Bonfire fun!
November 2025
We were delighted that so many people came along to support the BCOST bonfire party at Stone Common on Saturday 8 November.
Old wood from redundant fencing dismantled by our own work parties had been supplemented by waste timber from a variety of other local sources to create an impressive bonfire. It was a perfect, clear evening and once dry bracken, cleared from a wide perimeter to create a safety fire break, had been pushed between the timbers, the whole thing went up very easily!
Hot dogs, jacket potatoes and seasonal cakes were laid on, sparklers were passed round, and the conversation flowed freely along with the mulled cider. An enjoyable evening all round – and we were pleased to raise almost £100 in donations from those who attended. Thank you very much to everyone who contributed.
Work continues at Jasper’s Pightle
November 2025
We have now almost finished raking up the bracken at Jasper’s Pightle, and have made a start with clearing the vegetation from around the young perimeter hedging, mulching it as we go with chopped-up bracken. It is good to see that the hedging plants are nearly all in good condition and growing well.
Autumn litter pick
November 2025
BCOST trustees and volunteers dodged the showers to complete our autumn litter pick along the roadsides and verges of Blaxhall and its surrounding green spaces. Thanks toall who took part.
Bonfire party planned
October 2025
BCOST will be holding a bonfire party at Stone Common on Saturday 8th November, starting at 6:30pm. It will be an opportunity to burn wooden materials which cannot be re-used, following our work clearing redundant fences and other structures from the site to facilitate public access and the cutting of bracken.
As well as the bonfire there will be sparklers, mulled wine, hot sausages and other autumnal refreshments. All are very welcome. The event is free, but cash donations on the night towards the work of BCOST would be gratefully received.
Winning the battle against bracken!
October 2025
After five years of cutting and raking up the bracken at Jasper’s Pightle, we are really seeing the benefits of our hard work, as the regrowth is less and less each year.
July 2021
October 2025
It is very pleasing to compare pictures taken in 2021 and 2022 of areas then thickly overgrown with bracken to the exclusion of other plant life, with photographs taken now of the recovering sward. The bracken is now very sparse in most parts of the Pightle, and in its place we see a variety of grasses and wild flowers.
July 2021
October 2025
Well done and thank you to all the volunteers who have helped with this habitat restoration work over the past five years!
Febraury 2021
October 2025
The autumn tidy-up begins…
September 2025
Work parties have begun on the autumn’s tidying and habitat maintenance work at both Jasper’s Pightle and Stone Common.
At Jasper’s Pightle, the first task is raking up the cut bracken, which can then be used to mulch the perimeter hedge.
At Stone Common we have begun to sort and cut up the barbed wire, wire mesh and other materials left over from the removal, over the last year or so, of broken and redundant fencing and structures, ready for transporting to the recycling centre.
Where possible, materials such as timber and wire have been re-used by Stone Common residents and allotmenters, and rotten or unusable timber has been burned, in order to minimise waste.
Autumn work parties: dates for your diaries!
September 2025
Now that the birds have finished nesting, we have scheduled our programme of work parties for both Stone Common and Jasper’s Pightle, for the period through to Christmas. The sessions are all on Sunday afternoons, and the dates are easy to remember: on the first Sunday of the month we’ll be at Jasper’s Pightle, and on the third Sunday of the month at Stone Common.
At Jasper’s Pightle we will primarily be raking up the bracken that has been cut for us by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust, as well as clearing bracken by hand from around the hedge along the road and using the cut bracken to mulch the hedge. We also have a small remaining section of redundant barbed wire fence to remove from along the western end of the north walk.
At Stone Common we will mainly be removing another section of redundant wire fencing, and cutting up wire removed last year for safe recycling. There is also bracken and other vegetation to clear along Prevost’s Path and from around the perimeter hedging.
Work party dates are as follows:
- Sunday 7 September, 2:00pm — Jasper’s Pightle
- Sunday 21 September, 2:00pm — Stone Common
- Sunday 5 October, 2:00pm — Jasper’s Pightle
- Sunday 19 October, 2:00pm — Stone Common
- Sunday 2 November, 2:00pm — Jasper’s Pightle
- Sunday 16 November, 2:00pm — Stone Common
- Sunday 7 December, 2:00pm — Jasper’s Pightle
Please wear strong gardening/work gloves and robust footwear, and bring any appropriate tools, e.g. rake, wheelbarrow, wire-cutters, garden shears, secateurs. Hope to see you there!
Raising awareness
August 2025
In order to raise our profile and keep the local community up-to-date with our activities, we had display boards about BCOST’s work both at Blaxhall Festival (28 and 29 June) and at the village fete (9 August). In both cases this was combined with display materials about Barn Owl Support Suffolk (BOSS), attracting a good deal of interest and at least one order for a barn owl nesting box.
