Preserve Ruperra: Open Doors day in the Rain2016

What an amazingly successful Open Doors Day at Ruperra Home Farm on Saturday 3^rd!

I had wakened up in the morning with a sense of dread in view of the weather forecast. This year we had told people that they could pay at the door for their cakes. Perhaps no one would come!

But they came and they came wearing wellies and rain coats to go on ‘The Walk’ and under the excellent guidance of Clive Elsbury, Chris Bramble, Oliver and Zach, they even got the dripping wet walkers back to the farm at the scheduled time!

There was reassuring support from Welsh politicians, Wayne David MP, Hefin David AM and Jeff Cuthbert, Police Commissioner for Gwent, now attending his first event as RCPT’s new president. We were able to thank Councillor Amanda McConnell, the new chair of Bedwas Trethomas and Machen Community Council, which had given us grant aid along with Caerphilly Town Council, and Draethen Rudry and Waterloo Community Council.

It’s so good to know that people care about saving the countryside despite Brexit and the continuing scarcity of Welsh public income.

The lovely music provided by the the South Wales Clarinet Choir, who had never played in a barn before, combined with the delicious cakes, filled up any internal or emotional parts left neglected!

The amount of voluntary help this year has been phenomenal and we must acknowledge those who added to our usual RCPT team – namely members of Caerphilly conservation groups who all rolled up their sleeves- Lynn Gazal, Kirsty Luff, Andrew Price, Clive Elsbury, Fiona Lewis, Chris and Carole Brimble, Oliver and Zach and others who had worked behind the scenes.

The great hero of the day must be the farmer Anthony Rees who made it all possible. The hay bales were in place when we arrived and he was on a ladder fixing the ceiling lights. Without him we would be hard pushed to find a weatherproof place on the Ruperra Estate to hold an event! Whatever would Courtenay, Lord Tredegar have said!