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Event
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Photos
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Sunday 20th July - Tai Chi on the Hill
Funded by Bristol Primary Care Trust
 Another breezy day on Troopers Hill Field for our third Tai Chi session and Ben moved us to the other side of the field to get some shelter from the wind.
The last date for this year is
10th August but since this has proved so popular we hope to do more next year. Each session focuses on a different set of moves so you do not need to have been to the earlier sessions to take part in the later ones - do come and join us.
Due to the enthusiasm of the participants Ben is hoping that there will be enough interest to allow him to run evening classes in the St George area. Please contact the Bristol School of Tai Chi or Friends of Troopers Hill if you are interested.
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Photos
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Sunday 29th June - Tai Chi on the Hill
Funded by Bristol Primary Care Trust
A dry if breezy day for our second Tai Chi session with Ben from the Bristol School of Tai Chi. Again there was an excellent response, with several people saying they would be interested in joining regular classes if a suitable venue can be found in the area.
Other dates for this year are
20th July & 10th August. Each session focuses on a different set of moves so you do not need to have been to the earlier sessions to take part in the later ones - do come and join us.
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Photos
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Saturday 28th June - Music on the Hill
 As a relaxation after a hectic afternoon we held our second summer evening music concert. Following the success of 2006, the 2007 event was washed out but the weather held for us this year, though the wind created a few problems with keeping the music on the stands.
The music was performed by the South Gloucestershire Youth Jazz Orchestra (SoGYJO) who put on a wonderful performance that was enjoyed by a very appreciative audience. SoGYJO is organised as part of the South Gloucestershire Music Service and receives financial support from the Rosemary Bugden Charitable Trust. Our thanks to Greg Mort for additional photographs of both this event and Trooping the Hill. ▲
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Saturday 28th June - Trooping the Hill
 A new local tradition to celebrate the summer and uncover the secrets of Troopers Hill...
This was a fun, interactive performance that whisked us on a journey through time and space sharing stories, music and song inspired by Troopers Hill.
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Sunday 8th June - Tai Chi on the Hill
Funded by Bristol Primary Care Trust
We were blessed with a wonderful sunny June morning for our first Tai Chi session. Ben from the Bristol School of Tai Chi took us through the first moves of the short form and gave us some insight into how popular this activity is in China. This was a new experience for most people but everyone said they would be back for the later sessions.
Other dates for this year are 29th June;
20th July & 10th August. Each session will focus on a different set of moves so you do not need to have been to the earlier sessions to take part in the later ones - do come and join us.
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Photos
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Friday 25th April - Through the Seasons Walk
The second of four relaxed Friday strolls over the hill this year. One of the features of Troopers Hill that you will not find anywhere else in Bristol is the wild broom. Broom has bright yellow flowers in the Spring and was giving a wonderful display, though the cold spring meant that it was not as far advanced as at this time last year.
We were able to use the new steps on the path through Troopers Hill Woods that have been built by two year-10 pupils from John Cabot Academy who were taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. We were also pleased to be joined by two members of staff from local schools who came to find out more about the hill with the aim of getting local school children involved in some projects on the hill later in the year.
A Nature in the City Event
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Photo
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Sunday 30th March - Early Bird Walk
At Eastwood Farm Local Nature Reserve
Ed Drewitt was our guide to the sight and sound of local birds on a wonderful sunny morning for this joint event with the Friends of Eastwood Farm. With the river, water meadows and woodland the reserve has a great range of habitats which allowed us to see and hear a large number of different birds. Many thanks to 'Ma & Pa' at Beeses' Bar and Tea Gardens for getting up early (7am on the day the clocks changed) to run their ferry and to lay on tea and coffee after the walk.
A Nature in the City Event
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Friday 21st March - Good Friday Service
The traditional Good Friday Service on Troopers Hill is organised by Churches Together in East Bristol. The procession started from Summerhill Methodist Church at 11.30am and came to Troopers Hill via the main road, The Avenue and Malvern Rd. Friends of Troopers Hill were be on hand on the hill to tell visitors about the hill, its wildlife and history.
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Sunday 2nd March - Geology Walk
Local geomorphologist Eileen Stonebridge took us on a tour of discovery on Troopers Hill to learn more about the 300 million years of history hidden in the rocks. Eileen provided much of the content of our Geology Leaflet and was a very entertaining and enthusiastic speaker on a sunny Sunday morning.