Many thanks to Sally Nelson from BOSS and Joy Shaw (Blaxhall Tree Warden and owl enthusiast!) for manning the stall.
Beautiful Stone Common
May 2025
With work parties paused for the bird-nesting season, now is the time to enjoy the flora and fauna at Stone Common. There has been a nightingale singing here – one of a larger number than usual singing around Blaxhall and environs this year, we are delighted to notice – along with many other songbirds, including blackcap, whitethroat and garden warbler. And the bluebells have been beautiful, too!
Spring at Jasper’s Pightle
April 2025
Jasper’s Pightle is looking lovely in the spring sunshine. Why not come down and visit this beautiful natural space?
Migrants’ welcome return
April 2025
This week (the second week of April) nightingales are back with us again and have been heard singing at various locations around the village, including Mill Common and the Great Common. Surely one of the most joyful sounds of spring!
(This beautiful photograph taken on Mill Common by a friend of BCOST.)
Fascinating talk on swifts
April 2025
Those attending BCOST’s 2025 Annual General Meeting on Saturday 12 April were spellbound by a talk on swift conservation by Eddie Bathgate of Save our Suffolk Swifts. We found out that these amazing birds never land until they breed in their third or fourth year, until then eating, drinking, mating and even sleeping entirely on the wing.
We also heard about their severe depletion in numbers over the past 20 years, due to a decline in the insect population but also, more especially, to loss of breeding sites as old roofs are restored and made ‘bird proof’.
And we heard how this can be mitigated by putting up swift boxes in suitable locations.
It is great to know that the tower renovation project at St Peter’s Church already includes the installation of swift boxes behind the wooden louvres of the tower. Eddie Bathgate indicated that Save our Suffolk Swifts could offer a system to play swift calls at the church tower to encourage swifts to use the boxes – an excellent piece of collaboration!
Come to our AGM – and save our Suffolk swifts!
April 2025
BCOST will be holding our Annual General Meeting on Saturday 12 April at 2:00pm in Blaxhall Village Hall. All are very welcome to attend.
The meeting will be preceded by an informal talk by Eddie Bathgate of the Suffolk Bird Group’s “SOS Swifts” (Save Our Suffolk Swifts) campaign. Please do come along and learn what you can do to help preserve and boost the numbers of these graceful birds.
Tea and cake will be provided.
Another load of rubbish
March 2025
The BCOST spring litter pick, held over the period 15-23 March, produced the usual hoard of rubbish – mostly discarded drink and fast food containers, but also including several bits of car. And disposable vapes also seem to be the new form of litter de nos jours!
New home for barn owls!
March 2025
We have recently erected an additional nesting box for barn owls at Stone Common, paid for by a generous gift from Marianne and Richard Sheldrick. Thanks are due to them, as well as to Laurence Potter of the RSBP who made the box and to the team of BCOST volunteers who helped Laurence to put it up, just in time for the nesting season. Let’s hope it will attract some feathered residents!
Conservation grazing at Stone Common
February 2025
Areas of the open grassland at Stone Common are now being grazed by sheep as part of the process of habitat maintenance. Grazing and trampling by livestock helps to deter the regrowth of bracken and to restore a healthy, mixed acid grassland sward.
We are grateful to Miranda and Joy for providing the sheep and hurdles. We hope, in the longer term, to acquire our own hurdles; a grant application has been made for this purpose.
First signs of spring!
February 2025
Hedge maintenance at Jasper’s Pightle
January 2025
Work parties at Jasper’s Pightle on Sunday 12 January and Saturday 25 January have seen us complete the task of clearing vegetation from around the hedge along the road which was planted with AONB support in the winter of 2022/23. Cut bracken was chopped and laid around the young saplings to provide a mulch.
Here we come a-wassailing…
January 2025
In celebration of the fruit trees planted both at the village playing field and at Stone Common in 2022, BCOST held a ‘wassail’ on Saturday 18 January. This tradition involves hanging toast on the twigs of fruit trees (reputedly to attract robins which will eat parasitic insects) and pouring a libation of cider around their roots – all accompanied by the banging of saucepans and the singing or chanting of wassail verses.
“Here’s to thee, old apple tree,
Whence thou may’st bud and thou may’st blow!
And whence thou may’st bear apples enow!
Hats full! Caps full!
Bushel – bushel – sacks full!
And my pockets full too! Huzza!”
We toasted the trees at the playing field before processing, with banging of pans, to Stone Common to toast the trees there. We ended the event with a celebratory bonfire, mulled cider, sausage rolls and apple flapjacks.
