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20th July 2006
Action Day For Yorkshire Water & Morrisons Staff

On Thursday July 20th a volunteer team from Yorkshire Water and Morrisons (a Yorkshire Water contractor, not the supermarket!) came to Gledhow Valley Woods to help repair damage caused to the bank of Gledhow Beck by water erosion. The work was part of a "Business in the Community" initiative.

The group were well organised and brought with them all the equipment needed to complete the job of building, fitting and filling two gabions in the stream. The word gabion (from the Italian "gabbione" meaning "big cage") usually refers to a wire cage filled with rock or stone, used as a foundation or barrier against erosion.

Sand bags were used to divert the flow of the stream away from where work was in progress, and duckboards used to allow wheelbarrows access to the site.

Once in place, the rear halves of the gabions were filled with brick and the front faces filled with stone. The gabions were wired shut, and then the space behind them filled with remaining rubble and earth.

The team brought a professional, enthusiastic attitude to the job and worked really hard, stopping only for lunch. Leeds City Council Ranger Elaine Hill supervised them throughout and was very pleased with the quality of their work.

In fact, the team delivered more than was asked of them - they also filled in the path that the Friends of Gledhow Valley Woods were intending to work on during the next Action Morning.

The Friends Group were very grateful for the excellent work done, and thanked the team for all their hard work.

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