Camp reports
Another camp, another site, but we re still on the Wilts & Berks Canal...
September on the Wilts & Berks
Saturday afternoon and Sunday. Five of us on this camp had been heavily involved with the Droitwich Barge Lock Yet another unofficial camp at this site: unof- project, and unfortunately for us the grand ficial in that five of the navvies decided after opening was arranged for the Friday of this the Easter camps that we ought to have ancamp. We would obviously all have liked to other one this year, albeit only a 4-day camp. attend at Droitwich, not only to see the We were very fluky in view of the short finished project, but to provide a few extra duration that the weather was ideal, and we red T-shirted WRGies to support Mike were able to work longish days, raising one Palmer. In view of our camp only being four of the parapet walls another eight courses. days, we felt that we couldn t spare most of We are now only two courses from the copus for three-quarters of a day away, so John ing stones on that side, and Martin Thompand Martin went as our representatives. son, John Hawkins, Rob Brotherston and We had two sloping planks leading myself came away well satisfied with our from the bank up to the top lift of scaffoldbricklaying work. We were ably assisted this ing, which Mina the dog found a bit offtime by Ken Whapples fetching and carrying, puffing at first. However, she realised that if supplying us with bricks and mortar. We also she was to fulfil her role as supervising the had help from Richard Hawkins (no relation work (which she sees as a dog s duty on a to John!) from Wootton Bassett Branch on camp) she would have to overcome her fears, and she was soon treading the boards like a good un. Di got very frustrated with the cooker at Watchfield Village Hall, which has a double oven, neither of which works as it should. One has a series of five buttons with symbols which noone understood, two of which have to be pressed to make the oven work at all, and it still didn t cook properly, and the other burnt the tops of puddings without cooking the middle! Steppingstones has been a rather long drawn-out project but it s good to see progress being made. Parapet walls nearing completion Rachael Banyard John Hawkins
Steppingstones Lane Bridge 25-28 September 2008
page 14