Hedge maintenance at Stone Common
December 2024/January 2025
Work parties held on 27 December, 1 January and 18 January at Stone Common carried out maintenance work on the perimeter hedging. Bracken and brambles were cleared from around the young hedging plants, canes and rabbit guards were checked and replaced as necessary, and a horse manure mulch was added to some stretches. Additional young whips were added to replace any saplings that have died and to thicken up the planting. It is pleasing to see that the hedge is mostly alive and doing well.
More work on the barn owl boxes
December 2024
We are grateful to Laurence Potter from the RSPB for conducting further maintenance work on the Blaxhall barn owl nesting boxes. This includes cleaning out debris from past years’ nests, improving access by pruning branches fromn the ‘flight path’, and strengthening and waterproofing the boxes where necessary.
Winter work at Jasper’s Pightle
November 2024
Following the latest work party on Sunday 10 November, we have now finished raking up the cut bracken at Jasper’s Pightle. Work has begun on clearing the standing bracken around the hedge along the road, and we have begun using some of the cut bracken rakings to mulch the young hedge, most of which is in good condition.
Home improvements
November 2024
The barn owl box at Stone Common has been given a smart new covering of roofing felt to extend its life. We are grateful to Laurence Potter from the RSPB who carried out the work. Laurence also cut away encroaching branches to create a clearer flight path into the box.
Bonfire fun
November 2024
On Saturday 2 November BCOST held a bonfire party at Stone Common to which all were invited. The bonfire was an excellent way to dispose of rotten fence posts and other non-reusable wooden materials removed from the land by recent work parties, and it all went up a treat! Mulled wine, hot dogs and other refreshments were on offer, and those who attended enjoyed some sparklers, as well as attempting to toast marshmallows on the fire.
Our thanks to all who helped to make it a really enjoyable evening.
Autumn haul
November 2024
Our autumn litter pick (19 to 17 October) produced the usual significant haul of rubbish. Many thanks to all who took part.
Sunset at Stone Common!
October 2024
With a lot of the old, redundant fencing and disused sheds having been removed, the land to the left of Prevost’s Path at Stone Common is now much more open and readily accessible for dog-walkers, birdwatchers and others to enjoy.
Bonfire party
October 2024
All our friends and supporters are invited to come and join us around a bonfire at Stone Common on Saturday 2 November, from 6:00pm. There will be no fireworks out of respect for the wildlife, but sparklers will be available as well as mulled wine and other suitable autumnal refreshments.
If you’d like to help get ready for the bonfire, there will be a work party the same afternoon from 2:00pm (to include moving/stacking the wood for the fire, to ensure that there will be no hedgehogs or other animals in the pile when we set light to it).
Autumn litter pick – please join us!
October 2024
BCOST, on behalf of Blaxhall Parish Council, will be holding our autumn litter pick along the verges and in the green spaces around the village in the week from 19 to 27 October inclusive (note that the period includes two weekends, as this is when most people have spare time to join us).
‘Grabbers’, bags and hoops and hi-vis vests can be collected from outside Vine Cottage, Ship Corner, at any time during the period of the litter pick – just come along at a time to suit yourself. A sheet is available on which to indicate the roads/areas you are doing, so as to avoid duplication of effort.
Let’s make Blaxhall tidy!
Scrutton Bland lend a hand
October 2024
Volunteers from East Anglian accountancy firm Scrutton Bland spent a day with us as Jasper’s Pightle on Thursday 3 October as a part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility programme.
A small group of enthiusiastic helpers managed to rake the cut bracken from a large area of the land, allowing for regeneration of the grassland. This help and support is very greatly appreciated!
Bracken cut at Stone Common
September 2024
The public access land at Stone Common is looking in good shape now, with much of the redundant fencing removed and, this week, the bracken and other long vegetation having been cut. Regular annual cutting should begin to deter the regrowth of bracken.
We are extremely grateful to Mr Bruce Kerr and his team for cutting the bracken for us at no cost to the Trust.
Continuing the work at Stone Common
September 2024
A group of stalwart volunteers turned out again on Sunday 15 September to continue with the work of removing redundant fencing at Stone Common.
Corporate volunteers to lend a hand
September 2024
Local East Anglian accountancy firm Scutton Bland have kindly arranged a volunteering day to help BCOST with bracken raking and gorse renewal at Jasper’s Pightle. Staff members will be signing up to come and give us a day of assistance with our habitat maintenance work on Thursday 3 October.
We are very grateful for this generous support.
Raking up at Jasper’s Pightle
September 2024
On 1 September we made a start on raking up the bracken at Jasper’s Pightle. This is now the fifth year of mechanical cutting, and it is good to see that the regular cut has deterred the regrowth of bracken in spite of 2024’s wet spring and early summer. What we are raking up is now mainly hay, interspersed with bracken in some areas only.
