The group was started up in 1986 by B.T.C.V.`s South Manchester senior project officer, Brian Barr-Taylor, and Rod Blanco, a lifelong lover of nature much involved with Cheshire Conservation Trust [as it was then], together with two other Cheshire Trust volunteers [Paul Lowis as publicity officer and Stewart Sim as tasks organiser]. An experienced secretary but very inexperienced conservation volunteer was also taken onto the committee. Brian had identified a number of conservation areas in South Manchester which would benefit from volunteer help, if that could be organised on a regular basis; and we needed all the experienced help and training we could get! 



The first need was relatively easy to satisfy: in our first year grants from the Royal Jubilee and Prince`s Trusts and from the Shell Community Service Fund totalling £600 bought us a sound, basic stock of tools which we were gradually able to expand into a reasonably comprehensive collection. In addition to lots of leaflets in libraries, about 70 letters were sent out to possible supporters in the Sale, Altrincham and Stretford areas, and the success of the first year`s tasks was due in great part to the Cheshire Conservation Trust who provided worksites, volunteers, and much valuable work experience - even our fox logo! B.T.C.V. of course supplied formal training on weekend courses, a lot of much-needed advice, plenty of worksites and contacts, extra tools when necessary, money for initial publicity, and on-site help and supervision until we became more or less self-sufficient. 



We meet every second or third Sunday for a variety of tasks in roughly a 10 mile radius of Sale and Altrincham.  Occasionally work is further afield.  The type of work is varied and includes fencing, tree-planting [and sometimes thinning], making and repairing footpaths and steps, clearing and improving ponds for wildlife, scrub clearance - and traditional rural crafts such as coppicing and hedgelaying, not so widely practised these days but making a comeback as more farmers and landowners realise the need to create a better balance between "profitable" land use and the preservation of "unprofitable" wildlife habitats [often mutually beneficial].