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Learn the Ancient Craft of Hedgelaying

volunteering local nature conservation

Friends of Hilly Fields Annual General Meeting

The Friends of Hilly Fields AGM will be held on Thursday 18 September from 7-9pm in the Hilly Fields cafe.

We will review the past year and elect a new committee. All welcome.

Thanks to Fred and Ruth for allowing us to use the cafe.

Hilly Fields Annual Quiz 2024

Once again, visitors to the Friends of Hilly Fields stall at this year’s Midsummer Fayre on 22 June had the opportunity to tackle our annual multi-choice quiz. Only one person got all ten questions right and two people got nine out of ten. They will get vouchers to use at the Hilly Fields cafe. If you would like to have a go just for fun, the questions are below and the answers are revealed at the end.

1. Which of these animals used to graze on Hilly Fields in days of old?
(a) buffalo; (b) llamas; (c) sheep; (d) wildebeest.

2. The bowling club on Hilly Fields is named after which famous Elizabethan sailor?
(a) Charlie Drake; (b) Francis Drake; (c) Hamid Drake; (d) Nick Drake.

3. Yorkshire Fog can be seen on Hilly Fields every year. What is it?
(a) a fungus; (b) a low-lying mist at dawn; (c) a species of moth; (d) a type of grass.

4. The ‘gates’ to the Hilly Fields stone circle are named after which saint?
(a) Saint Bertelin; (b) Saint Dagobert; (c) Saint Norbert; (d) Saint Wilgefortis.

5. ‘The Horse at Hilly Fields’ is a children’s book by Ann Thwaite. What kind of horse does the title refer to?
(a) Hobby horse; (b) Race horse; (c) Rocking horse; (d) Seahorse.

6. Which artiste wrote and recorded the neo-psychedelic song ‘Hilly Fields (1892)’?
(a) Chip Chirpy; (b) Joy Jolly; (c) Nick Nicely; (d) Slim Smiley.

7. Which species of bat can be seen flying over Hilly Fields at dusk?
(a) Common Pipistrelle; (b) Dusky Pipistrelle; (c) Rusty Pipistrelle; (d) Tiny Pipistrelle.

8. ‘Once the Hilly Fields were hill fields where the children played and there were primroses.’ Written by ‘The Railway Children’ author who lived in SE13. What was her name?
(a) Edith Nesbit; (b) Edith Pargeter; (c) Edith Sitwell; (d) Edith Wharton.

9. Which bird of prey was the 52nd species recorded in our Hilly Fields bird list?
(a) Red-throated Diver; (b) Red-necked Grebe; (c) Red Kite; (d) Red-legged Partridge.

10. Which ancient rural skill was taught on Hilly Fields in 2023?
(a) Drystone walling; (b) Hedge laying; (c) Pigsticking; (d) Willow weaving.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Answers
1. (c) Sheep; 2. (b) Francis Drake; 3. (d) A type of grass; 4. (c) Saint Norbert; 5. (c) Rocking horse; 6. (c) Nick Nicely; 7. (a) Common Pipistrelle; 8. (a) Edith Nesbit; 9. (c) Red Kite; 10. Hedge laying.

Big Garden Bird Watch, 2024

Big Garden Bird Watch 2024

The board will be coming out again on the last Sunday , 28th January, we will be set up for 10.30am by the café until 12.30. We might have some helpers this year from our Duke of Edinburgh volunteers, which means we might run a small birdy craft workshop too?

https://hillyfields.blogspot.com/2024/01/hilly-fields-big-birdwatch-2024.html

Hedge Laying Free training

Thanks to CPRE London we have funding to run training sessions in the ancient craft of hedge laying. Work has started on the Veda Road Boundary Hedge. That’s across the stone circle and look left down the hill to the lower Vicars Hill Entrance. If you are interested in training, please sign you to one of the remaining sessions.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/learn-to-lay-a-hedgerow-at-hilly-fields-park-tickets-765162219797?aff=ebdssbdestsearch


https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/learn-to-lay-a-hedgerow-at-hilly-fields-park-tickets-765163583877

Wild Flower Walk

Monday, 17th July, 2023 meet at the café for 7pm. We’ll be walking through the hay meadow, so trouser would be sensible!

Hilly Fields Annual Quiz..the results are in.

With 53 returned quizes we had four people scoring 10 out of 10 and another 8 scoring 9/10. Please see the answers below.

Annual Report – 2022

Trees of Hilly Fields and AGM 7pm 15th March, 2023

Join us for our illustrated talk this Wednesday -Trees of Hilly Fields, followed by a presentation of the annual report and our AGM. Talk from 7pm.

Elms on the crest of Hilly Fields in the early 1900s