A quick reminder that entries close soon for our 36th ANNUAL HEDGELAYING COMPETITION

To be held at Fletching Mill Farm By kind permission of Howard Venters on Sunday 16th February 2020

As a bonus this year we have Vintage Tractors from Chailey Tractor Club and Sponsorship from our local Isuzu  dealer Haven Motors

You need to be a paid up member of the society, and entries close 2nd February 2020

Entry Form

Special announcement:

• Last coppicing day of the season
• Stakes and binders needed for  hedgelaying events at President v Chairman 
• Competition( 25 Jan), Fun Day (14 March) , Midland Day ( 21 March)
• Location- Blunts Wood , Haywards Heath RH16 1NE  MAP
• Time – 8.15am meet at car park
• Free Hot food being provided , BYO  bowl , mug and spoon

​Let Phill Piddell know if you can make it , by emailing him at sehlsmembership@gmail.com

Matthew Beard

2020 kicked off with our improvers day, where we test what trainees have learnt over the course of their training.  We run the day as a mini competition, with minimal help from the trainers.
This gave our trainers the chance to cut some hedge!

The site was near Hastings, and while the ground was very soggy it was a cold dry day, so perfect weather for hedgelaying!

Weirdly there were sections of hedge which were on the other side of a wire fence (owned by someone else), so of course we had to leave these sections out additionally there were a few trees which were to remain as standards (mainly apples)
The fence was to remain, and as luck would have it we had some left hander sections and some right hander sections, which worked out just right with the number of people attending.

Most of our trainees worked in pairs this year, although a few brave souls had a go individually.

Steve and Chris had finished their cutting before I had even started, but of course had to then wait for their neighbours to catch up, so they had a chance to get a very early tea break.

The day progressed well, and very quickly with most sections down and ready to bind not long after mid day.    Food was provided by the landowners, so a welcome break at about 1pm gave everyone a chance to chat and view other sections.

After our lunch the stakes and binders were swiftly finished, to a height of 3'6" (it was a quite sparse hedge).

Alan Ashby was our judge for the day, and while close he awarded the win to the speedy twins Steve and Chris.

Chris had a long drive home so left before he found out about his victory, which is also why he is not in the picture.

A great dry day, and a nice looking finished hedge

Pictures of course
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nh2vJ9RTv7GMN4vW6

A really great day’s coppicing at Blunts Wood was well attended by 16 members and a guest on 28 December 2019.
 
Thankfully the day dawned dry and most were ready for the off at 8.15am. A minutes silence was observed for the sad recent passing of our President, Peter Tunks.
 
Once assembled in the wood, Tim gave a briefing about the desirable attributes of stakes and binders, having had a bad experience  with poor stakes and binders at TD2. This is when Tim uttered the words – “ no noggins please “. For those unsure of what a noggin is , don’t use Google to look it up :-
 
1.a person's head.
"it hit him squarely on the noggin"
 
2.a small quantity of alcoholic drink, typically a quarter of a pint.
"I imagine you all go round to the pub afterwards for a quick noggin and a chat"
 
I think the term related to protruding knots / side shoots which need to be trimmed off to make the job of staking and binding  easier.
 
Duly instructed the collective went about clear felling an area about the size of 2 tennis courts of moderately oversized hazel. Following discussions with the landowner , Mid Sussex District Council , burning of brash  took place and soon a roaring and well fed fire  was well alight. The burning of brash meant that a much tidier site than leaving brash piles.
 
It was great to see such a great variety of members at the event from seasoned regulars to 2019 novices. Pat and Peter won the longest drive to the event award having come down from Essex. Always interesting to observe how people work, each doing it in their own way and working in such a collaborative way. The 16 that attended included  Phill H, Tim, John , Clive , Trevor, Steve, Alan, Mark, Natasha, Pat, Peter, Terry, Dave, Mark, Matthew, Mike and Emma.Many thanks to all who turned up.
 
In all 190 binders  and 370 stakes were cut, bundled and transported , which means that with existing stocks there is enough material for the Improvers Day at Hastings on 4 January 2020.
 
All those who turned up to CD3 thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
 
The next coppicing day is at Blunts Wood is on 18 January and it would be wonderful to get an attendance of over 20.
 
Matthew Beard

Pictures of course:
photos.app.goo.gl/Ak5EHVrieh5VrXLA9

The competition took place at Sandringham on Sunday 1st December 2019.Russell Woodham's photographs of the day are now available on the National Hedgelaying website https://www.hedgelaying.org.uk/ (you need to login with your membership details to be able to see them)

Cast your minds back to the days when the sun shone and it was the ploughing match season.

