AGM 2023

The 2023 AGM will be held at Eaton Socon Church Hall on 15th June, at 7.45pm. It is open to everyone who is interested, so please come along and support us. Have you thought about becoming a Trustee and helping guide the conservation and enhancement of the Pightle? We would love to meet you - no specialist skills required and it's not a large time commitment (unless you want it to be!).

Have A Field Day

The Pightle had a number of unusual visitors for our special afternoon! Arguably the sun was one, after a pretty poor spell in the week before, but it did us proud giving us a warm, calm day and getting people out to enjoy a wander. We were delighted to have a selection of birds from Hill Farm Birds Of Prey on show, including owls, kestrels and falcons, with a display of flying and visitors allowed to get up and close to them with their handlers.

We were also delighted to play host to the St Neots World War 1 reconstruction group History Revisited, with their horse display. Visitors were treated to demonstrations and talks about the life of a serviceman, and a good look at genuine period equipment and uniforms - very uncomfortable being thick and heavy, not designed for sunny days! Very appropriately, our poppies planted by the British Legion, scouts and guides last Remembrance Sunday were in full bloom, making a colourful backdrop.

War horses: both for cavalry and logistical work

We also let our younger visitors run loose with our stock of butterfly nets, magnifiers and identification sheets! As in provious years the challenge was to find as many interesting creatures and flowers as possible and we were presented with some wonderful collections! The Pightle always has plenty of butterflies in August and the children got a close-up look at gatekeepers, ringlets, small whites and many more. All were sent on their way unharmed, of course...

Always lots to find... both flora and fauna

Thank you to everyone who came along, especially thse from beyond the Eatons - we hope you had an enjoyable time and we're looking forward to bringing you even more next year!

Black Poplars on the move!

December 2013: We're delighted to have successfully taken around twenty pollards from our Black Poplars in order to increase the numbers of our most rare tree locally. The majority will be leaving us to be used in the restoration of a former quarry site at Bluntisham, but some will be kept and grown on for future planting in the Eatons.

We always welcome enquiries if you would be able to give some black poplars a good home - please get in touch!

Pightle Children's Challenge

At a loose end over the long holidays? Children of all ages (from 8 to 88!) are welcome to join us for a series of challenges every Friday in August from 2pm-4pm. We'll be exercising your powers of observation as we send you looking through the flowers, trees, bugs and butterflies that call the Pightle home, armed with nets and magnifiers, to see what you can find. You may even find a species we never knew we had...

Bev White: a thankyou

Many readers will know Bev, who stepped down in February 2013 as a trustee after a number of years, including two years as Chair. We'd like to say a very big thankyou for all her hard work in that time, both outside taking care of the Pightle come rain or shine, and dealing with the management behind the scenes. Most of all, it was her persistence and determination - and wrestling with lengthy forms - that won us the AmeyCespa grant which has allowed us to do so much this year. Bev's contribution has been fantastic, and while the other Trustees will miss her we wish her every success and happiness for the future.

The Pightle receives its Field In Trust plaque

Earlier in 2012, the Pightle was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Fields in Trust status as part of a scheme to mark the Queen's Silver Jubilee; this recognises the commitment of the community as a whole to conserving their green open spaces, and gives us extra legal safeguards against future development. In December we were provided with a commemmorative plaque - as far as we know we are the first Field In Trust in the area to receive one - and this will be mounted at the main entrance to the Pightle as a permanent reminder of this distinction. Thank you to everyone who made it possible!

Left to right: Trustees Joan Foley, Sue Jarrett, Julia Hayward and Derek Giles, Mayor of St Neots Cllr. Barry Chapman, and Town Clerk Ed Reilly

Major grant news!

We're delighted to announce that our recent application for funding to the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation has been successful and we've been awarded a grant of £15,000 from the AmeyCespa Community Fund. This was only possible thanks to all our Pals who donated generously. This grant will assist enormously in providing specialist maintenance equipment, noticeboards, bird-boxes, benches, and much more.

Find the Pightle on Twitter

We have launched an account on Twitter to keep you up to date with goings on in the Pightle, from what you can see through the seasons through to campaigns. Follow @EatonsPightle to stay informed.