You can learn more about geomorphology at www.geomorphology.org.uk and about Geology at the British Geological Survey website.
A Nature in the City Event
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Photos
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Friday 1st February 2008 - Through the Seasons Walk
Our series of Friday strolls over the hill proved so popular last year that we decided to run them again in 2008. On a bright and sunny February morning, we attracted several people who had not been to the hill for many years. As well as describing the history and wildlife this month's walk was a chance to look at the work that had been carried out in accordance with the Troopers Hill LNR Management Planby Bristol Parks over the winter to protect the heathland and grassland from encroaching bramble and scrub.
A Nature in the City Event
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Friday 7th December - Through the Seasons Walk
For our final Friday meander over Troopers Hill for this year we were lucky to have a dry morning after a very wet and windy night, though there was a cold wind. Even at this time of year this is still some colour on the hill, the gorse was in flower and we saw a late flowering golden rod. There was also a colourful jay in the gully. We were pleased to be joined by 3 different walking for health groups.
A Nature in the City Event
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Sunday 14th October - Kite Flying Event
For the second year running we managed to choose a day without wind for trying to fly kites. Unbelievably there was even less wind than last year. After some early attempts when a slight breeze appeared, all thoughts of kite flying demonstrations were put to one side as we watched smoke in the distance rise straight up.
Despite the lack of wind we had a good turnout. Susan and Sue were kept busy in the craft gazebo with a steady stream of children wanting to make their own kites. This year's design of a basic sled paper kite was more successful than last year's; instructions on how to make one can be found here. The design was found with other kite information on the Exeter Kite Central web page. We also made kites from plastic carrier bags with the breast cancer care logo and collected over £17 that was donated to Breast Cancer Care.
The lack of wind didn't deter our young fliers and lots of energy was used running around the hill trying to get kites to fly. There were some valiant attempts to get kites airborne; a plastic green kite that someone brought was the most successful.
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Sunday 7th October - Fungi Foray
Led by Justin Smith this tour of Troopers Hill and the adjacent woodland found 24 different species. Considering the dry weather so far this autumn this was far more than the organisers had predicted!. Over 40 people joined us, many who were visiting Troopers Hill for the first time. The event was organised as part of the hugely successful Nature in the City Project and given its popularity we hope that Justin will join us for another foray next year.
Justin also carried out a further survey a few weeks later, you can read Justin's report and species list from both visits here.
A Nature in the City Event
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Saturday 22nd September - Troopers Hill Discovery Day
 To celebrate the conclusion of our Breathing Places Project we held an exhibition on Troopers Hill Field in a big tent kindly loaned by the Forest of Avon.
This was an opportunity for everyone to learn more about the history, geology and wildlife of Troopers Hill. It also marked the launch of our new Site Information Leaflets. As well as the exhibition we organised a tree walk through Crews Hole Woodland.
The weather was ideal, dry with sunny spells and it was good to welcome at least one visitor who hadn't been to the hill for 50 years and some who had come for the first time.
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Sunday 9th September - Avon Valley Walk
 Friends of Troopers Hill and Nature in the City joined forces with the Bristol Living Rivers Project again this year for an exploration of some of the wonderful sites in our part of the Avon Valley. This guided walk took us through Conham, Dundridge Park, Troopers Hill, St Anne’s Woods, Nightingale Valley & Eastwood Farm finishing at Beeses' Bar and Tea Gardens to catch the ferry back to Conham.
The weather was ideal with lots of sunshine but not too warm for a walk of just under 6 miles with some steep sets of steps.
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Friday 7th September - Through the Seasons Walk
Our third Friday walk was blessed with warm sunshine and blue skies. Some of the heather was still in flower and there was plenty of the yellow golden rod. Some of the broom had also got confused with the seasons and was showing its yellow flowers.
Some of the walkers were making their first visit to the hill, others were regular visitors but we hope that everyone learnt something new.
A Nature in the City Event
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Thur 30th August - Aero-Bat-ics
Having seen bats flying at the end of the two BRERC Workshops in the week before this event we were hopeful that they would put on a good display again this evening.
Over forty people joined us on a dry but slightly breezy evening and Avon Bat Group had kindly loaned some bat detectors, but unfortunately most of the bats kept away. There were a couple of brief sightings as bats flew overhead but none of the aerial displays that we have sometimes seen over the hill.
