Members General Meeting - September
Friends of Oxleas Woodlands held its General Members’ Meeting at Shrewsbury House on Tuesday 15 September. Members heard updates on our conservation work, finances and membership, as well as plans for the coming coppicing season and discussions about the future organisation of the group.
Thank you to our volunteers
The Chair thanked all our volunteer team leaders and volunteers for their hard work over the summer. The prolonged heat and dry conditions made conservation work challenging, and frequent fires were a serious concern. Discussions with Oxleas Woodlands’ managers, PEOS, are continuing to help mitigate the risks. Our conservation groups are now including firebreaks when constructing dead hedges to help reduce the potential spread of fire.
Membership and finances
Membership continues to grow, reaching 622 members at the end of August, up from 590 at the start of the year.
The interim financial report showed a bank balance of £18,292.61, net of liabilities and excluding grant funding. Although net receipts are lower than at the same point last year and expenditure has increased, the latter includes the higher communications costs discussed at the June meeting. A £360 grant from Greenwich Parks Forum, supplemented by FOW funds, will help provide new tools for coppicing activities.
Conservation and heritage
Preparations are under way for the new coppicing season, with a new area identified immediately south of last season’s site. The Tuesday conservation group has continued work in the new glade behind Berry Hill in Shepherdleas, while Friday volunteers have been preparing the next coppicing area.
Saturday’s Shooters Hill Woodlands Working Party has been clearing the seasonal stream around the leaky dams installed by Thames21, helping keep the watercourse clear near the underground culverts.
The Conservation Planning Group is also considering a new initiative at Deansfield in Shepherdleas, where grassland restoration has been identified as a priority in the London SINC report. Following the extreme summer weather, a new Severe Weather Risk Assessment document has been established to support planning and risk assessments for future activities.
Thames21 has shared a draft two-year plan for its work in Oxleas Woodlands on behalf of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. FOW has responded with suggested modifications to reflect our perspective. The plan also includes the potential refurbishment of part of the Green Chain Walk, overlapping with one of our priority paths. Meanwhile, volunteers continue to reclaim sections of tarmac path that are gradually being lost to encroaching vegetation.
Gardens and London in Bloom
The Jackwood House and Castle Wood gardens, together with the wider woodlands, have been entered in the 2026 London in Bloom awards. Judging takes place on Friday 18 September, and we look forward to hearing the results.
Governance and the future
The Steering Group is continuing to explore options for FOW’s charitable status. Thames21 has approached us about becoming a constituted group, which could offer benefits through its existing charitable status. Further discussions are planned for the autumn.
The Health and Safety Officer position remains vacant, and the Steering Group is considering whether responsibility for this role should be brought back within the committee. The Secretary position will also become vacant at the next AGM. Members who might be interested in either role, or in helping with other aspects of FOW’s work, are encouraged to contact Alan Jarrett or another Steering Group member.
The meeting concluded with a talk by Emma Parkin ahead of the new coppicing season.
The next Members’ General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 1 December 2026.
