The last working meet was an extremely successful event and this, the second working meet of the year, built on that success.

The working meet members arrived on Friday to find John Castick busily working on the road, which goes through Padarn Park. The maintenance of this particular section is particularly important as it bares the brunt of the Snowdonia weather and the run off from the fields above. John continued with this work well into the following week, and so I think all of us on the HMG would like to single out his consistent hard work on T.P. for praise.

We established a number of primary objectives and assembled specialised teams to deal with those challenges.

In other words, we got on with it.

Bob Kelly headed up work on the reinstatement of the kissing gate and ensuring that “Diplomacy” was maintained at all times (although I think he would rather have emulated Kissinger than Carter). Ably assisted by the energy of Gareth Williams, the Gate was re-established in a surprisingly quick time, allowing Gareth to join the other members working on the Kitchen worktops and shelving.

The last working meet had uncovered a serious problem of wood worm infestation and had to rebuild the work top. While we had done a good job on making a serviceable structure, it had lacked shelving and was a little “Heath Robinson” in terms of structural support. Dave Dillon, Dave Wylie, Emily Pitts and Gareth Williams all laid hands to the task and came up with a much-improved structure.

The problem of woodworm is it seems becoming an ever greater one. The last working meet saw a number of items identified and then burnt, despite a thorough investigation on that meet, we found yet more signs of it in furniture and in the loft space.

Dan O’Brien who had made the long trip from London that morning, manfully put on the marigolds and got to work on the treatment of the infestation.

However I do think that all members of the club visiting the hut need to look out for signs of woodworm (these being holes and sawdust). If members could also try to ventilate rooms and the kitchen as best as possible when in occupation, this may reduce factors like humidity which woodworm seems to like.

Of course one of the most important jobs of the working meet is a thorough cleaning of the Hut it’s only by doing this that we can ensure a safe and hygienic home away from home for our members and guests. This task was thoroughly attended to by Lucy Crouch and Jasmine Pitts.

Lucy has also provided three pictures detailing the exploits of the club and its members in the past few years, and it would be nice if we could continue to brighten up the hut in the future with more pictures and decorations so if members would like to donate an item (after checking for wood worm) please let me know.

I would also like to thank Iain McCallum whose organisation and provision of the working lunch and industrial quantities of hot tea and biscuits make these working meets possible.

Remember that without volunteers the fantastic resource that is our hut would not be available.

Full, associate and prospective members are all welcome and we can always find a variety of jobs to suit any level of technical ability.

An exhaustive list of jobs will be developed soon, however the first priority is the reinstatement of the kissing gate that Bob and Iain have worked so hard on over the past few months with wood worm hunting also on the agenda.

Free accommodation and Iains ever successful working lunch, is available to all those who come down to help on the Saturday.

I have also been reliably informed that there is a talk on climbing being given free of charge at the Caban Cafe, just down the road, by three of the most successful young trad climbers in the country; James Mchaffie (onsights E8's for fun and climbs F9a), Hazel Findley (currently Britains strongest female sports and trad climber) and Jack Geldard.

See FREE LECTURE: McHaffie, Findlay, Geldard

This could be a golden opportunity to hear a talk free of charge that we will most likely have to pay through the nose for in the future.

Sunday, as ever, is to do with as you will.