Conkers and the community

A couple of years ago I spotted a story about the demise of the humble horse chestnut tree so I wrote a blog about it. What I didn't know was this was going to be the start of an amazing story.
I've included the link to the original story :-

https://jeremysnewsthoughts.blogspot.com/2016/10/bonkers-its-end-of-conkers.html?m=1

So I wrote that and a few people read it, around a year later I was chatting to another Councillor prior to a meeting. During this conversation with Richard Kingstone I explained the situation of the reduction in Conker trees, Richard then used this to create a press release connected with the work he does in Wigginton Park.
And this is where the miraculous happened.

At the start of the month I was taking part in a litter pick with Dosthill Park Wildlife Group when I spoke to Mr and Mrs Moseley who were sitting on a bench over looking the river. Mr and Mrs Moseley had seen the article that Richard Kingstone had got in the Tamworth herald about conkers. The two of them had not only read the article but taken it upon themselves to plant and grow 10 conker trees AND they would like to give them to me and Richard to plant and support the growth on the conker tree.

So having spent the weekend in my care they have now been passed to Richard for planting in Wiggington Park.

So a big thank you to Mr and Mrs Moseley for growing these trees!!!

I have to comment on the whole series of events, 2 councillors having a chat and generating a tiny bit of interest sparked a year long project by two members of the community who we didn't know and now we have 10 new conker trees in Tamworth.

So linkages between 2 members of the public, the use of social media, printed press, public open space and the community groups looking after them all coming together with no intention as such and doing something small yet mighty.

It's just amazing how communities work when we have a mutual goal.

You must not be allowed in

Today I have witnessed two people driving in a way which just really winds me up. Now before it seems like I'm just picking on the VW Golf and Audi A3 this rant is not limited to those two drivers and this behaviour is a common sight delivered by all sorts of drivers in all sorts in vehicles.

So dual carriage ways and queues.

Dual carriage ways have one role and contra to belief dual carriage ways are not for creating race tracks and an opportunity to put your foot down, they are built to increase the capacity of the highway. Ooh stop and think about that a queue of 50 cars will take up half the distance on a dual carriage way that it will on a single carriage way. BUT only if we use it correctly and here lies my rant.

Why do drivers feel the need to negate the purpose of the dual carriage way and straddle the white line to stop anyone going passed them? I generally look ahead and pick a lane to get in. If the other lane is moving quicker then so be it. What I witnessed today was one of these drivers straddling the white line and when another driver went to drive passed without leaving the lane they were in the first drive literally drove the passing car off the road.
So my question what was the benefit to the first driver of extending the queue. Now the impact on me of this was one car passed me and joined the end of the queue ahead of me, so about 15 feet. Surely no one needs to get so stressed about progress of others they swerve to stop someone quite legitimately driving passed them in an open lane.

So moving on to the golf, we all make mistakes and sometimes don't realise what's on the road ahead. Today a bus was stationary at a bus stop so a couple of cars pulled up behind, it was then they realised it had its hazard lights on (I was 4 cars back). The first car indicated and began to pull round the bus and yes that meant into a queue of slow moving vehicles, the golf did all they could to stop this car getting in infront of them and passing the bus. No one cut anyone up or made anyone change direction or brake but the fanfare of car horns was almost orchestral. Just let the car out and let's all stay calm. If you're in traffic being a selfish person isn't got you help you progress.

OK got that off my chest

This has not been proof read yet so please excuse predictive text and spelling errors