Compiled by George Peterken, Mike Topp and Sally Secret
Below is a record of past Meetings of the PGP 2001-2025, a historical record. If you have any old photographs or memories going back to these meetings and events then please send them to the email on the home page. Thank you!
Meetings PGP
This inventory summarises most of the events for which have been arranged over the 25 years of PGPs activities from information in PGP Newsletters and PGP contributions to Village News. It is not a list of everything the PGP has done: some idea of what that would look like can be found in Newsletter 25. We have not been able to recover a complete list of leaders of events, but hope all the main contributors have been mentioned. Corrections and further details are welcome.
2001
Spring, Summer. Open meeting called by George Peterken and Peter Chard in Mackenzie Hall about possibly forming a self-help organisation in response to BSE and F+M.
22 September. Tour of 5 Hudnalls properties to see grasslands and their management.
27 November. ‘Brains Trust’ discussion of PGP aims and activities.
2002
25 May. Field meeting, Bryn House, Brook Farm, Sylvan House.
1 June. Field walk for plant ID.
22 June. Field walk for plant ID.
7 September. Field meeting. Tyersall, Jane Morgan.
12 November. AGM. Old orchards and their restoration, James Marsden.
2003
11 February. Talk, Horse pasture management, Rachel Simpson.
26 April. Harthill Cottage, Andy Rowlands
24 May. Firtree Cottage, Roger Gaunt.
July. BarBQ, Cowshill Farm, John Childs
4 November, AGM. Butterflies, Simon Barker.
2004
24 February. Talk, New grazing techniques, Rob Havard.
8 May. Field visit, Rodmore Mill. John Foulkes.
30 May. Field visit. Abbey Passage Farm, Tintern. Jane Marshall
31 July. BarBQ, Cowshill Farm.
19 October. Talk. Environmental Stewardship, Chris Wedge; Englsih Nature, Charlotte Pagendam.
23 November. AGM. Wildlife photography in the Wye Valley, Andy Purcell.
2005
10 February. Mini-symposium. Trees and their management. George Peterken, John Josephi, Gwion Trefgarne, Adrian Wood, Bill Howard.
21 May. Field visit. Yewgreen Farm. Keith Orchard
5 June. Open Day in various Hudnalls fields. Bryn House, Harthill Cottage, Hadley & Hollyside and 3 sites of Monmouthshire Meadows.
23 July. BarBQ, Cowshill Farm.
25 October. Talk, Bats on the Common, David Priddis.
22 November. AGM. Discussion of PGP progress and aims.
Published Flowers in our Fields.
2006
4 June. Open Day.
July. Field visit, Poors Allotment. Leader?
29 July. BarBQ, Cowshill Farm.
7 November. Talk, Johnny Birks. Polecats, Pine Martins, Big Cats.
2007
9-10 June. Open Days, Sylvan House, Yewgreen Farm, Hollyside Farm, Bryn House.
13 November. Talk. Traditional haymaking, Eric Freeman.
15 December. Talk on flowers to St Briavels school. George Peterken, Patricia Pinkerton
2008
1 June. Open Day, Firtree Cottage, Ridley Bottom, Cowshill Farm, Oak Cottage.
14/15 June. Field visit planned. [no further information]
26 June. Flower hunt. Jean Green, Ursula Williams.
18th July. Grazing Animal Group Meeting
4-5 October. Field visit. Was this to sheep farmer’s barn in Parawell Lane? Peter Chard organised a visit to Dexter cattle at Lydney Park Estate.
18 November. Discussion, Conservation grazing. Jim Swanson. Peter Chard
2009
4 March. Talk and discussion, Boundaries on the Hudnalls, Chris Hodges, George Peterken, John Flower.
Launch of Flower leaflet.
June. Flower Hunt.
15 October. Talk, Bees, flowers and meadows. Val Vivian-Griffiths. Mike Topp. Andrew Nixon.
2010
23 May. Field visit. John Josephi.
June. Flower Hunt.
