Category: Events

Minutes of BEG AGM held on Saturday 15th February 2025 at Greenhill Library   18 members were present   1 Apologies for absence Michael and Gill Stern   2 Minutes of last AGM held Saturday 10th February 2024 Read by Secretary Carol Behagg. Acceptance proposed by Gavin Johns seconded by Jon Smith   3 Chairman’s report Chairman Diana Holland showed illustrations of the year’s activities which covered a wide range of sites and tasks. Most were carried out on Monday mornings, but we also led an Environment Weeks walk to identify wild flowers which followed an opportunity to look at

The owners of Beauchief Hall once again welcomed BEG members and friends to visit their lovely garden and grounds. About twenty-five gathered in the Fountain Garden and were met by Hora and Amin. The weather was a little unkind at first, so the group was invited to take shelter in the Hall where they partook of the lovely refreshments which had been so generously provided. After the rain had stopped, the group was able to go outside to look around the garden and grounds. We wish to express our sincere thanks to Hora and Amin for hosting such a lovely

This year’s expedition to tackle the invasive species threatening the banks of the River Sheaf as it flows through Ladies Spring Wood took place on Saturday 29th June. A team of four met at Dore and Totley Station, and one other joined us from the direction of Beauchief Golf Course. We were fortunate to have a fine day with mainly dry conditions underfoot. A surprise awaited us as we approached the first area where the Himalayan Balsam plants are found. It was clear that another group, judging by the many hundred plants that had been attacked, had already demolished huge

Nine people came along on a fine afternoon to our Environment Weeks event. We set off from Beauchief Abbey to walk up Beauchief Drive and couldn’t help noticing the Cow Parsley growing in the hedgerows on either side of the drive was prolific this year, and looked absolutely magnificent. The trees were in full leaf and looked beautiful. We went first to Gulleys Wood Meadow where Pignut was in flower everywhere and there was a great display of Buttercups and Yellow Rattle. We then went to the Nature Park noting plant species along the way. It was a lovely walk. 

Three of our members went up to the Nature Park in mid November to sow the Yellow Rattle Seed which had been collected previously from Gulleys Wood Meadow where it is abundant. Areas of grass were raked to expose the soil beneath, then seeds scattered and tamped down. We managed to rake and sow lots of areas across the meadow and hopefully the seeds will germinate successfully. Yellow Rattle parasitizes the roots of many plant species, especially grasses, and limits their growth. Yellow Rattle has been introduced in this location because some of the plants in the meadow are so

The following small article was published by Greener Greenhill, built by members of the Monday Group to place a former wooden one.  A further article Appeared in the November issue of Active 8 magazine, and is reproduced below.

On a decidedly wet and seriously muddy Saturday morning, four intrepid Balsam bashers – two from the Monday Group and two regulars from a local Rotary Club – met at Dore and Totley Station for our annual assault on the alien species that attempt to infiltrate Ladies Spring Wood along the banks of the River Sheaf. A recce during the previous week had shown a smaller number of Himalayan Balsam plants than expected, at various stages of development, with some already well into flowering. Unfortunately, a small colony was also spotted below the weir, an area that had previously had

A good turnout of Sorby members, under the leadership of Jim Horsfall, arrived at 2.00 pm on Sunday 9th July to carry out the survey. They were met at the gate by the BEG Chair who passed on a copy of the results of a BEG botanical survey carried out some years ago. Unfortunately the gate had not been unlocked, contrary to what they had been told, so everyone had to climb over the gate. There was an excellent view of a buzzard flying fairly low above. On the positive side we were emailed a draft copy of most of

There was a very good turnout for our evening visit to Beauchief Hall Gardens. We assembled in the fountain garden at 7.00 pm and were warmly welcomed by the Hall’s residents, Hora and Amin. Accompanied by Hora, we enjoyed touring the various parts of the very large garden which contained lovely flower beds and extensive lawns. Several of us had the opportunity of hand feeding the deer which came to the fence and quickly gobbled up a whole bowl of large slices of melon peel. It was lovely to see the fawns in the distance.  Hora and Amin had set