Routes To Success at New Ferry Butterfly Park

Wirral Metropolitan College runs a `Routes To Success’ programme for young adults not in employment, education or training, to help them prepare for these. Group members visited New Ferry Butterfly Park for three mornings in November 2022 to January 2023.

Bramble before the group got to work

After the bramble clearance

Large bramble roots dug out

They did some hard work clearing bramble from part of the upper level, which had got overgrown when Covid disrupted our volunteer work. Some of them enjoyed digging out the large roots! They also cleared in front of the perching wall, coppiced two large buddleias and the rose by the Pupa artwork, and had a go at digging out the sycamore root by the Pupa. We’ve been trying to get rid of that sycamore for years!

Coppicing buddleia

Coppicing the rose by the Pupa artwork

The final session was with some snow still around, so was mostly spent clearing the brash from the previous monthly workday, when hedge-laying had been in progress. However two young men were able to have a go with a saw, under the careful supervision of Steve, to remove ivy-grown hawthorn from round the industrial history notice board, which we hope to replace shortly. And one young lady found out she really could push a wheelbarrow!

Clearing brash in the snow

Using a polesaw to remove hawthorn and ivy near the noticeboard

Success at removing the hawthorn

Developing wheelbarrow skills!

Thank you to the young adults involved, to Ian and his staff for bringing the group, and to Steve, Pete and Hilary who led the activities.