SEHLS attended the Laughton & District Agricultural Society ploughing match at Firle on Wednesday 18th September 2019, at Firle Place farm, Firle.

It was a wonderful location, just beneath the South Downs which were bathed in beautiful autumn sunshine all day.

The team of SEHLS members in attendance and helping out on the stand laid a demo hedge of silver birch, and it while this was going on a lady called Liz Pearson came along. She presents a local radio programme on Hailsham FM called Mostly Folk. Liz is interested in folk music and tales about Sussex and the various traditions including hedgelaying.

Lis was able to catch up with Des Whitington and interview him about South of England hedge laying; it is about 38 mins into the programme just after the track by the Unthanks called King of Rome.
There is also an interesting piece by the Head brewer from Harvey’s, for those interested in beer.

The link below is for the show and after that is the plan for the programme with timings.
https://www.mixcloud.com/chalkhorsemusic/mostly-folk-october-2019/

​Chris BC

December already and our third training day found us at Horsted Keynes.
A novelty this time with traffic lights and hi-vis jackets, because of which parking was limited.
Today's hedge was a bit of a tricky one, while generally small (some massive stuff) it was a bit of a 3D puzzle in places, so our plucky trainees got some good practice of a "real world hedge".
Looking at the trainees setting off in the distance made me think of a school walking bus (see above), but maybe that was just me.
There was little to clear out so cutting was quite quick to begin and with mostly hazel it was quite easy to get started for most people (those who didn't have a huge tree to deal with anyway)
It soon became apparent that the historic flailing of the hedges caused a lot of knotty growth which was quite a tangle in places.  Additionally some of the easy looking sections had hidden challenges to amuse some of the veteran hedgers.  All in all a most amusing hedge.
With no food we all brought our own and took brakes as and when.
The weather held out and we we soon managed to get the hedge in shape and add the stakes and binders.
All the sections looked good, and our trainees got some very valuable experience ​on a bit of a gnarly hedge

​I'm sure the locals will appreciate the nice new hedge, although it's not a super busy road (on a Saturday anyway)

Pictures as always
photos.app.goo.gl/cpFp2rNFytfSyLtV8
If you have any more pictures please add them, or email them to me and I will add

Bright and early on Sunday morning small contingent from a number of regional hedgelaying societies descended on a field on the Sandringham estate for a training event organised for the National Hedgelaying society's patron, HRH Price of Wales (Prince Charles).
The plan was to run a "fun" competition for young novice hedgelayers', with individual expert tuition from more experienced cutters.  The trainees had a very different levels of skill.
Our hedge for the day was a little thin, and quite old, just for fun there was a fair amount of dead wood, and some really good sections of bramble.
Phil Hart issued each trainee with an expert and we set off.  

In the South of England section our trainees had all done some laying so had the basic's under their belts so the expert guidance was really to provide specific advice with the trickier stems.

A few trainees didn't turn up, so a few of the experts stepped in and finished the sections themselves, had they not done so there would have been a few un-layed sections.  

In the early afternoon our Patron arrived and spoke to everyone working on the hedge (if you don't already know Charles is a very keen hedgelayer)

At the end of the session prizes were awarded and we had a small snack of soup and sausage rolls
In SoE class the results were
3rd Grace Clements
2nd Natasha Stonestreet
1st Jonathan Adams

The weather was with us for the bulk of the day, even ending in glorious sunshine

Thanks to the National Hedgelaying society, the Sandringham estate, and of course our Patron.
Special thanks as always to the individuals behind the scenes, including our very own Phil Hart, and Mandy & Russell Woodham 

Pictures as always
photos.app.goo.gl/cUKLfRhxc1txXve2A
Hopefully more pictures to follow, and as always if you have some pictures of the event please add them (or send them to me and I'll add them)

Today we held training day 2 at a new type of venue, www.blackberrywood.com a quirky camp site in the middle of the countryside at Street (near Plumpton).  
Their pitches had scraggy 'hedges' around them, and it was our task today to transform these in to nice hedges.

So an unusual event as we were scattered around the site in little clusters of hedgers, and with such a good turn out we gave the students 1:1 training.
Some of the experts were working on the road, with a more challenging hedge which had been done before many years ago by our very own Clive Gilligan.

