So much has change d for us all since the last submissions to Waller & Dyker. There is, at least for now one constant, our beautiful Dry Stone Walls. These stout monuments in our countryside are reminders of where we came from and decorate our countryside like elegant lace trails. Sadly, for the time being the repairs to these walls have been muted here in the Lancashire Branch as like everyone we have been forced to suspend our training courses.
Fortunately, Lancashire Branch has its own WhatsApp group and members have done their best to support each other over these last fourteen weeks initially with many light- hearted postings of which this is a not untypical example:
The Seven Dwarves have been told that from Monday, they can meet
in groups of six. One of them isn’t happy.
Latterly the postings have moved on to discussions about food and drink but the humour remains – “please open the pubs before I become an alcoholic.”
It is apparent that we have quite a number of avid bread bakers and keen home cooks nicely topped off with some dedicated oenophiles. Just the sort of subjects to lift the spirits in these depressing times.
More recently and doubtless in response to the improving weather conditions there has been much discussion of “backyard” walling projects. One of our members has built a blackcurrant orchard and tidily surrounded it with dry stone walls. Meanwhile, our new National Chairman, Mr Paul Clayton doesn’t let a weekend go by without building something. Currently, the footings are going in for the new pizza oven so this will probably be able to supply the whole of Saddleworth once it is operational.
The absence of Training Courses has been missed by many members and so with a socially- distanced colleague I decided to look in to the possibilities of Dry Stone Walling whilst fully PPE’d. As everyone knows this pesky corona gets everywhere.
The attached pictures will show the efforts made. Ladies and gentlemen when it is 25 degrees in the shade a full PPE outfit is NOT pleasant
First, we start with the full-length medical gown, then the disposable apron, the disposable gloves, the mask and then the full-face visor. For added safety I also wore my safety glasses.
The first stone I picked up shredded my disposable gloves so I reverted to my normal walling gloves. Trying to work in the field with all this gear on was not just hot and uncomfortable but sadly, dangerous – movement is restricted, the mask steams up the visor, breathing is difficult and to top it all stones covered in hundreds of years of cow poo are hardly going to be lacking in infectious microbes.
The conclusion is that PPE Walling is an absolute non- starter.
The Walling days will return and we will once more march purposefully in to the fields of this beautiful land.
From all at the Lancashire Branch, look after yourselves and stay
strong.
Don’t forget: Your Walls Need You
Paul Stevenson (Lancashire Branch)