December 2025 newsletter
Duck! Here comes another year.
Welcome to the Friends of Brislington Brook December newsletter – cutting it a little fine on the 31st of December true – but… fresh off the press for the New Year!
In this month’s edition…
- Allotment update
- The Benefits of Volunteering
- Upcoming dates for your diary
If there’s something you’d like to include in our newsletter, let us know by emailing
info.fobb@gmail.com
Allotment Update
The contracts for our allotments are now all signed and we have possession. They are plots 59 and 60 on the Rock Allotments, off Allison Road.
The council kindly cut the overhanging hedge at the road end of the access lane, so that we can have our storage container delivered. We will be using it to store all our tools and equipment, which will be a huge improvement on the current situation where they are scattered around various members sheds and garages.
The CIL grant money should be transferred to Bricks at St Annes House sometime in January, in the meantime I will try to find a supplier so that we can have it installed by the end of January.
Geoff – Treasurer
Why Volunteer with FoBB?
Many of us have a desire to improve our natural environment, but there is so much more to be gained from becoming a FoBB volunteer. The social benefits of nature volunteering include meeting like-minded people, building strong community bonds, feeling a sense of place and fostering a shared sense of purpose.
With regard to mental health, work party activities create a supportive network, offering a sense of belonging and positive social interaction. Volunteers experience a sense of connection and accomplishment, leading to enhanced feelings of wellbeing. Psychologically, nature volunteering improves our mood. lifts our spirits; decreases feelings of anxiety; allows us to take a break from the distractions of modern life; provides headspace; and increases our resilience to cope with stress. There is nothing better to beat the winter blues and to stave off feelings of loneliness and social isolation.
The physical benefits of nature volunteering are numerous. Work party activities encourage us to exercise, which reduces the risk of us developing chronic illness; improves our memory skills and cognitive function; boosts our immune system (trees release chemicals called photoncides, which have an antimicrobial effect on human bodies); and allow us to pause long enough for our parasympathetic nervous system to come back to baseline.
FoBB volunteers look forward to our monthly work parties, which we alternate between St Anne’s Wood and Nightingale Valley. In the winter, they certainly blow away the cobwebs!
The next work party is on Saturday 10th January, meeting at 10am at the Hill Lawn entrance to Nightingale Valley.
There will be an activity for everyone, no matter how able bodied you are. Some of you may have considered coming along to previous work parties but haven’t quite made it. It’s taking that first step that’s most difficult, stepping out of your comfort zone. However, you will find us to be a friendly bunch. We even have Welcomer volunteers who will take you under their wing and clarify anything you’re unsure of. What’s more, we have fun! So … we hope to see you on the 10th January for our first work party of the year. We have big plans for the St Anne’s Valleys and you can be part of that, introducing your own ideas. It’s our green space and we can make it truly remarkable. A Happy New Year to you all!
Jackie Friel, Vice Chair
The next meeting will be January’s annual planning meeting, from 7-8:00pm on Wednesday 14th January at The Langton in the skittles alley. Anyone with an idea or interest welcome.
Our next work party (stream clean, litter picking and sycamore popping – a triple whammy!) will be 10am on Saturday 10th January meeting at the Hill Lawn entrance to Nightingale Valley
Moving forward we are considering moving work parties to THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH (from the first Saturday) so please watch this space and our socials!