The trainee sections were very light and at first glance we wondered if we would get enough material to make a 4' hedge, but once we got cutting it was amazing how much volume there was.  With such small stock to work with there was not a huge amount of waste product, what little we produced was hoovered up by the team on site pretty quickly.

All too soon it was time for lunch, but most of the cutting was complete, and some sections had stakes and binders in place.

A very welcome soup and roll washed down with some tea/coffee refreshed everyone for the final push to complete their sections.  It was good to have a light hedge as the rain started just after lunch, and the less hardy hedgelayers made a variety of lame excuses and left for home.  

Some good work from the trainees, and a special mention for this years most distant travelled cutters Kirsten and Edward from Denmark.  

The hardy ones amongst us will be able to add more in the comments, but I'm at home typing this in the dry :-)

Pictures as always (please add any more pictures you have!)
​photos.app.goo.gl/2N9UPMr2Rwzs3SSx8




And finally, Mike spotted the recumbent hedgelayer

Some superb pictures from Friday (setup), and during the event:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/7656159@N08/albums/72157711568972181
ALL credits to Tim Russ Photography

​Prize giving

https://www.flickr.com/photos/7656159@N08/albums/72157711570529102.   
​All credit to Tim Russ Photography

Other With a forecast of RAIN we knew all to well what to expect.
So on a slightly damp Saturday we gathered in a field for the 41st annual hedgelaying competition.

We kicked off at about 9 o'clock which was pretty much as the real rain started.

The hedge was actually pretty good, it cut well and didn't have brittle stems or much dead, so the only thing to worry about was the wind and a bit of rain.

There were a lot of tall a bushy stems, which were something of a challenge to get into place without breaking with the wind blowing pretty fearlessly all day, even one of the loo's blew over (I don't know if anyone was inside, probably best not to look?).

We all got on well, and within in the 5hrs most people had got their sections sorted and looking good.

Because of the weather most people didn't do much last minute "fettling", and our usual post event wander about to guess who was in-line for a prize just didn't happen.  

Massive thanks to Phil Hart of standing in as judge and helping John Savings.   Phil has a very good eye for the detail, so we were all under the spotlight.  Both our judges were out in the rain while we managed to eat our food in the (semi) dry.  Big respect.

Very well done to the winners
SoE winners:
​
Intermediate
4th Mike Mason
3rd Graham West
2nd Phill Piddell
1st Johnny Adams

Open
4th Stephen Mockford
3rd Nigel Adams
2nd Mike Bentley
1st David Dunk

Veteran
3rd Clive Gilligan
2nd Frank Wright
1st Lex Roeleveld

​Other styles
Derby
Gary Moore 2nd

Dorset
Russell Woodham 1st

Extra thanks to the entire organising committee.

Pictures - please add more if you have them!
photos.app.goo.gl/Y646TYzDRcgtTDyt8

After weeks of rain the weather gods smiled on us on Saturday and we were greeted to fair day on the outskirts of Pulborough at the RSPB bird sanctuary. A glorious setting overlooking the South Downs and River Arun made the world seem right.
 
Frank had managed to find us a challenging hedge which gave us all a good work out, especially for those entering the National Championships at Pewsey on 26 October.
 
An informal draw took place around 8.30am and the hooter sounded bang on 9.00am
 
As with a lot of hedges we undertake this had been allowed to grow wild  but patchy in places, but most cutters were gainfully employed for a good 5 hrs. As ever while everyone struggled , Gary and the Dunkmeister appeared to be  casually undertaking a  Saturday morning job for a valued customer. Phil  gave himself the handicap of starting 1.5 hrs after everyone , after acting as Sherpa for tools and equipment as the hedge was a fair way from the car park.
 
I shared a cant with Tim and just as well when we discovered brambles and  rose growing upto 20ft- we made good use of a pole saw and set of ladders. It took us 3 hours to clear the cant of the entangled mass. My first pleacher with my new chainsaw was a decent sized ash, which had hidden ash dieback and snapped off- good start.
 
The experienced group of cutters  transformed the unruly mass to something that resembled a hedge and all had a really good work out for the Nationals; I could hardly walk on Sunday.
 
While this was going on Chris acted as chief steward and fielded a number of enquiries from visitors to the site.
 
As ever thanks must go to a number of people who enabled this event to happen:-
 
·        Frank and Chris  for finding the hedge
·        Dave T  and Dave D for providing the stakes and binders
·        Bob Hunt and Des Whittington for transport the binders
·        Phil H- for organising the draw and on the day transport manager
·        Chris – for being steward
·        All the cutters for giving up their Saturday and tackling a demanding hedge
 
The Society is well represented in  a number of classes at Pewsey and would appreciate support- try to go along – it is a great event.
 