There is plenty more raking to do!
Heathland glory
August 2024
Now, as August comes to an end, the heather on Blaxhall Great Common is looking its absolute best!
The Stone Common clear-up resumes
August 2024
With the bird-nesting season now over, we are starting up our programme of work parties for the autmn and winter. Our first session was at Stone Common on Sunday 25 August. There was a good turn-out of volunteers and we managed to clear a significant stretch of redundant fencing. The bracken is shortly to be mown in order to clear it and deter its regrowth, increasing biodiversity by allowing grasses and other wild plants to flourish. Removal of old fences will make cutting easier as well as opening up the land for public recreational access.
Many thanks to everyone who came along to help!
Blaxhall Fete
August 2024
The BCOST information boards were on display again at the Blaxhall village fete on Saturday 10 August.
Blaxhall Community Festival
June 2024
BCOST had a presence at the Blaxhall Community Festival, held at St Peter’s Church over the weekend of 29 and 30 June. Displays provided information about the Blaxhall commons, about the history of BCOST and our current work projects in progress, as well as details of how to get involved. There was a good level of interest in our stall, which was combined with information about Barn Owl Support Suffolk, and visitors were able to look at a barn owl nesting box. Our thanks go to Joy Shaw, Tree Warden and local barn owl expert, for being on hand by the displays to answer browsers’ questions.
BCOST trustees also joined church volunteers on the Sunday before the Festival to help rake up the long grass in the churchyard which had been cut prior to the event.
Annual General Meeting
April 2024
The Trust’s AGM, held on Saturday 13 April in Blaxhall Village Hall, was very well attended. The formal business of the meeting was preceded by an entertaining and informative presentation by members of Barn Owl Support Suffolk, about their work in monitoring and supporting the local population of this beautiful bird, the population of which has declined in recent decades with the loss of suitable habitat. Barn owls, we learned, like to hunt over rough, tussocky grassland – exactly the habitat we have at Stone Common and Jasper’s Pightle.
We are very grateful to Blaxhall friends and supporters Marianne and Richard Sheldrick, who have generously agreed to fund the cost of a barn owl nesting box to be placed on a suitable tree at Stone Common.
We were also delighted to appoint two new Trustees, Michelle Flowers and Toby Bushill. Both Toby and Michelle are Stone Common residents and have for some time been active in BCOST work parties there. Grateful thanks are due also to Andrew Derrick and Mike Livesey, who have stood down as Trustees but continue to be involved in BCOST’s work.
Spring haul
April 2024
Our spring litter-pick along the roads and verges and around the green spaces of Blaxhall produced the usual haul of rubbish.
Many thanks to all who took part. We’ll be having another litter-picking session in the autumn, so watch this space.
More tidying at Stone Common
March 2024
On a slightly grey Easter Saturday, a well-attended work party made good prpgress with work of removing fencing around a disused poultry enclosure, as well as spending time cutting back invasive brambles and alexanders.
A host of golden daffodils…
March 2024
Back in November, a group of volunteers planted a sackful of daffodil bulbs among the fruit trees at the Blaxhall village playing field, in a work party organised jointly by Blaxhall Tree Warden Joy Shaw, BCOST and Blaxhall Parish Council. What a joy, now, to the results of our labours in full bloom! It is hoped that over the years the daffodils will further establish and multiply. Many thanks again to everyone who helped with the planting.
Upcoming events
March 2024
There will be another work party at Stone Common on Easter Saturday, 30 March, to continue with the dismantling and removal redundant fencing, as well as working towards establishing some areas of gorse for the benefit of linnets and other wildlife. The work party will begin at 1:30pm, so please do come and join us.
Our Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 13 April, at 2:30pm in Blaxhall Village Hall. We are delighted that the meeting will begin with a talk by Sally Nelson, Sarah Glyde and Dave Pearsons from Barn Owl Support Suffolk (BOSS), which is part of the Suffolk Bird Group. It promises to be a fascinating afternoon. Refreshments will be provided, and all are very welcome.
We will be holding our spring litter pick from Friday 29 March to Sunday 7 April inclusive. Bags, ‘grabbers’ and hi-vis vests will be available outside Vine Cottage, Ship Corner throughout this period, so please do come along, pick up some kit and do some litter-picking at a time to suit yourself. There will be a checklist on which you can indicate roads/areas you will be covering.
Stone Common work party
February 2024
There was an excellent turnout of volunteers – including several Stone Common residents – on 25 February, for a work party session removing redundant fences around a poultry enclosure no longer in use. Posts and wire were salvaged for re-use where possible.
Memorial plaque
February 2024
The Walters family, former owners of the land, have kindly provided a plaque for the bench at Jasper’s Pightle, in memory of their time there and of Jasper Walters, after whom the Pightle is named.
