Category: Tractor

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Racecourse Storage Extension

Last year it became increasingly apparent that the Racecourse Trust and Cricket Club needed more storage space. This was made an even more pressing matter when we received a new tractor and specialised mower for the wildflower meadows. The large cutter had to be stored off site. The old blue metal storage container was rusting and falling apart and no longer fit for purpose.

We therefore started a fundraising project to raise the £30,00 needed for a new block-built extension to the current storage garage.

I am pleased to say that it is finally finished and ready for use. It now provides nearly twice the storage capacity of the old metal container and includes space for the Parkrun organisers and our volunteer group to store equipment.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank Daly Building and Roofing for successfully completing the task.

Our thanks go to all the following whose generosity helped to fund the project:

Our general fundraising donors who contributed a total of £4,417 (3 donors contributed £2,700 of the total).

The HRPPT committee raised £1,951 from plant sales and a quiz night.

The Great Racecourse Relay which took place over 24 hours starting on 26th October raising £1,691. This was the idea dreamt up by Kevin Wheeler who also organised and participated in the event. As well as individual donations the following local companies kindly sponsored the 48 relay runners:

  • Forbidden florist
  • Happy Hounds and Horses
  • Simon Safety/Providence Training
  • Hotel Mariners
  • Man Up UK
  • Vaughans
  • Daly Building and Roofing
  • Hey Printo
  • Sand and Stone
  • Barnlake House Dog Training Centre, Boarding Kennels & Cattery
  • Millin Brook Kennels
  • Prendergast butchers
  • Maggs Optics
  • R K Lucas
  • Penty-Parc Stables
  • PBE Fuels
  • Marloes Conservation

Finally our especial thanks to the following organisations for their donations which raised a combined total of £16,250:

  • Sir John Perrot Trust
  • Gild of Freemen
  • Bridge Meadow Trust
  • HTC Match funding

The £30,000 target was reached with the balance coming from our own general funds.

The final result:

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New Tractor – Press Release from PCC on 12 July 2022

New wildflower meadows to be created in and around Haverfordwest

New areas of wildflower meadow are to be created and enhanced in and around Haverfordwest, thanks to the purchase of a new shared community tractor and mower.

The upper and lower Racecourse will be making the most use of the tractor for meadow management in the years to come, but it is also available for use at the Priory Saltings and Bridge Meadow.

Aethne Cooke, from the Pembrokeshire Nature Partnership (PNP) said: “Wildflower meadows are some of our rarest and most species-rich habitats. They are beautiful, pollinators love them, and they need less mowing that conventional lawns.

“This tractor will allow these areas to be mown and importantly for the grass cuttings to be removed, reducing nutrients which allows the wildflowers to better compete with the grasses.”

The tractor and mower were purchased via the Pembrokeshire Nature Partnership with Welsh Government Local Places for Nature grant funding.

 

Pictured are representatives from the PNP, Haverfordwest Town Council, Haverfordwest Racecourse Public Park Trust, Portfield Recreation Committee, the Bridge Meadow Trust and Pembrokeshire County Council, all of whom contributed towards procuring the new vehicles (sic), which were purchased from J E Lawrence & Son.
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New Tractor

We are delighted to announce the arrival of the new tractor to replace its predecessor which provided a sterling service cutting the grass for over 30 years.

The tractor comes with a new attachement, a flail mower and collector, which will be especially useful for creating and enhancing the newly planted areas of wildflower meadow.

The handover involved members of the Town Council, Councillor Alan Buckfield (the Mayor of Haverfordwest), members of the Racecourse Trust and the Pembrokeshire Nature Partnership. 

Aethne Cooke from the Local Places for Nature Partnership provided the following statement to summarise the whole background to this valuable addition to our resources:

Local Places for Nature, wildflower meadow and tractor/mower

Each year, local nature partnerships across Wales receive Welsh Government Local Places for Nature grant funding. This funding is to be used for the specific purpose of creating and enhancing nature where people live and work, and where people access public services.

The Pembrokeshire Nature Partnership is delighted that it has been able to direct some of its Welsh Government Local Places for Nature grant towards purchase of this tractor and mower.

The Pembrokeshire Nature Partnership would like to thank the Haverfordwest Town Council, Haverfordwest Racecourse Public Park Trust, Portfield Recreation Committee and the Bridge Meadow Trust for working with us to make best use of this shared community tractor and mower.

The tractor and mower are to be used to create and enhance areas of wildflower meadow at the Upper & Lower Racecourse sites, and also to be made available for use at Priory Saltings and Bridge Meadow.

These green spaces are particularly important in a town setting such as Haverfordwest. We have in the last few years increased our understanding of the value of simply getting outside into nature for our physical and mental wellbeing. Creating areas of wildflower meadow in these areas will enhance this experience.

Wildflower meadows are some of our rarest and most species rich habitats. They are beautiful, pollinators love them, and they need less mowing that conventional lawns.

This tractor will allow these areas to be mown and importantly for the grass cuttings to be removed, reducing nutrients which allows the wildflowers to better compete with the grasses.

We have lost a staggering 97% of our meadows since the 1930s. These areas of meadow at both Racecourse sites, and the recently established meadow at Priory Saltings, will make an important contribution to the restoration of meadows in Pembrokeshire.

Finally, thank you to Peter Howe of PCC regeneration whose idea this was, to Gerald Rowlands of PCC Fleet Management for his invaluable help with procurement and to J E Lawrence & Son for supplying us with the tractor and mower.