2 October. Demonstration and buffet. Food from our fields. Jean Pitt, Sarah Sawyer, John Josephi (the squirrel!), Steve Orledge, Arthur and Andi Cale supplied wine. Mike Topp gave short resume on Slow Food Movement.
2011
17 March. Talk. Badgers, Keith Childs, John Childs, Andy Purcell.
16 June. Flower hunt.
15 July. Talk and walk for Youth Club, Bats and glow worms. Mike Topp.
20 July. Woodland walk in the Hudnalls. George Peterken, but possibly also John Josephi.
29 October. Talks and demonstrations, Sward to sweater. Sarah Sawyer, Tony Eggar, Mike Topp. Speakers: Louise Frankel, Phil Morgan, Brian Matt, George Peterken. Demonstrations from Ann Mills, Chrissy Birch, Yvonne Hoskins, Anne and David Reid.
2012
1 March AGM. Talk, Deer and wild boar. Ian Harvey. Bart Venner
June. Flower hunt.
21 June. Field visit, Harthill Cottage. George Peterken, Mike Topp.
13 October. Mini-symposium. Wood. George Peterken, John Josepi, Phil Morgan, Mike Topp, Deborah Flint, plus Andrew Pyke, Bill Howard, Harry Verney
PGP activities summarised in Newsletter 25, September 2012.
2013
7 March. Talk, Birds and their habitats. Stephanie Tyler, Stephen Morgan, Tony Eggar.
27 June. Evening meeting, Poors Allotment and nightjars. Ivan Proctor
19 October. Mini-symposium, Water. George Peterken, Rob Denny, Monnow Rivers Association, Phil Morgan, Corinna Arnold, Ainsleigh Rice, Herefordshire Hydro, Peter Golding (dowsing).
2014
13 March. AGM. Talk, Birds in wild places, David Broadbent.
11 October. Mini-symposium, Grassland and conservation grazing. Ursula Williams and Jean Green spoke about turning their meadows into an education resource for school children. Jo George, teacher, explained how the children benefit. nn Harris on pros and cons of conservation grazing with horses. Deborah Flint on challenges of making a living from your land. George Peterken on how different management styles over the years have affected the fauna we see in our fields. Helen Axe explored principles of forest gardening. Chris Parsons spoke on composting field grass. Discussion between George Peterken, Chris Parsons, Stephanie Tyler and Andrew Nixon debating what role the PGP might play in grassland preservation.
Launch of Our Fieldsbooklet.
2015
15 March AGM: Talk on small woodland management, Andrew Clarke, Resilience Centre (builder of St Briavels wind turbine)
15 May. Visit, Gadr Farm, Trellech. Alan Morgan. John Josephi
7th June. July. Sheep shearing course. Mike Topp with shearing trainer John Voyce at Tidenham Chase
July: Field visit to Harthill Cottage where George Peterken identified plants and explained their roles in grassland ecosystems.
17 October. Mini-symposium, Hand tools and land management. Simon Fairlie (National Scythe Association) with Bill Howard, John Josephi, Phil Morgan and Phillip Powles. Usk Rural Life Museum lent artifacts; demonstration of blade sharpening, wood turning. George Peterken on how a barking tool and the tanning industry shaped the woods around us.
2016
31 March. AGM. Talks, Fungi and foraging, Raoul van den Broucke, John Dunklemen.
June. Flower hunt.
June/July. Pond dipping, Brockweir Youth Group. George Peterken, Sally Secrett, Mike Topp
2 July. Scything course. Andrea Gilpin.
29 October. Foraging and buffet. Raoul van den Broucke, Yvette Farrell.
2017
23 March. AGM. Talk, Orchards, Chris Wedge.
June. Flower hunt.
April committee meeting agreed to investigate possibility of PGP establishing a community orchard. Also agreed to promote flora survey with insert illustrating eight species in Village News, with request for community to report sightings
14 October. Talks and demonstrations, Walls, fences and hedges. Who spoke?
21 October. Field visit, PGP Community orchard. Mike Topp
November. Training session, hedging and walling. George Peterken on history of stone boundaries in the Hudnalls. Sarah Sawyer from AONB and Chris Hodges gave details of a survey of stone walls in the AONB carried out in 2005. Exhibition of work of the St Briavels Art Group, some of it depicting local boundaries, and a display of hedging and fencing tools. Adrian Wood spoke on how arial photography revealed hidden traces of ancient boundaries. Phillip Powles demonstrated hedge laying using full size model hedge.
