In-Clued volunteers had the opportunity to learn some handy DIY skills along the forest trail at Itchen Valley Country Park this month when building fences to stop passers-by treading down wild flowers.

Volunteers Andrew, Anthony and Simon along with rest of Eastleigh Countryside Volunteers worked incredibly fast and efficiently to complete the task in record time.

The Eastleigh Countryside Volunteers completed similar work last year to protect species in sensitive areas of the park, with bluebells now appearing in the protected areas.

As well as building the fence, entrances to the forest trail were cleared of blackthorn and overhanging branches for easier access for members of the public.

in-clued projects for June 2011 will include:

Wed 1st (half-term) : Hampshire and IOW Wildlife Trust
Farlington Marshes, near Portsmouth
Working with the experts, we will be helping to maintain this beautiful area, including some lopping and chopping!
Project time: 10am-2pm
Please bring your own lunch

Fri 3rd (half-term) : Grizzly Garden
Eastleigh
As a charity, we rely on volunteers to help around the place. This month we are in need of budding gardeners to help clear the front garden of the various plants overtaking it.
Project time: 11am-3pm
Lunch and refreshments will be provided

Thursday 2nd June 2011
Hiltingbury Community Centre
7pm – 9pm

Get involved in fun activities like Pool League, Table tennis, Guitar hero, D.J.ing, Film Projects, Sports Coaching and lots more.

Come along and check it out!

in-clued projects for May 2011 will include:

Mon 9th : Hampshire and IOW Wildlife Trust
East Hampshire
It's sunny out, so lets get lopping and chopping! Working with the experts, we will be clearing paths and preparing woodland for the summer months.
Project time: 10am-2pm
Please bring your own lunch

Sat 14th : Itchen Valley Country Park Conservation
Eastleigh
Every month, volunteers are relied upon to maintain areas such as Itchen Valley Country Park and West End Copse. If you enjoy hands-on volunteering, this is for you!
Project time: 10am-2pm
16 years+ only
Please bring your own lunch

Solent Youth Action is a charity based in Eastleigh.

We currently need temporary sessional staff to work with groups of young people in our supported youth work programmes.

We are looking for enthusiastic and dynamic individuals, who can engage, support and empower young people in a variety of youth work settings across the Eastleigh Borough.

Solent Youth Action is a charity based in Eastleigh.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and innovative individual who can develop and drive forward our youth groups based in Hiltingbury Community Centre.

The post will be for 9 hours (3 evenings per week) working in Solent Youth Action's open access and supported youth groups.

Knitting may not be everyone's cup of tea but volunteers from the Take Action project learnt just how skillful the craft can be.

Over a period of four weeks in February, ten volunteers spent two hours after school stitching and casting off, in aid of the Blue Cross Animal Shelter.

Their nifty fingers created squares to make into a blanket for the stray cats and dogs and pom poms for the animals to play with.

On a rainy day in February, enthusiastic volunteers from the Take Action group joined forces with the South Hants Pony and Horse Protection Group for a morning of animal fun.

Armed with Wellington boots and shovels, they spent the morning learning how to care for the rescued horses and ponies by mucking out their stables and grooming their manes.

Despite the rain, the horses enjoyed being led around the fields and watched as the volunteers shoveled the pastures, keeping them clean for the horses to graze.

The hard work was rewarded with hot chocolates and an educational talk on the different types of breeds.