Breaking New Ground
c/o Visitor Centre, Brandon Country Park, Bury Road, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0SU
01842 815465 e: [email protected] t: @TheBrecksBNG
f: TheBrecksBNG. w: www.breakingnewground.org.uk
What the Brecks Means to Me...
To me, the Brecks is a landscape full of discoveries waiting to be made. Until I started
working for Breaking New Ground 7 months ago, my only experience of the Brecks was
had been to visit Brandon on my narrowboat in the hope of spotting otters.
So it has been a great adventure to go out and explore what the Brecks has to offer—the
forest and heath are both so rich with wildlife and history. I love how incredibly varied my job
can be—one day I could be out helping to release a previously extinct species of pool frog and
then the next I could be visiting a museum or talking about the history of the forest with
someone who grew up there. Another highlight was spending the day on Brandon Heath with
a drone camera man helping him shoot footage of our Ground Disturbance project.
Over the next few months there is a lot to be
excited about but one thing I’m particularly looking
forwards to is the opening of our new Brecks Trail
next month—as a keen walker I can’t wait to follow
this new trail from West Stow to Brandon Country
Park. We’ll be holding an event to explore this new
route as part of the Suffolk Walking Festival.
Amy Tillson
Business Support Officer, Breaking New Ground
Get your project noticed!: If there is something that you would like included in the next newsletter,
please send details to Amy and Martina by 22nd April: [email protected]
Were you fooled by our story on April 1st?
Don’t worry, your Frisbees are safe from “Keith”, there won’t really be
any Elemoths roaming the heaths of the Brecks!
If you are interested in learning about a time when Wooly Mammoths
did roam the Brecks, then come to “Ice Age Brecks” a day school on
April 23rd 9:30-17:00, Thetford Carnegie Room.
The Day School will focus on the contribution that successive warm
and cold periods have made to life and landscape in the area. We will
introduce you to the evidence for environmental change, not forgetting
to weave in the story of earliest human occupation. To book, follow this
link:
http://www.breakingnewground.org.uk/events/ice-age-brecks/
Breaking News Newsletter for Breaking New Ground Landscape Partnership Scheme
Landscape Revolutions
project Workshops
The landscape of the Brecks was transformed in
the period c.1700-1930. Many parishes
experienced dramatic change during this time as
heathland commons were replaced by enclosed
fields and plantations. Through the Landscape
Revolutions project, our partners the University of
East Anglia will seek to chart these changes and
explore the stories behind them, drawing together
existing research and presenting new findings
through a new project website using interactive
maps.
There will be several introductory workshops for
groups or individuals who might be interested in
the project or getting involved. There will be a short
talk on the project, and the landscape history of
Breckland followed by an opportunity to look at
historic maps and other sources from the period.
Workshop Dates: More info and booking at
http://bit.ly/1RWY8pt
16th April 10:30-1pm Santon Downham Village Hall
30th April 10:30-1pm Santon Downham Classroom
7th May 10:30-1pm Santon Downham Classroom
28th May 10:30-1pm United Reform Church Thetford
Progress on the Engine
House
We’re excited to report that works have now started on the restoration of the Engine House at Brandon Country Park, so we will keep you up to date as things progress!
Earlier in the month we had a visit from 89 year
old Ronald Rule, whose father worked as a
chauffeur for Brandon Park in the 1930s. Ronald
grew up in a house in the grounds of Brandon
Park, near the Engine House, where his father
also worked. He showed us some fascinating
photos of his childhood and then we went for a
walk to look at how the Engine House has
changed.
A newsflash for project partners and participants with news items, project updates,
special features and forthcoming events.
April 2016
Project Focus
B4: Wildlife Recorders of Tomorrow
There is a lot going on with the Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service “Wildlife Recorders of
Tomorrow” project at the moment in a drive to get everyone on-line to record the wildlife they see:
Bee Workshops
Steven Falk, author of the Field Guide to Bees of Great Britain and Ireland, will be giving two free
workshops on the Bees of the Brecks to help you identify, record and conserve bees.
Spring Workshop: Blossom Loving Bees
Date: 23 April 2016 - 24 April 2016
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Location: Lynford Lakes, Lynford, Norfolk.,
Free but booking essential. http://www.breakingnewground.org.uk/events/
bees-of-the-brecks-spring-blossom-loving-bees/
Summer Workshops: Heath Loving Bees
Date: 16 July 2016 - 17 July 2016
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Location: Cranwich Heath
Free but booking essential: http://www.breakingnewground.org.uk/events/
bees-of-the-brecks-summer-heath-loving-bees/
Launch of WildWalks
A great new way to discover the Brecks through a series of short walks, and record the wildlife that you see
whilst you are out and about. Find out more at http://www.nbis.org.uk/breckswildwalks
Easter Wildlife Hunt
Date: 8 April 2016 - 10 April 2016
Time: 10:00 - 16:30
Location: Brandon Country Park IP27 0SU
Come to Brandon Country Park and pick up your
wildlife recording card, then go out and see how many
species you can find! Bring your card back for a prize!
More Wildlife Recording Introductory Sessions
If you are keen to start recording wildlife and would like to learn more, come along to our of NBIS’s
introductory sessions. Next dates are 28th & 30th April and 19th and 21st May To book: https://
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-session-wildlife-recorders-of-tomorrow-tickets-
19745280666
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Events Coming Up:
Easter Wildlife Hunt: 8-10 April, Brandon Country Park
Brecks Building Skills—From the Ground Up: 9th April, West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, 10-4
Landscape Revolution Introductory Sessions: Various dates in April and May (see cover)
Ice Age Brecks 23rd April, Thetford Carnegie Room 09:30-17:00
Bees of the Brecks 23-24th April Lynford Lakes, 10-4pm
IBA Watercolour Workshop: Painting a Wildlflower: 7th May Santon Downham Village Hall
Find out more and book at http://www.breakingnewground.org.uk/events
Picture of the
Month Pupils from Drakes
Primary School celebrating their new raised beds provided
by the builders working at the school (Morgan Sindall) and
tree nursery developed through
the BNG in the School Grounds project with the Green Light Trust
Project Focus
C13: Brecks Fest 2016
Thanks to everyone who came along to this year’s Brecks Fest at West Stow Anglo-Saxon Village, we hope you had a great time despite the weather! We loved seeing the very first performance of ‘Bex and Rex in the Beastly Brecks’ by Tangram Theatre. Look out for further performances at
schools and events throughout the year.