news - Friends of Borstal Open Spaces (BOSS)

Home History Constitution News Events Wildlife Gallery Contact Us Links	News For more information about any of the news items on this page please do not hesitate to contact us 2010 NEWS REPORTS (No news reports currently issued for 2010) Click here for 2008 News NEWS REPORTS 2009 Tree Planting on the Centenary Footpath 1st December 2009 Children from the local Borstal Pilgrim school helped friends of Borstal Open Spaces (BOSS) plant some sapling trees. The fifteen trees were planted in an area where old trees had died and fallen down between Baty’s Marsh and the Borstal Recreation playing fields alongside the footpath between the bottom of Manor Lane and the Esplanade. It is hoped to keep the area free of weeds and brambles to produce an open copse in which to walk and play. The children involved are form other parts of Borstal and do not usually come down to the river area; they planted Hornbeam, Silver Birch and Crab apple. The children enjoyed the task in the fresh air, and appreciated the refreshments to reward their hard work. BOSS would like to involve more local children in activities such as this, and hopefully encourage the children to grow up with an interest in playing outside in “natural” spaces. Hopefully the children will maintain an interest in the trees and return regularly to check their progress, they will be there a long time! The area will be known as Brindley Copse after Steve Brindley, a conservation officers who helped with most of the BOSS tasks and was killed in a motorbike accident last year.
	Click here to view more pictures of the event Date: 5/12/09
	Footpath Clearance (co-op footpath RR26) clear up 3rd October 2009 On Saturday the 3rd October BOSS undertook a clear up of the footpath which runs from the top of Manor Lane. Thank you to everyone who helped at the Borstal “Co-op path” clear-up on Saturday 3^rd October. About forty people turned up to help tidy the path from beside the Co-op down towards the marina, an event organised by Friends of Borstal Open Spaces (BOSS). Some of the litter had accumulated over several years in the undergrowth; some residents who helped have lived in Borstal for many years and remember the path being much wider and with lovely shrubs, rather than the waist high weeds at the sides now. The first vehicle brought to remove the rubbish collected was not big enough and a larger one had to be found! Thank you to the community service workers who helped, and also thank you to the Borstal Co-op who donated refreshments. BOSS hopes the users of the path appreciate all the work by the volunteers. Click here to view more pictures of the event Date: 16/10/09
	Litter Pick of the 28th March 2009 On Saturday the 28th March BOSS undertook at litter pick of the Borstal Recreation Grounds playing fields, even though the weather was poor we had a good turn out with about 17 people helping out - Our Local rangers also turned up to help and disposed of the rubbish which was collected on the day. The Litter pick was again a successful event. If you would like to join us next time please get in touch or just turn up! you will be very welcome. For more information contact us Date: 12/04/2009
	Local Police Authority Awards BOSS Money to help with clear up projects in Borstal Boss can report that at our AGM of Thursday the 19th March 2009 two of our Local Community Police Officers attended our AGM to present us with a cheque for £400 to contribute to the work Borstal Open spaces in undertaking in the village. (see below) The Police raise this money by selling stolen property that has been recovered by the Police from criminals, which has not been claimed back by their rightful owners after a period of time. The Police then allocate the funds raised by selling the goods, to charities and local community groups or to assist with projects. The Police have requested that as a group they would like us to organise a clear up of the footpath (RR26) which runs from the back of the co-op down to the river as it has been neglected - BOSS are planning to undertake this task later in the year with help from volunteers and the property owners which back on to the footpath. If anyone would like to get involved please get in touch! For more information contact us Date: 12/04/2009
	2008 NEWS REPORTS Borstal Recreation Ground Pavilion We have now been informed by Medway Council that the temporary pavilion which BOSS and Real 60 Football club have been fighting for, should be in place by the end of March 2008. This should make a big difference to Real 60 Football club whom have not had any facilities for a long time and have not been able to hold some events because of the lack of facilities. We can report that BOSS is continuing to lobby the council for a permanent pavilion and BOSS have been in regular contact with Open Spaces Team at Medway Council, we are hoping to have some updates on there plans for the site in the quite soon. as funding has been secured from the Riverside development. For more information contact us Date: 08/01/2008

BBC Breathing Places National Lottery Bid

As our Members will know BOSS with the Help of the conservation department at Medway Council applied for a small Breathing Places grant, to enable us to improve the Centenary footpath surface, install some new interpretation boards, and renew the 3 viewing platforms that over look Baty's Marsh. Unfortunately we were informed by Breathing Places that our bid was unsuccessful and in actual fact there was only one site in the Medway Town which benefited from the Breathing Places scheme.

We were extremely disappointed about being turned down for the Grant, but after speaking with our conservation officer at Medway council who we work with for Baty's Marsh and the footpath, who were equally disappointed, they were able to find some money so we can complete a few of the tasks that the Breathing Places Grant would have covered and we will be starting the projects eagerly in February.

Please see forthcoming Events 2008

For further information please contact us

Date: 08/01/08

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