Steering Committee

Wednesday 1st April

The Friends of Oxleas Woodlands Steering Committee met recently to review progress across the first quarter of 2026, with positive updates on volunteering, finances and conservation activity, alongside some important discussions about the future direction of the group.

A Strong Start to the Year

It has been an encouraging start to 2026 for volunteering. Compared to the same period last year, there has been a significant increase in interest, with 52 new enquiries, 30 people signing up, and 27 already attending sessions. This growing engagement is a great sign for the continued care and restoration of the woodlands.

Finance and Fundraising

The Friends of Oxleas Woodlands remains in a healthy financial position.

Opening balance (1 January 2026): £15,984.55

Closing balance (31 March 2026): £17,528.41

The Pathway Fund has now reached £12,000, supporting ongoing and future access improvements, with a small unallocated balance remaining. Work will continue to explore future funding opportunities, including the longer-term goal of achieving charitable status.

Looking Ahead: Charitable Status

Becoming a registered charity remains a key ambition, particularly to strengthen future funding opportunities. The Steering Committee will seek advice from the Greenwich Parks Forum to better understand the process and next steps.

Conservation Work Across the Woodlands

Conservation activity continues at pace across all volunteer groups:

Tuesday Group: Recent sessions have focused on path management east of Eltham Park North Meadow, including laying saplings, reducing holly height, and blocking informal “desire paths” to protect sensitive areas.

Friday Group: Ongoing improvements to wildflower areas continue, with further small-scale holly management planned, including in areas affected by the recent fire in Jack Wood.

Shooters Hill Woodlands Working Party (SHWWP): Stream work has been carried out near “Piccadilly Circus”, with further consideration being given to protecting and maintaining the main pond in Oxleas Wood.

Coppicing Team: The first coppice coupe has been successfully completed, with one final session planned to clear remaining material.

Water Management: Thames21 is planning an additional leaky dam installation in autumn 2026 to support natural flood management.

Meadow Management: It has been agreed that Hotel Field will be cut in spring 2026 following earlier discussions with PEOS.

The Conservation Planning Group will now become a regular feature of Steering Committee discussions, helping to guide and coordinate this wide-ranging work.

Woodland Gardens

The gardens continue to go from strength to strength and have been entered into several London in Bloom categories this year.

Looking ahead, plans are underway for a summer event, potentially linked to the public launch of the Tree Mapping initiative. This will be a wider Friends of Oxleas Woodlands event, with opportunities for members to get involved.

Governance

There are a few important governance updates:

The Health & Safety Coordinator role remains vacant.

The Steering Committee is preparing for change, with the current Secretary planning to step down at the next AGM.

Meeting dates for 2026 remain unchanged.

Health & Safety

A minor incident involving a saw blade cut was reported and treated on-site. As a result, improvements to how tools are transported—such as using dedicated crates—are being considered.

The group is also following up on the possibility of arranging a free First Aid awareness session for volunteers.

Recent practical investments include new tools such as litter-picking hoops, loppers and gloves, helping to support volunteer sessions and corporate workdays.

Other Matters

Following a recent fire involving a dead hedge in Jack Wood, the Steering Committee will review current practices to ensure safety while maintaining valuable habitat features.

Additional small but important items—such as dog waste provision at Castlewood Drive—will be raised at future meetings with park management.

As always, the continued support and involvement of members and volunteers remains at the heart of everything we do.