Page 6 - Hunstanton Town & Around - September 2013
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6 Hunstanton Town & Around September 2013                             Tel: 01485 533422 email: editor@townandaround.net

        Roadside Nature Reserves                             Tim Hall
        Grant Rundle MCGI FInstLM
        Community & External Funding Officer                 Having been painting for fifteen years professionally, Tim's passion
        Norfolk’s roadside verges stretch  moved  around  the  countryside.  for his beloved Norfolk grows stronger every year. This passion has
        for thousands of miles and are such  Hand-scything continued in some  spilled over the border into Suffolk and Essex, as these beautiful
        an integral part of the landscape that  places until the end of the 1950’s,  counties hold many potential vistas yet to be painted, although Tim
        it is easy to take them for granted.  with the cuttings raked up and used  has produced some Suffolk watercolours and oil paintings from his
        Yet  many  verges  contain  plant  for hay. This form of management  visits to Snape and Aldeburgh.
        species  that,  although  once  produced the species-rich grassland  Having  just  completed  his  thirteenth  annual  solo  exhibition  at
        common, are now nationally rare or  that  still  exists  on  some  verges  Brancaster Staithe, Tim is still amazed at the diverse beaches that East
        scarce.  To  help  to  protect  them,  today. As a result, roadside verges  Anglia has to offer, with their stunning expanse and light.  He tries to
        these special sites are designated  are among the few remaining places  capture that in his work, for painting is not about what you see but
        Roadside Nature Reserves (RNR’s)  where  plants  that  were  once  rather how you feel about the subject you view. Such is the diversity
        under the Roadside Nature Reserve  common can still be seen growing  of  our  beaches  here  in  Norfolk,  from  the  stripes  in  the  cliffs  at
        Scheme,  and  are  individually  in the wild.        Hunstanton to the pebbles at Sheringham, the white and red striped
        managed to benefit the plants and  The scheme was launched in the  iconic lighthouse at Happisburgh to the dunes of Waxham onto the
        animals that live there.   mid-1990’s, and is run jointly by  golden sands of Great Yarmouth, Gorleston and beyond - how lucky
          Many roadside verges are very  Norfolk County Council and May  we are to have this.
        old, lining routes that have changed  Gurney.  There  are  currently  111  Tim's approach to painting is to just go out and let the ideas to paint
        little  since  they  were  laid  down  RNR’s in Norfolk, with a combined  come to him. Music plays an integral part in his inspiration, that is
        centuries  ago.  These  verges  length  of  over  15kms,  and  new  listening to, not playing, as the only note Tim can handle is a ten pound
        represent  tiny  fragments  of  the  verges are designated each year.  one!
        unimproved, semi-natural grassland  If you know of a special roadside  With further exhibitions to come, Tim doesn't yet know what he will
        that   was   once   widespread  verge with high biodiversity worthy  produce - that is the wonder of just letting the stunning beauty of East
        throughout the country, but which  of being designated as a Roadside  Anglia unfold before you.
        has declined by 98% since 1945, as  Nature  Reserve,  contact  Norfolk  www.tim-hall.co.uk
        a  result  of  changes  of  land  use,  County Council’s Biodiversity and
        intensive cultivation and drainage.  Countryside  team  on  0344  800
        In  the  past,  road  verges  were  8020 or go to www.norfolk.gov.uk
        cropped  for  hay,  or  grazed  by  to find out more.
        domestic  livestock  as  they  were







                       Thursday 26th Sept – 7.30pm
                The West Norfolk members’ group invites you to
                     an illustrated talk by Sivi Sivanesan
                        of  Froglife  on   Amphibians
          Find out how to identify British amphibians and manage your pond.
             Venue: Hunstanton Methodist Church Hall, Austin Street
                    Cost: £2.00 members / £2.50 visitors
          Hunstanton Methodist Church

                   (at the top of Austin Street)
                       Each Sunday morning we
                       meet at 10.30am for
                       family-friendly worship

                       Come and join us
                       5th/6th October –
                       Good Heavens!
                       Exhibition, talk, supper
                       and Harvest Praise

           www.hunstantonmethodistchurch.org.uk                      If you go down to the woods today by Tim Hall
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