IT’S full! - no longer a sorry-looking patch of dried, cracked mud but an expanse of water that’s a joy to see… The pond on the Millennium Green has been successfully dredged and refilled.

It’s now ready to be recolonised by all the life that had taken refuge around the edges and in the stream.

Sandford Millennium Green pond just after the inlet pipe had been unblocked.
Sandford Millennium Green pond just after the inlet pipe had been unblocked. (Di Martin)

The skilled team that carried out the task, led by Nick Benge of Roborough Rewilders, have done a fantastic job and the Green is nothing like the mess that we expected.

It was fascinating to watch Steve’s skilled driving of the dumper-truck and Dave’s delicate work with the digger.

It will take a while for the pond to settle and it’s quite likely that there will be issues with algae growing on the surface next Spring or Summer until a balance has been achieved. So we must be patient and allow nature to run its course.

We have issued a plea to dog owners, that they prevent their dogs from going into the pond. The medication applied externally against fleas, ticks etc. is toxic to aquatic life and could be a real problem for the delicate process of rebalancing the pond ecosystem.

Water drained out and before the work began at Sandford.
Water drained out and before the work began at Sandford. (Di Martin)

We could not have done any of this work without the very generous donations we have received from the community, including a fantastic £500 from the Church Concert on August 16, £1000 from the Parish Council, a likely sizeable donation from the Tilney-Ellis Village Trust, and many other individual contributions.

We have raised enough money to pay for the work, but still have many other projects to fund including refurbishing the dipping platform on the edge of the pond, so if anyone reading this would still like to make a donation, it will be very gratefully received. Thank you Sandford!

Di Martin