New Year 2024 – starting as we mean to go on!
January 2024
BCOST began the New Year with a well-attended work party at Stone Common on 1 January, organised in conjunction with Tree Warden, Joy Shaw. We were able to complete the work of clearing around the perimeter hedge, replacing any dead hedging plants and adding mulch. We are very grateful to all those who came along to help.
Christmas work party
December 2023
There was a good turnout of supporters – no doubt keen to get outside and work off that Christmas pudding – for a work party at Stone Common on 27 December, jointly organised with Blaxhall Tree Warden, Joy Shaw.
We were working on the hedge that we planted around the perimeter of BCOST’s land two years ago: checking the health of the hedging plants and replacing them where necessary, checking or replacing canes and rabbit guards, clearing brambles from around the hedge and adding mulch.
The good news is that most of the young hedging plants are alive and in good condition – in spite of the drought of summer 2022 – with only around one in every eight or ten plants requiring replacement.
Many thanks to everyone who attended!
Bulb planting!
November 2023
On 25 November a work party was held at the Blaxhall village playing field, organised jointly by Tree Warden Joy Shaw, BCOST and the Parish Council, to plant bulbs and also to mulch the fruit trees planted in the spring of 2022. There was an excellent turnout in the autumn sunshine, and all the planting should ensure a good display of daffodils come next spring.
Many thanks to all who took part.
Tidying up at Stone Common
November 2023
Volunteers braved a cold grey afternoon at Stone Common on 19 November to start work on removing some of the broken-down and redundant fencing which currently divides up the area of land to the left of Prevost’s Path. The plan is to open up that side of the land, both to allow easier access for cutting the bracken and to give a better sense of the open character of the land as a green space for all to enjoy. Posts and wire which are in good condition have been retained and are available for re-use by local residents or allotmenteers.
We are very grateful to Mr Bruce Kerr for arranging for the cutting and shredding the bracken at Stone Common this autumn at no charge to the Trust. This help is greatly appreciated.
A helping hand in the churchyard
October 2023
On 28 October, BCOST supporters joined a party of church volunteers to help rake up grass in the churchyard at St Peter’s, Blaxhall, prior to the winter. Parts of the churchyard are allowed to grow long to encourage biodiversity, before being strimmed and raked after the wild flowers have set seed. It is one of the beautiful green spaces we are lucky to have in our village.
Call for volunteers
October 2023
BCOST NEEDS YOU!
Do you love the commons and other green spaces around our village? Would you like to help keep those spaces looking beautiful, and providing a habitat for wildlife as well as somewhere for us all to walk and enjoy nature?
Do have any free time at weekends? Would like to get some healthy outdoor exercise and meet other local people?
Together with the Blaxhall Tree Warden, Joy Shaw, BCOST has scheduled a programme of work parties over the autumn and winter, but our hard core of volunteers is very small and we would love to have more people involved.
Sunday 15 October, 3:30-5:00pm, Jasper’s Pightle (bracken raking; cutting out dead gorse)
Saturday 28 October, 1:00-3:00pm, St Peter’s churchyard (strimming and raking).
Saturday 28 October to Sunday November, at any time to suit yourself: litter pick around the village.
Sunday 19 November, 1:00-3:00pm, Stone Common (bracken cutting and raking; general tidying).
Saturday 25 November, 1:00-3:00pm, village playing field (planting bulbs; mulching trees).
Wednesday 27 December, 1:00-3:00pm, Stone Common (hedge planting and mulching; general maintenance).
Monday 1 January 2024, 1:00-3:00pm, Stone Common (hedge planting and mulching; general maintenance).
If you would like to join us for any of these activities, please just drop a line to BCOST Hon Secretary, Eve Rossor (email: everossor@gmail.com or tel: 01728 688648) for more information. We’d be delighted to hear from you!
In addition, BCOST currently has a vacancy for a trustee, so if you would like to become more involved, again please contact Eve Rossor for further details.
New sign
October 2023
An unobtrusive new sign – placed by the bench near the north walk – now welcomes visitors to Jasper’s Pightle.
Autumn activities
September 2023
Now that the bird-nesting season is over and wild flowers have set seed, we have begun planning our schedule work parties for the autumn and winter ahead.
Scheduled so far:
Sunday 10 September 2023, 3:00pm, Stone Common. We will be clearing ragwort and other invasive vegetation around the fruit trees and along Prevost’s Path. Please bring a strimmer if you have one – also useful will be rakes, wheelbarrows, and shears or secateurs. Strong gloves are essential.
