Full turnout for Fences and Frontiers Walk despite the rain

By Peter Coles

On the final Sunday of this year’s Urban Tree Festival, a group of 14 refugees, asylum seekers and two volunteer coordinators from Fences and Frontiers braved the pouring rain and the Northern Line rail replacement bus to join a walk through the beautiful Golders Hill and The Hill parks, into West Heath woods and back through the Heath extension, with its ancient field layout, boundary oaks and hedgerows.  They’d come from all over the city and as far away as Dagenham.

The walk was led by local resident and UTF Steering Group member, Peter Coles, and was co-organised with Fences and Frontiers, with the generous support of the Woodland Trust. By serendipity, we retraced many of the sites and trees that David Humphries had talked about in his webinar on Ancient Trees on Friday 21st.

Judging by the smiles, laughter, singing and heart-warming feedback, everyone had a good time. For many it was the first time they’d visited this part of Northwest London, where it’s possible to think you’re in leafy countryside, miles from human habitation. Maya, who’d turned three the day before, and was born in Iran, even got a front row view of a Kookaburra swooping down from its perch to catch – and eat – an earthworm in Golders Hill Park zoo. Not a common part of an English countryside walk.