Forbes Field First Field Day 

Saturday, 12 November 2022, witnessed the first ‘Field Day’ run at Forbes Field. The Field’s Management Group was supported by an enthusiastic band of volunteers drawn from the Friends of Forbes Field and from RE:ACT, a Chilmark-based charity. Blessed by unseasonal warm and dry sunny weather, teams worked hard to clear back scrub, cutting back overgrown hedging, de-turfing grass meadowland in preparation for fruit tree planting, pruning existing crab apple trees and preparing our equipment store, which we share with the Horticultural Society.

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In all, 38 people were involved, including 9 volunteers from RE:ACT. Asked about their reasons for taking part, local villagers commented on ‘the wish to contribute to the community’, ‘the desire to meet and get to know people’ and ‘their love for nature and working outdoors’. RE:ACT members thought that contributing to the community project a ‘suitable recognition’ of the village’s support for the charity’s work overseas, including providing relief in war-torn Ukraine. Everyone seemed to enjoy a very exhilarating and worthwhile day out designed to prepare the Field for its eventual use as a special space for Chilmark for people of all ages to benefit from.

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Look out for news of our next Field Day on Saturday, 3 December, when we’ll be planting the first batch of fruit trees in the new orchard.