A Nature in the City Event
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Saturday 11th August - Family Fun Picnic
A fantastic weekend with the wet summer of 2007 finally giving way to blue skies and sunshine.
This year's picnic featured a Bugs & Beasties Walk led by Rupert Higgins looking for some of the hill's smallest inhabitants. Rupert has been involved with Troopers Hill for many years and we were pleased that the support of the Big Lottery Fund Breathing Places grant and Bristol Parks' Nature in the City Project allowed us to welcome him back to host an event that proved very popular with children of all ages.
Troopers Hill is a great place to watch the balloons flying from Ashton Court and this always attracts the crowds if the weather is good.
To help publicise the event and to pass on information about the hill to the many visitors we set up a gazebo on the Friday evening and were rewarded with a great view of the balloons. Saturday morning saw the Avon Valley cloaked in mist so that the balloons could only be seen as ghostly shapes in the distance. On Saturday the balloons headed further north but could still be seen in the distance from the hill.
After the event we held the draw for our grand raffle which had a first prize of balloon flight for two kindly donated by Somerfield which was won by Jason who lives nearby in St George. Other prizes included a wonderful wooden vase turned from a Silver Birch that used to grow on Troopers Hill – a truly unique item; a meal for two at Beeses Riverside Bar & Tea Gardens and a year’s free membership of Barton Hill History Group, together with a book and video on the history of the area.
There were lots of other prizes and we were very pleased to find that altogether we raised £400. A big thank you to everyone who bought tickets.
More photos of the event can be found on flickr where a group has now been setup dedicated to pictures of Troopers Hill.
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Fri evening
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Sat morning
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Bugs & Beasties
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Throughout the summer 2007
Flora and Fauna Recognition Workshops
These workshops were run by Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BRERC) more details are on our Breathing Places project page.
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Saturday 30th June - Music on the Hill
Fortunately the rain was forecast well in advance, so although we were disappointed to have to cancel this event we were able to make the descision on the Thursday and give people plenty of notice. Radio Bristol described it as a wise descision when they reported it on the morning show. We hope to see you all next year!
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Friday 1st June - Through the Seasons Walk
Another dry day for the second of four short Friday walks to explore Troopers Hill, its history and wildlife.
There was a chance to look at the early summer flowers and the first purple of the heather, while some of the broom was also still in flower. As well as talking about the history of the site Rob also explained the work to clear some of the trees and scrub that had been carried out during the winter and spring.
A Nature in the City Event
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Thur 24th May - Tree Gazing Walk
Tree spotting on Troopers Hill LNR, Troopers Hill Field and in Crews Hole Woodland on a wonderful sunny evening.
Local expert Tony Tichen took us on an entertaining ramble describing the trees and showing how they can be identified. We found a sessile oak in Crews Hole Woodland and talked about the different hybrids of poplars and willows that we saw. Tony also told us how to distinguish between the different maples and why the oak was out before the ash this year.
A Nature in the City Event
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Friday 6th April - Good Friday Service
This year's Good Friday service on Troopers Hill, organised by local churches, was blessed with great weather and again saw a great turn out. Friends of Troopers Hill again had a gazebo and display on the site in order to spread the word about Troopers Hill Local Nature Reserve.
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Friday 2nd March - Through the Seasons Walk
We were blessed with wonderful early spring sunshine for the first of four short Friday walks to explore Troopers Hill, its history and wildlife.
Rob Acton-Campbell described the history of the site while Sally Oldfield talked about the unique wildlife. We were also lucky enough to meet Nick Hudson who was able to give a brief introducton to the different types of mosses that are found on the hill. An illustration of the recent mild weather was given by the fact that in Sally's glade we saw the first broom flower of the year.
A Nature in the City Event
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Thursday 1st March - CABE Space Conference Visit
Friends of Troopers Hill were delighted to be asked to show Troopers Hill to some of the delagates to the CABE Space Conference being held in Bristol. We were able to talk about our activities on the hill and how we work with Bristol Parks. Our visitors were from Parks departments around the country and seemed to be impressed with what we have achieved over the last 3 years.
Andy from Wigan took the great panoramic view.
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Thursday 15th February 2007 - Quiz Night & Raffle
Three teams from Friends of Troopers Hill did battle with 9 other teams from other nature reserve groups, Bristol Parks and South Gloucestershire Council at Beeses' Bar and Tea Gardens.
Congratulations to the team from Three Brooks LNR in Bradley Stoke who went away with the fiirst prize.
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