Pictures
photos.app.goo.gl/jHBK8CSQqvRCbGAQ9

Matthew Beard

Our training season kicked off on a damp October morning in Isfield.  This is the same site we held the Improvers day competition in January.  Last years hedge was looking good, plenty of re-growth from all sections.
We split into two groups today, some of the more experienced layers finished off the last of the improvers hedge, while the trainees were on the other side of the field on a rather nice double planted section.

Everyone turned up on time, and after the initial briefing we divided our trainees up into pairs allocated them a trainer and set off.

Our new society tools (Donated by Alan Ashby, and refurbished by "theludite" (http://www.theluddite.com/) were divvied up amongst the senior members for use by their trainees.  The homework task of course was to sharpen and make tool covers, no pressure there then.

We seem to have picked up a pretty good set of students this year as they all seemed to be getting on very well, and following the instructions issued.  We were fortunate to have Alan Ashby acting as a sort of mobile expert offering wise words, and the odd bit of billhook work.  Our other mobile expert was of course our esteemed chairman Phil Hart who also made a point of demonstrating heal removal with an axe/billhook so the trainees could see what they were aiming for.

Most of the students had finished pleaching by lunch time, so we adjourned to a nice cozy barn for some very fine soup, and sossies in rolls, washed down with cake and chockie bikkies.

After lunch we finished off the stakes and binders.

It has to be said that some of the stake lines were very good,  so for a first attempt we should be expecting some pretty impressive results at the Improvers day next year.  Hopefully a few will stick with the society and try their hands at the competitions.

Pictures as always:
photos.app.goo.gl/x5X1cu741kZtSYRo8

Held at Applesham Farm, Coombes, Near Steyning West Sussex on Saturday 21st September 2019.
This is one of the bigger ploughing matches in the area and the weather always seems to set fair,
and 2019 was no exception with sunshine and blue skies and temperatures which made it feel more
like summer than early autumn.
This year’s match was held on the South Downs within sight of Lancing College, it being 30 years or
more since there has been a match held on a downland farm, which makes for an interesting day for
competitors on the ploughing & hedge laying classes.

Normally the hedge laying competition is not so close to the ploughing however this year the visitors
had to walk pass the hedge laying competition to watch the tractors & horses ploughing or take a
tractor & trailer ride around the site.
They would have seen the cutters battling in the warm sunshine with a good testing hedge mostly
made up of thorn, and with hard underfoot conditions making it hard work to get the stakes into the
ground.
Eight cutters did a good job with what they had to work with, and with 9 yards to lay put on a good
event for the visitors to watch.

Gary Moore chose to judge this one, with Dominic Gardner as the steward, and as the afternoon
drew to a close the prize giving took place and the results were ; in 1st place Mike Bentley, 2nd David
Dunk & 3rd Phil Hart.

This is a good show and always well attended but it was good to have the hedge laying close to the
main action, and congratulations to the first three but well done to the cutters on putting a good
competition in such warm conditions.
​
Next year’s match will be on 20th September at Fairoak farm ; Buncton Manor Farm Wiston near
Steyning.

Chris Burchell Collins

The first coppicing day of the season  was a return visit after almost a decade to Blunts Wood. The Society has entered into a copping agreement with Mid Sussex District Council and they welcome our efforts to assist in the sustainable management of ancient woodland.
 
Although the coppice was verging on being overstood,  a decent number of good stakes were harvested , along with a few binders. An area about the size of a tennis court was cleared  and should produce excellent material in the future , as deer are unlikely to be a problem in this well used area of public open space.
 
All who attended really enjoyed themselves – we were outside , being productive  and getting exercise for free. It was helped by being such a warm and sunny day. In many ways coppicing is much more social than hedgelaying and less intense.
 
It was great to see new members Alan and Peter join in with enthusiasm and we look forward to seeing them again at TD1.The longest travelled award goes to Peter and Pat from Essex- many thanks to  both.
 
Thanks also must go to Bob Hunt, who collected the stakes and binders and has them in storage ready for TD1.
 
The total of our efforts was 310 stakes and 160 binders , which means we have an awful lot more to gather during the season to match our  requirements of over 3600 of each.
 
The next coppicing event is again at Blunts Wood on Saturday 2 November- please can members do all they can to be there and make a contribution to the Society. Let Phill Piddell know if you can make it.
 
Matthew Beard