Stoning the Mound

Posted on the 31st of January, 2008 at around 3 PM

by Martin Young

On a fairly blustery day in September four hardy souls gathered at the Community Centre ready to tackle the 34 tonnes of stone which had been delivered to different areas of Paddock Mound. The meeting time was 9.30 but with only four people it was with trepidation that we set of. However, we need not have worried within minutes three more turned up then another two and so the day got under way. Groups were formed to handle the three different mounds of stone with people shovelling, arrowing and raking. Neighbouring residents proffered more wheelbarrows and implements to help in the job and chatted with the volunteers. New friendships were made and old acquaintances renewed. During the day small groups went down to the Community Centre to rest, chat and build up new energy reserves by eating and drinking the refreshments laid on by more volunteers. Through the day some 29 people in all helped renew, refurbish or create the footpaths which were beginning to show real degradation and in some places being completely washed away. Image of those who helped with the project during a short rest! This job was going to cost the parish many thousands of pounds but we did it for several hundred instead. Leaving the rest still to be spent on such things as new hedgerows, benches, signs and gates. So in this little corner of Telford something positive happened which will benefit many local people. As one volunteer said on the day 'this is what being in a community should be about' and another 'when is this going to happen again?' . After a couple of months a completely different slant was put on the work when a regular walker said 'I never used the whole site because it never felt safe but because of the work done I do. It just feels different'. So lets hope the 2nd February is just as successful when we get together once more to cut back a little vegetation and do some clearance of overgrown areas.

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