Projects

Hedge renewal project 2025

YCV are reinvigorating the wonderfully ecologically important hedges around Yaxley

They are of course one of the finest habitats for wildlife and we at one time one of the most important in our countryside. They provide shelter and food for a range of wild creatures but were once essential for livestock as well. Not just for shelter but browsing where the hedge would provide supplementary food in hard times and has proved to be an important source of herbal medicine for animals. A recent study has shown that they get important minerals e.g. cobalt essential for sheep health, from goat willow in hedges. They will actively seek it out when they need it.

Unfortunately the loss of hedges to modern farming have been catastrophic for wildlife too. Hundreds thousands of miles in these times with the resultant loss of insects and birds. We can help by replacing fences with hedges in our gardens and by looking after those that remain.

To be a useful hedge it needs density all the way to the ground. Ones that are just cropped on top and left dead in the bottom are useless. That's where we come in, with the support of the council and a grant they were given are providing the opportunity and the materials to revitalise some hedge remnants

The planting has mostly been Hawthorn mixed with some hazel, spindle, holly and hedge plant primrose & dog violets

Swift nest box project 2023

The YCV members have recently put up 10 nest boxes on the council office on main street to help these wonderful Yaxley visitors

Apple Day 2023

The YCV members worked extremely hard to create a wonderful day of fun for Yaxley village

Annual Bulb Planting

The YCV members have been busy once again this year planting 1000's of spring bulbs in locations around Yaxley village.

Peterborough rugby club tree planting

In Jan 2023 the volunteers undertook a large tree planting effort for Peterborough rugby club. In an area of the training grounds YCV planted around 300 trees & around 100 Willow tree stakes. These will soon provide earth bank stabilization along the rugby pitches but also develop over time into a fantastic wildlife habitat.

William de Yaxley School Tree Planting

In Jan 2023 The volunteers planted 80 small trees at the front of the William de Yaxley School and looked at some other work they want help with including fruit tree pruning and work on their small wildlife area

Pound Lane Pond

Redevelopment of the area. This was an over grown site that was actually dug out in 1989 as a pond by the Yaxley Volunteers, Yaxley Scouts & John Watt who supplied a long reach digger. Unfortunately the pond became overgrown & filled in with sediment after a few years.

History repeated itself in 2015 when the Des Watt took up the batton and undertook a well thought out plan to develop the site into a landscaped pond & wild garden with a graveled path. There are memorial seats provided for weary visitor or for quiet contemplation. YCV maintain the site & have planted hundreds of wild flowers & bulbs. This was a project funded by the Council. & who carry out the heavier task in the area.

In 2021 the site had a wonderful new path created

Tree Planting

The group has planted 1000's of trees locally since its inception

Blenheim Way

Clearing the undergrowth. We cleared the bottom section of this overgrown hedge in 2014 & with the council's help hauled away 4 farm trailer loads of undergrowth & rubbish. The biggest challenge was haul away a metal domestic oil tank & loads of slabs of concrete.

The Cemetery

Maintenance. Many people comment on how well the YPC keep the cemetery & how wonderful the lavender looks each summer, but it takes a lot of work to maintain it. We have under taken the pruning of the lavender in the Lawn Cemetery in the last few years as it dies out if not cut back to maintain flowering.

Church Street

Hedgerow maintenance . This hedge was first laid by the volunteers in 2001 & again in 2017. It was a formidable task that took 3 months. The overgrown hedge without maintenance had grown to over 4 m height and brambles climbed to the top & down to the ground on the other side. There were 100s of m of rusty barbed wire embedded in the hedge. For most of the length we had to work in a water fill ditch.

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