Home

THE SPURN RANGERS

by Abbie Jackson

The following article was written by Abbie Jackson a regular visitor to Spurn. For the last two years Abbie has taken part in the Lifesyle Project organised by Humberside police. It's inclusion on this site is a tribute and thanks to those who have taken part and worked so hard to improve a part of our world we all love.

Abbie Jackson during a Litter-Pick on Spurn in August 2010
Abbie Jackson during a Litter-Pick on Spurn in August 2010. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.

I have been visiting Spurn Point with my family since I was very small; I am now 12 and still enjoy visiting. I like it because it is wide open and always different when you go, the sea moves everything about. I enjoy running about on the beach and in the bunkers, and I like the wild animals sometimes I see deer and seals.

Two delightful discarded bottles
Two delightful discarded bottles. A tiny part of Spurn's litter problem. Photograph courtesy of - Peter Martin.

A while ago my family did a beach clean at Spurn to get rid of some of the litter left about, we learnt all about the damage that is caused by all the litter to the wild animals, it was good fun helping clean the beach.

Abbie Jackson with fellow Spurn Rangers Chloe and Sophie
Abbie Jackson with fellow Spurn Rangers Chloe and Sophie see the funny side of litter picking. Photograph courtesy of - Peter Martin.

Last year I joined a team and we called ourselves The little Spurn Rangers we joined a project called Lifestyle run by the Police over the summer holidays, thousands of children make up teams and do things for the community I chose Spurn because I like it and I like sheep, I live over an hours drive from Spurn but visit a lot.

The Spurn Rangers with their litter picking team
The Spurn Rangers with their litter picking team at the start of the day's work. Photograph courtesy of - Peter Martin.

We spoke with Andy Gibson the warden and decided we wanted to do something at Spurn. We raised nearly £800 by doing a massive beach clean, the money we raised bought 4 Hebridean sheep that now live on Spurn Point, the team even went and chose the sheep with Andy.

One of the four Hebridean sheep purchased in 2009 and now happily established on Spurn
One of the four Hebridean sheep purchased in 2009 and now happily established on Spurn. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.

This year I joined Lifestyle again with a new team called The Spurn Rangers, in the team are my four friends Georgia, Ellie, Chloe, and Sophie we decided raise money to buy a Ram to help the sheep have some babies so there would be more sheep at Spurn Point, we also decided to buy a weather vane with a sheep design on it to be kept at Spurn. We have nearly raised the £400 just enough to buy the Ram and weather vane. This year we have done two beach cleans and lots of other things to raise the money. We have also done card making, baked lots of buns and had a bun sale and a jumble sale, we are also running a stall in our village hall to raise money selling things we have made.

A trailer full of trouble
A trailer full of trouble. Some of the litter collected on one of the Spurn Ranger litter picks. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.

The two beach cleans this year were on 24th July 2010 and 22nd August 2010, we collected loads of rubbish from the beach, both days were really hot, some of the team could not do the beach clean in August because they were on holiday, we had about 20 volunteers helping us on both days including adults.

The information Centre at Spurn
The information Centre at Spurn. The top of the pole is where the new weathervane will be sighted. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.
The Spurn Rangers take a break
The Spurn Rangers take a break. The lines are from a poem by Robert Frost. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.

Abbie Jackson, August 2010


POST SCRIPT

The following pictures were taken after the above article was first published and show the last few weeks of the 2010 Lifestyle Project

The cheque presentation
The cheque presentation. PCSO Jenny Gray, Spurn Warden Andy Gibson, Spurn Rangers Sophie, Chloe and Abbie, Craig Wood, Environment Agency and PCSO Barbara Danby. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.
The 2010 Spurn Rangers with the Hebridean sheep
The 2010 Spurn Rangers with the Hebridean sheep purchased after the 2009 Lifestyle project in the background. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.

POST POST SCRIPT

The following photograph shows the weather vane which was purchased with some of the funds raised by the Spurn Ranger's efforts during the summer of 2010. The second part of the project, the purchase of a Hebridian ram, is almost complete as the gentleman in question is due to arrive at Spurn in mid November. WATCH THIS SPACE!

A wonderful addition to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Information Centre at The Warren
OK. So it's on a different pole but what a wonderful addition to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust Information Centre at The Warren, Spurn. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.

POST POST POST SCRIPT

Kilnsea's newest Resident. On Tuesday 16th November, the final piece in the Spurn Rangers' 2010 jigsaw was put in place when Yorkshire Wildlife Tust Warden, Andy Gibson, brought the Hebridean Ram to Kilnsea to meet up with the ewes bought for the reserve by the Spurn Rangers last year. It is not the policy at the reserve to name the sheep but if it was then the newest arrival must surely be known as Al Capone. Although this might be thought of as the final post script in this year's Lifestyle project, rams being what they are, then we might possibly have another entry to look forward to in the spring.

Kilnsea's newest resident
Kilnsea's newest resident. The Hebridean Ram purchased by the 2010 Spurn Rangers Lifestyle Team. Photograph courtesy of Peter Martin.