the grassy area. This is mainly being done by Conservancy Rangers. The large pile of vegetation which might have been harbouring wildlife has been removed, and slow worms, toads and a field mouse relocated to another part of the site.
Slow worms and a toad removed from the planned grassy area in a bucket prior to relocation
A Small Copper Butterfly spotted in Maybush Copse by Conservancy Conservation Officer Ed Rowsell. Ed says small copper larval food plants are sorrel, sheeps sorrel and broad leaved dock. There is lots of sorrel on site, it is one of the plants that has leaves that are bright red now.
July 2010

MAYBUSH COPSE - reptile fencing

Thanks to everyone who came out for the working parties installing the reptile fencing. We have now completed the work. The purpose of the reptile fencing is to exclude slow worms from the areas planned to be grassy areas. Special thanks to the Friends of Chichester Harbour and the Community Payback team for their help..
Slow worms are protected species so we have to take appropriate steps to make sure they are not harmed. Once we have relocated the slow worms to the area outside the fencing, and the planned grassy areas are 'slow worm' free, we can use machinery in these areas to lay soil and prepare the surface for sowing the grass. Special thanks to the Community Payback team
PS Maybush Copse depends on your support, and I am please to say that so far we have signed up over 100 members. It demonstrates the healthy local support for the project and also gives the organisation some initial funds to get things going. We haven’t pressed membership as hard as we could have done although it is really important to us, so please take the initiative and get yourself joined up.
If you would like to become a member of Maybush Copse Friends, please send your subscription (£5 per person, but this is voluntary) to: Peter Hilton, Treasurer, Maybush Copse Friends, ‘Jacaranda’, Main Road, Nutbourne, West Sussex PO18 8RS •
Tel (01243) 576310

Saturday June 19th, 10am
Maybush Copse Friends - Work Party.
We need to do some digging. Can you help?
posted June 14
The main task of this work party will be to install a reptile fence - part of our slow worm protection efforts - round the areas we have cut. We need to dig a long trench (6in deep, one spade width) so if you can do some digging we especially need you.
stout shoes/boots, gloves, please bring tools - spades, rakes, shears
Beer Festival at The Barleycorn
Live Music: Hog Roast and BBQ.
Tug of War at Maybush Copse see the Photos
Sat 8th
May

Maybush Copse Friends
Annual General Meeting of Members
March 29th, 2010
St Wilfrid's, Broad Road, Hambook
Saturday
Feb 13th

The Third MAYBUSH COPSE
work party
Over twenty people turned out on a fine cold day to continue the site clearance. Thanks for your support.
posted Feb 3
PS If you haven't joined up as a Maybush Copse Friend yet, we will be delighted to sign you up - It is a way of raising the starter funds necessary to get the improvement of the site underway. There is a voluntary (you don't have to pay, but we hope people will) subscription of £5. Cheques payable to ‘Maybush Copse Friends'. email for a membership form, phone Peter Hilton on 576310 or download a pdf here
Tuesday Dec 1st

MAYBUSH COPSE - work party

Thanks to everyone who came out for the working party of scrub-bashing and clearing! There were over 30 volunteers including Friends of Chichester Harbour. A large skip was filled with all sorts of rubbish. It's great to see the progress the group made.
PS If you haven't joined up as a Maybush Copse Friend yet, we will be delighted to sign you up - It is a way of raising the starter funds necessary to get the improvement of the site underway. There is a voluntary (you don't have to pay, but we hope people will) subscription of £5. Cheques payable to ‘Maybush Copse Friends'. Ask for a membership forms at the work party or phone Stephen Johnson on 572059
Maybush Copse revealed

The work party (Oct 31) did a good job, and now it is possible to see a great deal more from the road. This was early morning (8am) in November a week after the workparty had removed a mountain of brambles and rubbish.
I was even lucky enough to get a sight of a green woodpecker - see below
The 'Before' photo showing the tangled vegetation and rubbish that needed to be removed.
Saturday October 31st
MAYBUSH COPSE - work party
Excellent Saturday 'party' - 43 people turned up, despite the damp start.  Gosh, didn't everybody work hard! It's certainly made a big difference. Thanks to Diana and Carla - great baked potatoes, cheese and coleslaw. Robin Yeld has taken the bath away and will attempt to sell it on ebay.....
Thanks also to Ranger Keith from the Chichester Harbour Conservancy who channelled our destructive enthusiasm constructively, and brought coffee and tea for our well earned break.
Tuesday December 1st
MAYBUSH COPSE - work party
from 10am till 12 noon. Come and join us for a working party of scrub-bashing and clearing! The work continues, and this time we will have volunteers from the Friends of Chichester Harbour joining in.  You will need strong gloves and tough footwear. Coffee and biscuits will be provided by the rangers

July 27 2009

Inaugural meeting of "Maybush Copse Friends"
Constitution
(the Residents Management Group for Maybush Copse)
 Minutes of the meeting
incl Open Forum
Well supported meeting - over 60 people present. 'Maybush Copse Friends' formed - Constitution agreed - Committee elected - Members voluntary subscription set at £5 (well, of course we hope you will put in a bit extra) - First Members signed up. We need your help - join up as a member. Register your willingness to help with Work Parties - Admin / Committee - Social / Fundraising - Other. There is a lot to do - We need you!
Join the Maybush Copse Friends! Voluntary Subscription is £5
For more information contact Stephen Johnson tel 572059

Maybush Copse Celebration Party
 
Sunday July 26th 2009
Over a hundred people came to Maybush Copse for an informal party....... read more and photos
July 2nd, 2009
Maybush Copse Land: Community backed bid - Success!