Sunday 24 September 2023, 3:00pm, Jasper’s Pightle. We will be raking up the cut bracken and managing the gorse by cutting back dead or old sections. Please bring a saw, secateurs or shears, a rake, and a wheelbarrow if possible. Good gloves and tough clothing are essential if working with gorse.
Week of Saturday 28 October to Sunday 5 November: litter pick. We invite you to contribute in your own time: bag, pick-up sticks and hi-vis vests will be available all week outside Vine Cottage, together with a list to tick off the roads or other areas you have done. Filled bags can be left back at Vine Cottage for collection.
For further details contact BCOST Hon Secretary Eve Rossor (everossor@gmail.com). And watch this space for more work party dates!
BCOST presence at the Fete
August 2023
BCOST’s information boards were on display again in the Village Hall at Blaxhall Fete on Saturday 12 August.
Blaxhall Festival
June 2023
It was good to have so many people visit our information boards in the Village Hall over the two days of Blaxhall Festival (24 and 25 June), to read about the work of BCOST, and especially about our habitat conservation work on our land at Jasper’s Pightle and Stone Common.
We were also serving tea and biscuits to visitors on the Saturday afternoon, and we are grateful to all of you who made a kind donation to BCOST in return for your cuppa!
Come and see us at Blaxhall Festival!
June 2023
We will be present at Blaxhall Festival on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 June 2023. Display boards about Blaxhall’s commons and open spaces, and about BCOST’s work, will be in the Village Hall throughout the weekend of the Festival, and Trustees will be on hand from 2:00 to 4:00pm on both days offering tea and biscuits. Do come and say hello!
Spring work parties – and spring colour at Jasper’s Pightle
May 2023
Work parties have continued during April and May 2023. Activities have included continuing work to remove redundant barbed wire fencing along the north side of Jasper’s Pightle, further mulching of the newly-planted hedging along the road at the Pightle, and the clearing of encroaching alexanders along the pathways at Stone Common.
At Jasper’s Pightle, bracken fronds are just beginning to re-emerge, and the land will need to be mown again once the bird-nesting season is over. However, after three years now of twice-yearly cutting and raking of the bracken in line with our Management Plan, its reappearance is now far more sparse and it is pleasing to see how the acid grassland habitat is recovering well, showing a dense, rich sward of mixed grasses studded with a colourful variety of wildflowers: sheep’s sorrel, forget-me-knot, stitchwort, vetch, speedwell, viper’s bugloss and many more.
Annual General Meeting
April 2023
There was a good attendance for the Trust’s Annual General Meeting in the village hall on 15 April 2023. Standing in as Chair, Eve Rossor reported on our year’s activities, and a financial report was presented by Hon Treasurer, Mike Livesey.
After a short break for refreshments, we were entertained and informed by an interesting talk and slide presentation from Blaxhall Tree Warden, Joy Shaw, entitled “A Love of Trees and Hedges”.
Many thanks to Joy, and to all who attended.
Invitation to AGM
April 2023
Everyone is warmly invited to attend the Trust’s Annual General Meeting, to be held in Blaxhall Village Hall on Saturday 15 April, starting at 2:00pm.
In addition to the usual business, there will be a short talk from Blaxhall’s village Tree Warden, and refreshments will be available.
Do please come along and hear about our year’s work. Feedback, ideas and suggestions are always very welcome.
Spring litter pick
March 2023
In the week of 18 to 26 March, trustees and supporters donned our hi-vis and carried out our latest twice-yearly pick, covering all the roads around Blaxhall as well as some outlying areas where rubbish accumulates, such as the lay-bys and car parking areas around Blaxhall Common and Tunstall Forest.
As usual, we collected quite a haul!
Another hedge planting session at the Pightle
February 2023
On 21 February, volunteers from the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, joined by some of our own number, completed the run of hedging along the B1069 at Jasper’s Pightle.
Sterling work was done, including the hand-digging of trenches in some places, and mulching after planting. The project has been organised and funded in partnership between the AONB and BCOST.
Grateful thanks go once again to Neil Lister (Countryside Projects Officer at the AONB) and his team of volunteers!
Hedge planting and new signs at Stone Common
December 2022/January 2023
Volunteers led by Joy Shaw, Blaxhall Tree Warden, worked off any Christmas over-indulgence with two afternoons devoted to hedge planting along the southern boundary of Stone Common and on nearby farmland. The programme of hedge planting around the eastern, southern and western boundaries of Stone Common is now complete, to the benefit of the local environment and ecology. Many thanks to Joy and volunteers for enabling this impressive achievement.
At the same time, two new signs were installed alongside the footpath running across Stone Common, which we have renamed Prevost’s Path, in recognition of the generous donor of the land.
New bench at Jasper’s Pightle
December 2022
Just before Christmas a beautiful rustic bench made by John Finlinson, tree surgeon and garden keeper, was installed near the footpath running through the woodland along the northern boundary of the pightle. The bench is in memory of the late Jasper Walters, former owner of the land.
