With the normal emails flying around, the weekend of the 4th and 5th of February found LWRG up in sunny Lichfield (okay I fibbed it was not sunny).

The Hall, The Martin Heath hall had been used by LWRG before but some of us had not been there before, so on the drive up on the Friday, we had a phone call asking were we on our way? At this moment we both decided to say we were lost, after driving through several industrial parks etc, I said to Maria is that the pub we need?, she said no. At this moment she was answering the phone I said is this the pub we need and it was quickly decided that it was, as I went past the entrance! This pub is in the middle of the roundabout with a deft movement by yours truly, i.e. I went in the out drive. Waited for the phone call to finish so we could then work out where the hall was in relation to the said pub. Within 5 minutes we were sat outside the hall and yes it was locked the keys was at the pub. A few minutes later people and keys turned up.

Found space to set up bed etc took the shopping out of the car etc toaster was then put into operation, a two slice toaster in Maria’s hands could toast quicker than the Gas hob could with Young Chris operating (must find out if there is an operating license for a toaster?). Elanor had collected the odd bottle of beer from Burton on Trent on her way through so money changed hands and the sound of happy drinkers could be heard. Late night to bed, bad move.

Saturday Morning, Liz got up a cooked breakfast for the hoard, at 07:50hrs was the breakfast call, i.e. breakfast in ten minutes. After a good breakfast including several cups of tea or Coffee, off to site.

At 10:00hrs a ready mix lorry was expected with about 6?? Something (cubic metres…Ed.) of concrete, for a pour to back fill a wall the locals had already shuttered etc.

The plan was to use the dumper to carry a load of cement to the wall along a raised bank of soil and then the dumper to tip the cement in and we could then spread it along behind the wall simple?? The first dumper load with James the postie driving, started to come over the raised earth when the earth started to give way. A quick positioning of dumper and unloading the cement saved a large mess. All the other raised earth banks were promptly reinforced and no further real hiccups. After about 30 minutes the mixer went away empty and the back fill nearly half full of concrete. A team then started up a mixer and with Bob wheel barrowing, they for the rest of the day, made mix after mix to complete the infill. (some anorak will know how much aggregate they used).

A mixer was started by Liz to keep the brickies in mortar. The rest of LWRG, after the back fill had been eveled left that job and started to clear the brick work off the next lock. By now I got a call, from my beloved, stand on the road I can’t find you? Duly obliged and Maria delivered lunch.

After lunch those clearing the lock edge then started to do a little bit of scrub bash with no fire. No LWRG had not gone mad but it just wasn’t worth starting a fire for the afternoon, so we just made a large pile ready for the next day.

At knocking off time everyone cleaned the tools and jumped in the van back to the accommodation where Maria on special requested had made Paprika Scrumpy. But before we were allowed to eat, it was the dreaded time of year ….. Yes the AGM.

After a couple of hours AGM was finished and scoff was served, after pud (syrup sponge). We adjourned to the pub, shame we had to sit at three different tables for a while until people starting to leave.

On return to hall a beer or two more then coffee followed by bed, I was the last one to bed and that was before 00:00hrs LWRG are getting soft.

Sunday morning Sal’s Andy had volunteered to do breakfast and again after the call. Everyone had there fill plenty of tea or coffees and we then had to move all our stuff out of the kitchen into the hall we use for sleeping. From 09:00hrs we had left the hall and were back on site, brickies carried on with there walls etc and the remainder start to scrub bash again, a fire was started, all we had cut was gradually put on the fire and more was cut, Lunch arrived (without getting lost) then it was time to wonder back to the scrub bash two rugby balls were found and an impromptu kick about started, Helen tried to head the ball with a hard hat on.

To soon it was time to pack up site and go back to the hall, Maria had done a lot of clearing up and all that was left to pack cars and trundle of home in the various directions of the country.

I would like to thank all the people who come and had a play; we had 18 on site Saturday and 19 on site Sunday, (Taz who lives fairly close come and had a play just for the day).

Dave “Moose” Hearnden