We have completed our 5th progress report and received the 2nd part of our grant. We have, at last, made it to that point where we can really tick off boxes and see our project outcomes all within reaching distance. This means we are in for a lot of hard work over the next few months!

We recently held a site meeting to measure up for the history tree and we will finalise the content very early in June. We have agreed professional help for this part of the project. The History Tree will display all the most relevant dates and information on the history of Hale Duck Decoy, that we have been able to establish. It will be situated on the rear, external wall of the Gamekeepers Cottage and it will be located behind a false door. The door can be opened for viewing, when parties visit the decoy, or kept closed to protect the tree. The door and its frame will be built and painted in keeping with the rest of the building. It should be ready by late June and in place by early July, along with an outdoor seating area, to view it. This will be just in time for the next season of guided walks.

We are also collating information for leaflets, folders and display boards. We hope to have the folders started for the summer guided walks. As they will contain a range of information, on all aspects of the Decoy, we will be able to add to them over time. We are in the process of developing a timetable, to spread the work involved and to set ourselves deadlines, for these area of the project.

One of project outcomes was to organise three workshops. We have decided to do these as drama workshops for local primary schools. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of the decoy with local children. Our local primary schools were last involved with the Decoy in the 1980s, when some children were shown round the nature reserve. Few children have seen the site since that time, due to the sensitive nature of its habitat.

We have done several more Oral History recordings, meeting two of the grand daughters of the gamekeeper in the late 1900s and and a number of men who acted as beaters, as boys, for the gamekeeper, just after the 2nd World War.

We have been busy cleaning, decorating and dressing the cottage interior, ready for this summers walks programme. There have been big changes, as it has turned from, appearing to be, an untidy store room into a Victorian period cottage.

Finding professional help, that we have confidence in and find comfortable to work with, is proving invaluable at this stage of our project.