Author: carpstar

Steve, our Chair, speaks to camera about the Astley Trail

Friends Chair, Stephen Rhodes (pictured), has been interviewed by Lancashire Environmental Fund (LEF) staff about the Astley Trail for a video being made for the LEF’s Annual Event to be held later this year.

The Fund is a partnership of SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, Lancashire County Council, The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside and Community Futures which locally distributes monies from the national Landfill Communities Fund. Such funding along with monies from Chorley Council helped pay the contractor’s costs and associated expenses incurred in 2020 in creating the Astley Trail, the 2 mile long waymarked path around the key features of the Park.

Now further works are imminent to improve the trail for wheelchair and pushchair users, again to be LEF and Chorley Council funded, involving two new lengths of path that will bypass two stretches which have steps.

After two years of lock-downs etc the Friends of Astley Park were pleased to be able to organise  two evening bat walks this summer. Once again they were assisted by Harold, Michael and other members of the Merseyside and West Lancs Bat Group, who came along with their detectors and expertise.

The first walk in July was particularly successful as many bats were detected and seen on a lovely summer evening.

The second one in August took place during the heat-wave and, whilst many bats were detected, not so many were seen.  Perhaps due to the high temperature and long dry period?

This event was very well attended but next year, should the events be repeated, attendance will be limited to no more than two dozen, in order to enhance the experience for everyone.

There are six species of bat that are found in the Park. They are the Common Pipistrelle, Soprano Pipistrelle, Noctule, Daubenton’s, Brown Long Eared and Whiskered. The people who went on the walks particularly enjoyed watching the Daubenton’s skimming over the lake in the semi-darkness.

Last Saturday morning 25th April the group met for a Spring spruce up of the Sensory Garden. We had, prior to this, been approached by Jeanette Hindle representing a group of geocachers offering help and support on the day.

By 9.30 am we had 50 willing helpers who made short work of all the tasks we had set for ourselves, on top of this a great of litter was picked from a large area.

We would like to express our gratitude to Jeanette and all the group for their diligence and hard work and look forward to meeting again when we start our 2015 balsam bashing crusade.

We have arranged a fund raising event for the 6th of May at Chorley Cricket Club at 7.30 pm. Any funds raised,mainly, go towards the cost of our public liability insurance needed for our works within the Park

We have been lucky in persuading Elaine Taylor MA to come and talk to us on “Care of the Park” Elaine is a Garden Historian and has spoken to the group previously.

Tickets are £3.50 including tea and biscuits,all are welcome to come along to what promises to be a very informative and entertaining talk.

Please contact Keith Woan on k.woan192@btinternet.com

This booklet was published a few years ago due to the hard work and research conducted by Rosemary Boyd who has been a Friends committee member since our inception.There are many aspects and fascinating information which may be unknown even to regular visitors to the Park.We hope it is of interest.

I am sure you will join with us to thank Rosemary for producing this gem.

Please click on individual pages to expand for ease of reading.

Pauline Taylor has emailed this event,it is short notice but come along if you can,thanks.

Our next Members meeting and AGM will be held at the Town Hall on April 22nd at 6.30 pm