A year after its initial bid, the Chichester Harbour Trust has successfully completed the purchase of Maybush Copse. The 8-acre site needs some work done on it so that it can be opened for enjoyment by the local community as an area of woodland and open space.
This would not have been possible without the Chichester Harbour Trust and the Chichester Harbour Conservancy. More importantly, without your help, encouragement and determination we would not have had a project at all.
I am told 180 people made donations to help buy this land (in addition to Southbourne, and Chidham & Hambrook Parish Councils and various local organisations). Clearly your generosity was as solid as your enthusiasm.
Statement from the Chichester Harbour Trust
Maybush Copse viewed from the south
Cot Lane Land (Maybush Copse): News update Mar 5th, 2009
Our plans to purchase the site in Cot Lane are going ahead. Solicitors have been instructed and we will complete the purchase ......if we can raise the necessary funds. 

Lots of cheques have been coming in, well over 100 people have made donations so far, and the response has been wonderful despite the time that has elapsed since the initial tender bid, and the change in the economic climate.

Cot Lane Land (Maybush Copse): Good news update Feb 2009
see also background and history
Things are at last moving, and the news is good. Now we have to fulfil our pledges. Already two thirds of you have done so! For the other third - it's time to do get out the cheque book. And if you are new to this, it's not too late. You can join with the community and send in your cheque.

The Vendor is prepared to sell the land to the Trust, and the Trustees and Harbour Conservancy have agreed that they are committed to the purchase and would like to proceed subject to the funds being available. Thus a deal has been agreed in principle. 

Since our bid is higher than the sums we have been promised, we have an amount, but not huge amount, to raise in addition to the current pledged sums. I am, and I hope you are, determined not to let this opportunity slip. It will make such a difference to the community and to the local area as a place to live. Please help, if you can, by increasing the amount you can give.
Feb 2009 - - Cot Lane Land 'Maybush Copse' in the snow
Cot Lane Land (better) news update Jan 2009
see also background and history
There has not been much hard news to report until recently as regards the sale of the land in Cot Lane (the land that we would like to buy for the community through the Chichester Harbour Trust). However there are now serious doubts as to whether the sale to the unknown prospective purchaser will go through. If this bidder drops out, or attempts to renegotiate the deal, our chances of buying the land will be very much improved.

I don't want to raise false hopes, but be aware that our bid is not dead, rather it's been hibernating, and hopefully will soon be waking up, having a good stretch, sniffing the air and thinking about breakfast. Yes, you can take a metaphor too far, but I hope you know what I mean.
....
Cot Lane Land for Sale: 8 acres of land, for sale by informal tender on June 26 2008

Residents have joined with the Chichester Harbour Trust (a registered charity) and the Chichester Harbour Conservancy to try to buy this land for the benefit of the environment and the community.

The Chichester Harbour Trust is interested, given public support, to buy the land and manage it for conservation and the community. The land would be protected from building. Some ideas that could be explored are that the land could combine woodland with paths, more open habitat, (a pond? - possibly) a large open space, with public access for walking, informal recreation on the open space, and occasional community events. For use by everybody, and definitely young people.

 
Reasons to purchase could be community enhancement, defence against full development, (not immediately likely) or unauthorised development. Clearly the land would need some attention - see photos
We have shown there is community support.
(If you came to the Public Meeting, or have talked to your neighbours, you will know that there is.)
We have to raise the money. We have to reach a conscensus on the use of the land, both the way it is planted and landscaped, and we have to show we can manage it for the long term.
Most of all we have to win the Tender (original closing date June 26th 2008!)
 
The Site
 
The entrance from Cot Lane
 
in need of some improvement
 
looking north from Cot Lane
 
somewhat overgrown in places
 
a glimpse of the interior
 
Looking south from the junction with Maybush Avenue
 
 
 

On Sunday (June 8th), a group of prospective purchasers gathered together very much at the last moment and went to the site for a mass viewing.

The sun shone, the sky was blue, we clambered over the gate, ..... the teazles.....teased, and the stinging nettles ...... stung, but it didn't deter us. Hopefully you are not deterred either.

 
June 11th 2008 - Public Meeting - St Wilfrids Church Hall, Broad Road, Nutbourne
 
St Wilfrid's Hall was packed (est 115 people) and the meeting was lively and enthusiastic
 
Stephen Johnson chaired the meeting
 
Chris Bulbeck, Chairman Southbourne Parish Council
 
James Davis (for the Chichester Harbour Trust) and Alison Fowler (AONB Manager, Chichester Harbour Conservancy)
 
Myles Cullen, Leader of the Chichester District Council and Mark Dunn, Chairman of that West Sussex County Council
How it all started.
The idea of a community bid to purchase the site was first floated on the village website on  29th May 2008. Chichester Harbour Trust and Chichester Harbour Conservancy were interested. Parish Councils of Southbourne and Chidham and Hambrook were supportive. A Public Meeting was arranged for 11 th June 2008 to gauge support. The strength of residents' support was readily apparent. In the next fortnight we raised enough pledges to enable the Chichester Harbour Trust to make a realistic bid before the Informal Tender deadline of 26th June 2008

What is a copse, and what is coppicing?

Coppicing is a traditional type of woodland management that involves cutting the trees back to stumps, which quickly regenerate, therefore producing a regular and manageable crop of wood.

Coppicing, or cutting back the trees, enhances the wildlife in the copse by opening up the canopy. It lets in more light and allows new plants to establish on the woodland floor. These plants attract insects, birds and mammals to the area and the result is that the habitat in the copse is very different to a mature woodland, with its own distinctive wildlife. This habitat can only continue to thrive if coppicing is maintained.



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