Pop the champagne, crack open the cava and pour the prosecco because the hills are alive with the singing of the hammers of our wallers once again.
It has seemed an interminably long time since the Branch had been able to convene for a practice Meet but at last with a relaxation of the restrictions, we were able to gather a necessarily reduced coterie of members for a day’s building.
Blessed are we in Lancashire Branch to be able to help out at Ridge Farm at the top of Diggle on the outskirts of Oldham. The views across the valleys are a never-ending source of wonder and pride. Our hosts at Ridge Farm, Richard and Natalie, always provide a warm welcome and Richard could not be more obliging with supplies of stone; mention a need for more toppers and half an hour later the tractor rumbles up.
Our first Practice Meet, in June, since restrictions kicked in saw a useful twelve members and as we have two jobs on the go at Ridge, we were able to split into two useful groups. Job One, rebuilding the stock field wall which runs at ninety degrees to the main Huddersfield Rd is coming to its conclusion now with good progress up the hill on the day.
Job Two, rebuilding the wall from the farm towards Diggle village is a long-haul project and a useful drop in for our newer members as it is flat, not too high and, road based. We have plenty of days left on this project.
The break for dinner was the perfect excuse for the latest culinary creations from the sweet-toothed bakers John Stevenson and our wonderful Chairman Mr Paul Clayton – a round of applause to both.
The weather was fine and dry until mid afternoon when we were rained off. No matter as we had enjoyed a lovely day in a beautiful place with a terrific group of like-minded souls. And to cap it off, Natalie had left a box of eggs for everyone as a thank you. Lovely.
Lancashire Branch – The Wallers are back!
MAY 17th 2021 After almost 14 months of inactivity the branch picked up where it left off to work on the retaining wall at Ridge Farm, Diggle where we last worked in March 2020.