Hedge planting at Jasper’s Pightle
December 2022
In sub-zero temperatures, a party of volunteers from Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, led by Neil Lister (Countryside Projects Officer), planted about 100 yards of mixed native hedging along the roadside boundary of Jasper’s Pightle (the Pightle lies just outside the current boundary of the AONB – we think it should be included!). They were joined by Andrew Derrick, BCOST trustee. Many thanks to Neil and his team for all their efforts. It is hoped to continue the planting and fill all the gaps along the site boundary.
And here’s the result…
October 2022
Here’s the haul of rubbish the Trust’s volunteers cleared from the verges, lanes and lay-bys around our village this week.
Well done to all those who helped!
Help us keep Blaxhall tidy!
September 2022
BCOST will be holding our autumn litter pick during the week from 1 to 9 to October. If you would like to help, please just drop in to Vine Cottage any time during that period, where you can collect bags and a pick-up stick, which will be left outside. Please tick off the stretches of road you will be covering on the list provided, and leave full bags back at Vine Cottage afterwards for collection.
Why not come with a friend, and do one side of the road each? Or if you’d like to arrange to go out with someone else, just email Rosy (rt104@cam.ac.uk) or Eve (everossor@gmail.com).
Stone Common update
September 2022
The Management Plan for Stone Common was adopted by the Trust on 30 August 2022. Many thanks to all who contributed to its preparation. You can read or download the document by going to the link at the bottom of the ‘Stone Common’ page (sub-page of ‘Commons and Open Spaces’).
As from September 2022, the Trust is responsible for the renewal of licences and the granting of new licences for allotments and grazing at Stone Common. If you are interested in either, please contact Eve Rossor, Hon. Secretary (see ‘Contact’).
Draft Management Plan for Stone Common: Consultation meeting
July 2022
We have now prepared a draft Management Plan for BCOST’s newly-acquired the land at Stone Common. You can download this by going to the bottom of the ‘Stone Common’ page on this website (sub-page of ‘Commons and Open Spaces’).
We will hold a consultation meeting on the draft plan on Sunday 31st July at 3:00 pm at Blaxhall Village Hall. You are welcome to come along and express your views about the draft Plan, and to ask any questions. If you are unable to attend, please send any comments or questions by email to BCOST Hon Secretary, Eve Rossor (everossor@gmail.com) by 31st July. We look forward to hearing your views.
Annual General Meeting – all welcome
May 2022
The Trust’s 2022 Annual General Meeting will be held in Blaxhall Village Hall on Saturday 14 May at 2:00pm.
As well as the usual annual reports on our activities, we will be presenting our early thoughts in terms of a draft Management Plan for Stone Common.
All are very welcome to attend – we hope to see you there!
Charity registration – it’s official!
April 2022
Having last year passed the income threshold required for registration with the Charity Commission, the Blaxhall Commons & Open Spaces Charitable Trust has now officially become a registered charity. We were already registered as a charity with HMRC for purposes of GiftAid, but this step places our charitable status on a more formal footing. Our new Trust Deed received final approval from the Charity Commission at the end of April.
What a load of rubbish (again!)
April 2022
Over the week of 2 to 9 April, trustees and other volunteers went out in the highways and byways in and around Blaxhall, collecting litter. We do this twice a year, in spring and again in autumn. These regular litter-picking sessions seem to be keeping the levels of rubbish around the verges and hedges of the village itself quite well under control – and we know there are many other public-spirited Blaxhallites who pick up litter when they are out and about. But the story is different in the spaces between villages, towards Snape, Tunstall and Iken, where every layby seems to contain the remnants of somebody’s picnic. Dumped in the woods, we even found the silencer from a VW car!
Spring at Stone Common
March 2022
At Stone Common, the new fruit trees planted by the children and young people of Blaxhall on 5 March, now well watered and protected by wire mesh to keep the deer at bay, are beginning to come into blossom – a sure sign that spring is on the way!
Meanwhile, in the open grassy spaces around the allotments, wild flowers are showing their colours.
Kids plant trees!
March 2022
In spite of the rainy weather, there was a wonderful turn-out of children and young people on Saturday 5 March to plant (with the able assistance of their parents and grandparents and under the direction of the village Tree Warden) twelve assorted fruit trees, on the Trust’s land at Stone Common and at Blaxhall playing field.
We hope that their efforts will bear fruit long into the future!
