Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2015 | Page 53

COUNTRY LIFE

Naturezones
to run new
fitness project
Hedgelaying: fierce but good fun
This year the Isle of Wight Hedgelaying
competition is being held on Saturday,
February 28 at Apsedown Farm, Calbourne
Road, by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs.
Mike Morris.
Competitors will be battling it out in
three categories, Open, Novice and Team.
There are also extra prizes for best laid
hedge using only hand tools, and the
‘Peter Tunks Prize’ (Former Supreme
National Champion), for straightest stakes.
Even though competition is fierce, the
atmosphere is relaxed, with competitors
encouraging each other along the way with
advice and cheeky banter.
The competition had to be cancelled last
year because of heavy rain and with the
2013 Champions Tom Murphy (Open)
and Jim Clinton (Novice) having already
given their apologies for being out of

the country, it leaves the competition
wide open for new champions. However
Team champions, Dunsbury Farm are not
prepared to roll over so easily and are
expected back to defend their honour.
The day offers a great opportunity for
spectators to witness a country craft at
first hand, getting up close and speaking
with the competitors, who are only too
pleased to pass on their knowledge.
The event is supported by Landscape
Therapy, Hampshire and Isle of Wight
Wildlife Trust, The Isle of Wight Council
and The ANOB Unit. Warm clothing and
stout boots are the order of the day, as it
can get very cold and heavy under foot.
Help is on hand in the marquee with hot
drinks and food being available courtesy
of the ‘Calbourne Ladies’.
For more information www.iwhg.org

Naturezones has been
awarded £2,000 by Spectrum
Housing to run a Health
and Fitness project, for
people with low energy
levels. The idea came after a
discussion with Sam Brooks,
Health and Fitness Trainer
at The Riverside Centre
with Naturezones Project
Manager, Angela Hewitt.
Activities include surveys of
the flora of the nature reserve,
photography, sketching,
potting up wild flowers and
gathering seeds. Angela said:
“We both agreed that healthy
living began with being outdoors in the fresh air.”
Four organisations are already
involved in this project and
other groups are welcome
who have clients that may
fit into the programme. For
more information www.
naturezones.org.uk

A cou ntry ma n's dia ry
T

his can be a gloomy time of
year, but we are just getting into
the swing of things and are midway
through our winter season. This
means, we are too busy to contemplate gloom, whatever the weather.
In fact sometimes the colder it i 2F