New Boardwalk Will Give Even Better Access To Chitty’s Common

Published on: 26 Aug, 2018
Updated on: 27 Aug, 2018

Volunteers who help look after Chitty’s Common at Rydes Hill are looking forward to laying a new boardwalk now funding for it has been granted.

Surrey Wildlife Trust, that overseas the management of the common on behalf of Surrey County Council, has been given £6,340 from SUEZ Communities Trust for the boardwalk.

The new boardwalk will link up with this existing one, giving better access across Chitty’s Common.

It will improve access to the five-hectare common, a green oasis and wet woodland on the edge of Stoughton.

The Friends of Chitty’s Common group will assist Surrey Wildlife Trust to install the boardwalk that will link up with an existing one to cross the wettest parts of the common.

Katy Fielding from Surrey Wildlife Trust said: “Chitty’s Common is a really important place for people to get close to nature. Visitors can view butterflies flying across the open grassland and discover the rich mosaic of habitats.

“There are wild flowers in the woodland areas, including large swathes of white flowering wild garlic in spring. There is also plenty of important dead wood that is left in-situ to provide an ideal habitat for many invertebrates including the rare stag beetle.

A path across the meadow at Chitty’s Common looking towards Rydes Hill Road.

SUEZ Communities Trust provides funding awards through the Landfill Communities Fund. This source of funding has been available since 1997 and has provided such worthy projects with more than £1.4 billion.

Sue Day from the Friends of Chitty’s Common group said: “This now means we will have a completed boardwalk from the Keen’s Lane footpath through to the meadow area of the common. We thank SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd, formerly SITA UK Limited, who operate in the Guildford area.

“Surrey Wildlife Trust has sent out tenders to three contractors to lay the foundations. Once this is in place, volunteers are required to lay the planks and secure. An additional date may be included in October if all goes according to plan.”

Waterlilies on the pond at Chitty’s Common.

The friends group is meeting on the following Sundays from 10am to 4pm to continue their work on the common. New volunteers are always welcome.

September 23 and Sunday October 21: Pond restoration at the top of the common by the meadow. The small pond had completely dried up during the summer months and the group says September and October is an ideal time to do this work. The volunteers will also be starting to work their way upwards towards the top of Rydes Hill with another work party. A bonfire will be lit between the two teams.

November 4 and December 16: Under the leadership of staff from Surrey Wildlife Trust, there will be work for volunteers to start to get to grips with “planking” and joining up the boardwalk.

Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided on all dates. Any contributions on the day, most welcome.

For more details contact Pauline Searle on 01483 825424.

Share This Post