| Hello? |
| Oh hello. My name's Jan. |
| Are you the right person to talk to about the Buckworth Conservation Group? |
| Yes, I'm Peter. I'm the secretary. |
| Good. I've just moved to this area, and I'm interested in getting involved. |
| I was in a similar group where I used to live. |
| Could you tell me something about your activities, please? |
| Of course. |
| Well, we have a mixture of regular activities and special events. |
| One of the regular ones is trying to keep the beach free of litter. |
| A few of us spend a couple of hours a month on it, |
| and it's awful how much there is to clear. |
| I wish people would be more responsible and take it home with them. |
| I totally agree. |
| I'd be happy to help with that. |
| Is it OK to take dogs? |
| I'm afraid not, as they're banned from the beach itself. |
| You can take them along the cliffs, though. And children are welcome. |
| Right. |
| We also manage a nature reserve, and there's a lot to do there all year round. |
| For example, because it's a popular place to visit, |
| we spend a lot of time looking after the paths |
| and making sure they're in good condition for walking. |
| I could certainly help with that. |
| Good. |
| And we have a programme of creating new habitats there. |
| We've just finished making and installing nesting boxes for birds to use, |
| and next we're going to work on encouraging insects, |
| they're important for the biodiversity of the reserve. |
| They certainly are. |
| Oh, and we're also running a project to identify the different species of butterflies that visit the reserve. |
| You might be interested in taking part in that. |
| Sure. |
| I was involved in something similar where I used to live, |
| counting all the species of moths. |
| I'd enjoy that. |
| Another job we're doing at the reserve is replacing the wall on the southern side, |
| between the parking area and our woodshed. |
| It was badly damaged in a storm last month. |
| OK. |
| Then as I said, we have a programme of events as well, both at the weekend, and during the week. |
| Right. |
| I presume you have guided walks? |
| I'd like to get to know the local countryside, as I'm new to the area. |
| Yes, we do. The next walk is to Ruston Island, a week on Saturday. |
| We'll be meeting in the car park at Dunsmore Beach at low tide, |
| that's when the sands are dry enough for us to walk to the island without getting wet. |
| Sounds good. |
| The island's a great place to explore. |
| It's quite small, and it's got a range of habitats. |
| It's also an ideal location for seeing seals just off the coast, or even on the beach. |
| OK. |
| And is there anything we should bring, like a picnic, for instance? |
| Yes, do bring one, as it's a full-day walk. |
| And of course it'll be wet walking across and back, |
| so make sure your boots are waterproof. |
| I must buy a new pair, there's a hole in one of my current ones! |
| Well, I'd definitely like to come on the walk. |
| Great. |
| Then later this month we're having a one-day woodwork session in Hopton Wood. |
| I've never tried that before. |
| Is it OK for beginners to take part? |
| Definitely. |
| There'll be a couple of experts leading the session, |
| and we keep the number of participants down, so you'll get as much help as you need. |
| Excellent! |
| I'd love to be able to make chairs. |
| That's probably too ambitious for one day! |
| You'll be starting with wooden spoons, |
| and of course learning how to use the tools. |
| And anything you make is yours to take home with you. |
| That sounds like fun. |
| When is it? |
| It's on the 17th, from 10 a.m. until 3. |
| There's a charge of £35, including lunch |
| or £40 if you want to camp in the wood. |
| I should think I'll come home the same day. |
| Well, I'd certainly like to join the group. |