2018
15 March. AGM. Talks, Local wild flowers, George Peterken, Elsa Wood.
20 June. Flower hunt.
21 June. Wild flower walk, Hollyside Farm. George Peterken.
13 October. Talks, Our trees, John Josephi, Gwion Trefgarne, and???
Autumn/winter: Planting of PGP community orchard, St Briavels: Celia Bradshaw, Mike Smith, George Peterken, Mike Topp
2019
March Newsletter 38, George Peterken and Elsa Wood report results of flora survey of two parishes; Mike Topp reports opening of Community Orchard.
14 March. AGM. Mini-symposium on local smallholding projects. Mike Topp. Speakers: Alice Hogge and Corinna Arnold, Helen and Jon Axe, Phil Morgan, Andy Stott, Judy Craven
Spring. Garden of lost flowers founded in St Briavels moat. George Peterken, Ursula Williams
June. Flower hunt.
5 September. Discussion meeting, Climate change local action. Mike Topp.
12 October. Mini-symposium, Grassland restoration and recreation, Caroline Hanks, Sue Holland, David Whittingham (Monmouthshire Meadows), Bruce Langridge (National Botanic Garden of Wales).
2020
5 January. Wassail, Community orchard. Mike Topp.
1 March. Meeting, Cake and climate change. Mike Topp and Jacky Roby.
Numerous events planned for 2020 cancelled due to Covid-19. See Committee minutes, 9 March.
October. Schoolchildren visit Greenmeadow, Ursula Williams.
2121
21 April. Online AGM. Talk, Natural flood management, Chris Uttley.
June/July? Field meeting to identify meadow plants. Who led?
2022
March. Hedge-laying demonstration. John Josephi, Phillip Powles?
22 March. Walk in Hudnalls woodland, George Peterken.
31 March. AGM. Talks, Agro-ecological practices, Matt Dunwell, Freya Sears, Matt Dunn.
April. Inaugural Signs of Spring held on Zoom. Gemma Bodé, Ali Crawshaw
12 June. Joint event with Garden Society, St Briavels moat.
21, 23 June. Flower hunt.
10 July. Picnic, Harthill Wood with Garden Society. Mike Topp
Bioblitz, Cutts Orchard. Mike Topp, Andy Stott
22 October. Talks, UN Biodiversity summit, Andy Stott; no-fence grazing, Alex Crawley.
2023
23 March. AGM. Mini-symposium, Alice Hogge, Jonathan Hale, Mike Topp, Andy Stott and Claire Morse
April. Signs of Spring walks. Gemma Bode
June. Field visit, Eastbach Court. Mike Topp.
June. Flower hunt.
25 June, Picnic, Harthill Wood. Mike Topp
21 October. Talk, Secret history of the local landscape, John Hoyle.
2024.
March. Walk in Hudnalls woodland, George Peterken.
21 March. AGM. Launch of ‘Homes for Wildlife’ project. Richard Clarke, barn owls; Gemma Bodé; Mike Topp
April. Signs of Spring walks.
June. Flower hunt.
5 October. Our speaker on the Forest of Dean’s deer was taken ill. George Peterken led an impromptu discussion on local deer.
2025
25 January. Wassail, PGP Community orchard. Mike Topp, Caroline Smith
27 March. AGM. Talk, Wild boar, Chantal Lyons.
April. Signs of Spring walks
June. Flower hunt.
June. Walk, Poors Allotment and nearby Gloucester Wildlife Trust reserves. Kevin Caster
Summer. Invertebrate Survey, Cutts Orchard.
October. Talk, Bees, Ciaran Clark.
George Peterken, Mike Topp, Sally Secrett
20 January 2026.