Funding for fruit trees
January 2022
The Trust has been successful in its application, on behalf of itself and of Blaxhall Parish Council, to the Tree Council’s ‘Branching Out’ fund for the cost of providing twelve fruit trees, to be planted on sites at the Blaxhall Playing Field and on the Trust’s land at Stone Common. The Branching Out fund supports schools, community groups and Tree Warden Networks to plant trees, hedges and orchards, with the proviso that planting projects must involve young people up to the age of 21. Grateful thanks are due to Suzy Pearce and to Joy Shaw, the Blaxhall Tree Warden, for their work in preparing the grant application and sourcing the trees.
A planting party will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 5 March starting at 1:00pm. Please come along if you are 21 or under, or bring your children or grandchildren to help plant the trees.
More hedge planting over the festive season
January 2022
Two more work parties were organised over the Christmas and New Year period (on 27 December 2021 and 3 January 2022), by the Trust in conjunction with Blaxhall Tree Warden, Joy Shaw, supported by a team of willing volunteers.
The planting of stretches of mixed, hawthorn and hazel hedging plants around the perimeter of Stone Common, and to fill gaps in existing hedges on neighbouring farmland, brings the total length of hedging planted to over 100 metres.
Congratulations, and grateful thanks, to all concerned.
Hedge planting work party
December 2021
On Saturday 4 December, a work party including Trustees and supporters under the expert direction of Blaxhall Tree Warden Joy Shaw, planted around 100 metres of hedging around the perimeter of our new land at Stone Common.
Funding for the hedging plants was kindly provided by the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee fund.
Gift of tree for Jasper’s Pightle
December 2021
The Trust has received the generous gift of a species hawthorn tree (Crataegus ×lavalleei Carrierei) from one of our Trustees, Karen Baker. The tree is given in memory of the Jasper Walters, the late former owner of Jasper’s Pightle, who is sadly missed.
The handsome tree, with its brightly-coloured berries which will provide winter food for birds, was planted at the Pightle on Saturday 4 December by Karen and fellow Trustee, Andrew Derrick.
Come hedge planting at Stone Common!
November 2021
We will be having a work party at Stone Common on the afternoon of Saturday 4 December, to plant hedging which has kindly been obtained for the Trust by the Blaxhall Tree Warden, Joy Shaw, financed from the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee funding. We will be there from 1:00pm until around 3:00pm or even to dusk, depending on numbers attending, the weather, and how tired we get! Please do come along and put in an hour or so at a time that suits you – bringing a spade, if possible, and gardening gloves.
The aerial photo below shows the site where we will be working, which has been very kindly cleared of brambles by Malcolm and Suzy Pearce in readiness for planting.
Public consultation
November 2021
Many thanks to all those who attended the meeting at the village hall on Saturday 20 November. It was really encouraging to see such a full and enthusiastic turn-out of people brimming with ideas about the recently gifted land at Stone Common.
The purpose of the meeting was to hear local people’s ideas about future management, bearing in mind the Trust’s charitable objectives, which include ‘acquiring, owning, providing and maintaining land in Blaxhall, in particular common land, allotments or land over which local people and villagers have traditionally enjoyed access, for the benefit of residents and the wider public’. Ideas put forward were many and various, and were above all positive and supportive. Further details and the results of the consultation can be seen on the Stone Common page of the website.
The Trust has limited financial and manpower resources, and any changes or improvements can only be taken forward incrementally, and with the support of local people. Volunteers will be needed to join work parties and to help with fundraising, as so successfully achieved at Jasper’s Pightle. Our first project will be hedge planting along one of the boundaries, coordinated by Joy Shaw, Blaxhall Tree Warden and using funding allocated to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Joy is also applying for funding for fruit trees and woodland saplings, in which we hope to involve young volunteers.
Acquisition of land at Stone Common
November 2021
Thanks to a generous donation from Mr Michael Prevost, BCOST is now the owner of the registered common land at Stone Common, together with the adjoining allotment land. This most generous gift will ensure that the common land and open space is preserved from development and remains accessible to all. We propose that the main track running through the site should now be known as Prevost’s Path.
The land is mostly set aside for use as allotments. The Trust wishes to hear the views of residents of Stone Common and the village more widely on how the land should be managed in future, and to this end will be holding a public meeting at Blaxhall Village Hall at 2pm on Saturday 20 November 2021.
Litter pick
October 2021
We held our autumn litter pick in the week beginning Monday 11 October 2021. Here’s the result of our labours!
Twice each year, in the autumn and spring, trustees and volunteers collect litter from the verges, roadsides, commons and open spaces of Blaxhall. Watch this space for the date of the next litter pick, which will be in Spring 2022. Volunteers are very welcome to help with this, or indeed with collecting litter at any other time – sadly, the job is never done! Just collect bags and ‘grabbers’ from Vine Cottage, and leave filled bags at the same address.
Blaxhall Commons and Open Spaces Charitable Trust 