An excellent turn out out at the Annual Meeting.

We discussed options for the new area of land to be added to the Green assuming the transfer goes through without a hitch. More woodland was a popular choice, a new entrance into the Town for National Cycle Route 1 may be possible and an undisturbed area for ground nesting birds was also suggested.

Lots of people have been walking their dogs on the Green for many, many years. Nearly all the fouling by dogs is picked up, but there are some places where there always seems to be some left behind. The dog walkers of the Green have asked us to let everyone know where the bins are and - good news - that more bins are coming. New bins will be installed at the Swan Lane entrance and at White Bridge. We will have to buy them but Waveney District Council has agreed to install them and empty them. We have thought about having bag dispensers but it's hard to keep them filled and they can become litter.

We were reminded that the cows are our only form of income for the Green and it is difficult to see how the Green could be managed without them. Another four volunteers have offered assistance which is great news but could produce a cake crisis at the work parties and we all agreed that the Green was a source of great pleasure to many people and a tremendous asset to the Town.

Bee orchids have appeared this year in the same area as the marsh orchid and the spotted orchid but the ragged robin does not seem to be as abundant as previous years. The plant list continues to grow as Graham carries out his regular plant surveys. We are investigating suitable sites for the installation of kingfisher nest boxes and it was encouraging to hear that the barn owl has been seen on the Green again.

The plea for rain has now been answered and everything is growing like mad so the mowers are being kept busy keeping the paths clear and trying to get the creeping thistles under control. They are a notifiable weed.

The old rhyme tells us:

"Cut thistles in May, they'll grow in a day
Cut them in June, that is too soon
Cut them in July, then they will die.'

Well this year in the last few days of June they had begun to seed so we had to start before July but we feel sure they will be back next year but perhaps not quite as vigourously as this year.

Do not forget if you were not able to get to the annual meeting we are always pleased to get feedback and ideas.

Richard Woolnough
Tel:. 01986 872268