Midsummer Birthday Celebration of NRN (aged 5)
Thanks to all who came along to the Big Midsummer Nature Celebration at Neyott’s Meadow on Midsummer Day!
Gazebos on the Neyotts.
We were delighted to meet and talk with old and new friends, neighbours, NRN members and partners, and interested passers-by, who joined us to celebrate our Nature Recovery Network that began 5 years in Eynsham. It was especially nice to see some of the 250 people who were at the NRN kick-off meeting in Eynsham Village Hall, way back on a dark and wintery night.
The sun shone, some light rain cooled us down, and the Long Mead's ancient meadow was abuzz with insects, flowers, and people. Across in the Neyotts our NRN team had erected gazebos in case it got too hot - or rained - and to house various important functions and events like the cake and flower seed stall, the photographic exhibition, Neve's Bees, face-painting. willow-crown weaving, and the storybook circle.
YUM!!...and then there were none.
Meadow Art.
The Queen Bee - Julie Macken
So there was something for everyone: BYO picnics, delicious cakes for sale; games; making midsummer flower crowns with willow and wildflowers; beautiful face paintings by Rosslyn Baker of rare wildlife and plants; an insect hunt with the Beavers; a bird survey with Allen Stevens; storytelling by Rhiannon Baker; music from Nick Gill and Caroline.
The audience eagerly await a reading from CM Taylor's latest novel.
In the story tent, our local author, C.M. Taylor read extracts from his latest novel. Later, the Beavers crammed in to hear stories read by the wonderful local actor-teacher Rhiannon Baker.
Storytime for Beavers read by master-storyteller Rhiannon Baker
Over the road, Mike Chippendale guided a walk through the glorious wildflowers on Long Mead’s ancient meadow, while in the cool of the barn, Julia Loken, our amazing botanical illustrator, led a botanical drawing workshop for wannabe illustrators. Birds were not left to sing or fly unnoticed, because Allen Stevens had his binoculars ready and ears primed as he led a group of birders across the meadows.
Guide Mike Chippendale preps his group before setting off into the ancient Long Mead floodplain meadow.
Alice Walker of Mill Street Arts organised the photo competition that was divided into age groups. The many entries were pondered over by experts for hours and we were given the chance to vote for our favourite! Well done to all who entered the photo competition and congratulations to all the winners and runners up. (Read all about it here!)
Every image a winner.
Championing our rare plants and animals: Artist extraordinare, Rosslyn Baker, not only conjured some of our rarest species for our faces but told us why they were important as she painted them...
Photo C Bass
The facepainting was a great hit – including some for whom it was their first ever face-painting!
'Eat your heart out Ascott!'
NRN benefactors, Parish Councillors and Kingfisher.
Nature's Delight - the wonderful Kate Pritchard, creator of willow crowns to die for...
With face-painted, it was time to get a woven willow-and-wildflower crown - don't say nature celebrations dont rock!
And speaking of rock, our 2-piece multi-instrumentalist band played the afternoon to a close with some classics that induced feet to tap, hands to clap, and nature's verse to rap.
Photo Anna Collins
In tune with the NRNs desire to increase our local biodiversity, it was wonderful to be immersed in the vibrant soundscape of the flower meadow at Long Mead, with some feedback noting how loud the insects were and how ‘we just don’t hear that so much any more’. Indeed, we hope that through the work of the NRN’s Plant Propagation Group and others, sounds of nature will spread and grow louder as we work together to help nature recover through the mosaic of different habitats we are creating in our area.
We now have leases on over 100 acres of land along the river to keep us busy and help us ensure that for many midsummers to come nature will be thriving here!
We would like to thank everyone who came on the day, and the many NRN members, partners and other volunteers who helped before, during and after the event. In particular, huge thanks to Eynsham Co-op for their help with printing the photos for the competition and to, the Market Garden for providing some of the prizes for the photography competition; to Neves Bees for donating all their takings on the day; and to Rhys Owen - our youngest and most generous benefactor for his generous donation and support to NRN.
High-fives and thanks to the facepainters, storytellers, musicians, bakers, flower arrangers, tour leaders, judges of the photography exhibition, set-up and clear-up crews, and many more besides.
What a perfect way to celebrate five years of the Nature Recovery Network – together, in the meadow we are helping to restore. Here’s to many more!
Anna Collins
Our Future.