Dancing on Brownsea Island
Sleepy today...
Had a very good day yesterday.
Anonymous Morris's charity for this year is the Dorset Wildlife Trust. As the Trust look after a large chunk of Brownsea Island (which is where the Scout movement began, is a SSSI nature reserve and also in the middle of Poole Harbour), we asked if we could go and dance there.
We had a very good day on the Island. Went over on the National Trust boat at 9:30 and explored part of the island while things were nice and quiet.
Things are changing in the National Trust. One very welcome change is the existence of purple tree signs. They mean "You are positively encouraged to climb this tree".
Which several of us promptly did.
Later on, we found supplies of wood stacked wigwam style against tree trunks. These are also for play. Build your own shelter and play in it. Youngest dancer promptly tested one of them out.
Later on, a couple of us had fun with a dug out canoe (on land, but still fun).
There was also wildlife and the obligatory red squirrel sighting.
As our recorder player is the church warden, we also visited St Mary's, the island church. It has no main electricity and is lit only by candles. The harmonium, which Janet also plays, is powered by someone hand pumping the bellows. Callum proved a very good bellows pumper.
We did several dance spots around the island (good hard standing (and chairs for the audience) outside the National Trust cafe.) Things were relatively quiet, because it was the day of the Bournemouth Air show, but we still had enough audience to collect over £50 for the Dorset Wildlife Trust. (One lady, who was really keen on their marine conservation work, put in a ten pound note!)
Richard took everyone round the Nature Reserve while I stayed and looked after all the kit (felt fair as I've had most opportunities to go round it). I even collected a few extras pounds by playing the concertina while they were gone.
It was a good day out and a nice chance for the side to socialise as well as dance together.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth where it has
comments.
Had a very good day yesterday.
Anonymous Morris's charity for this year is the Dorset Wildlife Trust. As the Trust look after a large chunk of Brownsea Island (which is where the Scout movement began, is a SSSI nature reserve and also in the middle of Poole Harbour), we asked if we could go and dance there.
We had a very good day on the Island. Went over on the National Trust boat at 9:30 and explored part of the island while things were nice and quiet.
Things are changing in the National Trust. One very welcome change is the existence of purple tree signs. They mean "You are positively encouraged to climb this tree".
Which several of us promptly did.
Later on, we found supplies of wood stacked wigwam style against tree trunks. These are also for play. Build your own shelter and play in it. Youngest dancer promptly tested one of them out.
Later on, a couple of us had fun with a dug out canoe (on land, but still fun).
There was also wildlife and the obligatory red squirrel sighting.
As our recorder player is the church warden, we also visited St Mary's, the island church. It has no main electricity and is lit only by candles. The harmonium, which Janet also plays, is powered by someone hand pumping the bellows. Callum proved a very good bellows pumper.
We did several dance spots around the island (good hard standing (and chairs for the audience) outside the National Trust cafe.) Things were relatively quiet, because it was the day of the Bournemouth Air show, but we still had enough audience to collect over £50 for the Dorset Wildlife Trust. (One lady, who was really keen on their marine conservation work, put in a ten pound note!)
Richard took everyone round the Nature Reserve while I stayed and looked after all the kit (felt fair as I've had most opportunities to go round it). I even collected a few extras pounds by playing the concertina while they were gone.
It was a good day out and a nice chance for the side to socialise as well as dance together.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth where it has
comments.