Ventnor Blog

This just in from Ellie Jenkins. Well done to all those concerned. Great to see the community getting involved for the benefit of the many - Ed.

St John’s Park, Ryde is looking a lot cleaner after a community clear-up day on Sunday 14 September.

The park is a privately owned woodland between East Hill and West Hill Roads, which is open to the public. Once a year local people turn out to help clear up any rubbish.

This year over twenty local residents including Ryde Town Councillor Adrian Whittaker and his family joined forces throughout the day to pull out a big pile of litter and junk, with support from the park owners, Isle of Wight Council’s parks and Countryside section, and businesses Island Printers, Pinkeye Graphics and Biffa Waste.

Thanks!
Chair of the owner’s group, Ellie Jenkins of West Hill Road, Ryde was delighted by the turnout. She said “Thank you to everyone who came along to help. It is fantastic that so many people are willing to give up their Sunday morning to clear up this beautiful and little-known wood. I hope the event has put the park on the map for locals and I’m sure people will think twice about dumping rubbish in it now it looks so tidy!”

Parks and Countryside Manager, Matthew Chatfield said “The owners of this woodland are doing Ryde a great service by making such a splendid place available for people to enjoy.

“It’s also a great resource for wildlife, including of course, the delightfull red squirrels and some impressive veteran oaks that are probably older than the surrounding houses. The amount of rubbish dumped is lower than it was a few years ago, and it really seems as though most people are now respecting and appreciating the wood.”

Community, Ryde