For repairs that is...

Following on from the two winter storms, which caused so much damage at our Rochdale Home Reserve site, the fencers have been in every weekend this month to rebuild and strengthen the entire perimeter of our nature reserve.

This is no mean feat as a fair portion of this is steeply banked that you wouldn't like to climb down - let alone take a pile of fencing materials down and have to work in non-hospitable weathers! But plough-on they have, and we now have the security of a solid fence for the next 15-20 years. Huge sections of fencing needed complete replacement, and every single post had to be renewed.

This fence was originally installed by Redrow housing in 2007, when they were applying to build the housing development at Blackpits Factory site. So all-in-all, at 17 years old it has not done bad, and some of it still remains where in good order and just needed strengthening-up.

Although the work was coming up in my 'jobs list', it's only when your defences are literally blown down that you are galvanised into action; I am so grateful for Andy Lazaruik and his team at AL Fencing for giving up their weekends this month to ensure the security of our nature reserve is complete once more.

We have taken a hit with the cost, and been grateful for Andrews generosity in keeping the cost to us far lower than its true cost. He has also been able to extend the life of some of the original fencing rather than needlessly renew everything, which has reduced the cost by some 40%. It has been just over £26,000 though, and this has markedly reduced the bank account having already paid out £35,000 in grants this year in order for other charities to continue their own life-saving works with wild birds. ... if you find a pot of gold, please let us know!

Nigel