Surveying the site 

Although there will be changes to levels in the coming weeks the area to plant the fruit trees will be constant as it must be 4m away from the underground pipe, we want to maximise the sunlight and keep away from the sections that get most wet in winter.

We marked out to identify how the trees will fit and what spaces are best for Willow structures to help dry up the bottom end of the site and where a wildlife 'hotel' and site composting could go have kept us entertained whilst we waited for the permission to start work.

Reuse Recycle

We have acquired some tools from the local 'MarketPlace' sites on Social media .
Reusing  tools that might otherwise be discarded will help us build a bank of tools for all abilities, and heights as it turns out.

A few containers came from another donor and this will enable us to get something herbs and annuals going this year

Carpet offcuts have been locally sourced and have been cut into 2ft squares to suppress any growth where trees will be planted in the Autumn. Others have been deployed for the same purpose in the soft fruit area.

Legals and Financials

The Pebble Trust have granted us £5000 towards the project  bringing our total to date to £10,750

Carrbridge Ahead awarded £2500 in addition to the £250 New Group Start up Fund. 

We are very grateful to their support in progressing the Asset Transfer and an interim License to Occupy will let us bring in the contractors to level the site, build an access bridge and make a start on designing our Information Board.

So we are well on our way to our Year 1 funding target.

Lights Camera Action

The License to Occupy is signed!!

Stephen Blair Grounds Maintenance was able to start immediately and the excavations from a previous clearance of the burn, which he did free gratis back in 2017, was levelled in jig time. Clearing the burn and profiling it for easy  egress for wildlife was another job to try and ensure the water moves freely through the site.
The levelling of the Fire station excavation was little more delicate as a few tyres and such like were hidden in the depths.

Scottish Water subcontractors were also on site to clear the overspill of sewage which was a result of a fatberg migrating downstream back in March and Donald Powell was able to help with this.

No Edibles will be planted in that area and we will be 4m away with any other planting such as hedging and willow.

Great to see things take a new shape :)

Site meetings happening daily with Infrastructure volunteers and contractors.

Further discussions on wildflower seed for the revamped site with local expert from Speyside Fields for Wildlife