Breaking News Newsletter for Breaking New Ground Landscape Partnership Scheme
Jan 2017
A newsflash for project partners and participants with news items, project updates, special features and forthcoming events.
Lots to Look Forward To in 2017!
Archaeological Training
Happy New Year from the BNG team! We’re now entering into our final months but there’s still lots coming up in 2017
The Earth Heritage Trail app is shortly to be released—use it to explore the amazing geodiversity of the Brecks
We’ll be holding an event to celebrate the People’s History of Thetford Forest project.
On Saturday 17th Dec, volunteers came along to Cranwich Heath and learned how to record archaeological earthworks with Norfolk The first edition of the Journal of Brecks Historic Environment Service. Armed with new skills they will now be going out to record studies will be published, full of earthworks in other parts of the Brecks. interesting articles about the Brecks We’ll be holding a Brecks Heritage conference, with an archaeology focus celebrating BNG projects
Lots of wildlife monitoring will be taking place to see how successful our conservation projects have been
New interpretation and nest boxes will be installed at Thetford Station
The Breckland Society’s Warrens and Lodges report will be published
More wildlife recording workshops with Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service
The restoration of the Engine House at Brandon Country Park into a volunteer training centre and new venue,
The Flint Rocks! Touring exhibition (curated by children will be making its way around various venues in the area
Look out for all these and plenty more coming soon!
Visit to STANTA
The BNG team was very excited to visit the Stanford Military Training Area in early December with the Brecks Heathland Forum. It was a fascinating day and we were given a tour of the Ground Disturbance plots, where our Stone Curlew tagging project is taking place.
Project Focus A6/4: Perfect Peace Film Now Available on Youtube! This short firm was funded by one of our community grants and tells the story of a local boy who is changed by his work placement in the Brecks. As part of the creative process, the film makers, Create held script-writing workshops with people not in employment or education, and local young volunteers helped with production, gaining experience in acting, make-up, script supervision and production assistance. Some participants have continued scriptwriting and gone on to find employment, empowered by the project. You can see the film on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GcWc4XtDnE
A6/7: Flintstones
Work has been progressing well at West Stow Church, another recipient of one of our community grants. The church’s boundary walls were in need of repairing, so BNG funded flint specialist MCC Flints to improve the walls using traditional techniques and materials. Local people also got together to help with the preparations for this work. We're also working with the church to manage the site for wildlife as well as heritage, and some areas will be left wild to provide habitats within the churchyard.
BEFORE
AFTER
Project Focus D8 Barnham Cross Common Skills for the Future As part of the Barnham Cross Common Skills for the Future project with Plantlife & the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, several fantastic Macro photography workshops were held, run by local photographer Kevin Sawford on the Common. The participants have been contributing to a wonderful online photo gallery, which you can visit here: https://uk.pinterest.com/plantlifewildab/barnham-cross-photography-group/
Philip Whifflling
Meg Miller
Philip Whiffling
Pam RVA
Events Coming Up: NBIS Bug Sorting Marathon 14-15th January, High Lodge, Thetford Forest Brecks From Above Workshop 25th January 6pm, Brandon Country Park Brecks from Above Talk 28th January 10-11:30, Suffolk Records Office, Bury St Edmunds Find out more and book at http://www.breakingnewground.org.uk/events
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Picture of the Month We were very interested to find the letters GR (George Rex) on an aerial photo of King’s Forest plantation from 1945. They were still just visible from the air into the 1990s
What the Brecks Means to Me... For me, Breckland has been a constant, a grounding. After a break away, I’ve returned to explore new interests in history & heritage. Taking part in BNG workshops has been fantastically helpful. And... Oh boy – what a steep learning curve! I was a Buckinghamshire–lad. I came to Norfolk aged seven, from Aylesbury. My father was a local authority architect. Unfortunately, my mother had been unwell most of her life. She suffered epilepsy and OCD and died in 1997. In hindsight, I’d become a young carer from that early age. Chaotic – nature, art and woodlands were my escape, my serenity. However, my mother was also ‘larger-than-life’ and a lot of fun – with a profound love for science, and nature documentaries. Her father before, my grandfather, had been a Cambridge scientist, specialising in tropical trees; (Figs, Ficus sp.). In his spare time, he would drag his reluctant family up to Thetford Chase, to look around for toadstools. No one – other than my botanist grandfather – had ever heard of ‘The Brecks’. My other grandfather, a working-class butcher, retired from Northumberland back to Scotland. He had old holiday posters of the Norfolk Broads on his walls. Then in 2002, I took a certificate course at the UEA (Centre for Continuing Education, part of the School of Education.) in Ecology & Landscape where I was introduced to the ecology of the Suffolk coastline and the landscape of Breckland. I was hooked! I became a Friend of Thetford Forest and joined the Conservation Group. When I was younger, I’d discovered “wildlife art”, and that kept me going through thick ’n’ thin. Now I’ve discovered a ‘Brave New World’ in vernacular architecture and practical archaeology. Plus I’ve expanded my knowledge of ecology, conservation and landscape. When you feel you’ve worked hard enough in your life, as I’m sure many carers of mental illness must, it takes inspiring people to restore your energies and to really motivate you. The people I’ve met along the way have been wonderful, generous, supportive and encouraging – a debt I cannot hope to repay. And, I’ve come to love Breckland. Linocut by James D E Cross, of his grandfather —James D E Cross, Friend of Thetford Forest and BNG workshop participant
Get your project noticed!: If there is something that you would like included in the next newsletter, please send details to Amy : BNG.Admin@suffolk.gov.uk Breaking New Ground c/o Visitor Centre, Brandon Country Park, Bury Road, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0SU 01842 815465 e: bng.admin@suffolk.gov.uk t: @TheBrecksBNG f: TheBrecksBNG. w: www.breakingnewground.org.uk