In 2020, the Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD) responded to a community appeal by MTC to support our local parks.  We prioritised Woodend/Bobby’s Wood in which the planning involved consultation with countless experts, completed a survey of over 600 residents on the doorstep and opened it out to thousands of residents online, submitted a 20 page planning document to MTC (leaseholder) and Sefton Council (land owner) and miraculously raised £40,000 in donations and £60,000 in kind over the course of a year before starting the multi-project plan, during the challenging height of the pandemic when kindness was even more overwhelming, but now need a little help.

Amazing History

It was interesting to discover during the planning stage that true to its historic name – Woodend, it is a remnant of a mediaeval 2×5 mile wood that was owned by a Saxon called Uctred and mentioned in the 1066 Domesday Book. In addition, it is close to the River Alt (meaning old) where Viking long boats sailed when it was closer to the coastal estuary. The neighbouring Liverpool Road South was a turnpike (meaning toll road). Whilst the only remnant of Woodend Farm, before it was demolished to make way for Northway (A59), is the sandstone wall at Lidl’s car park. Also neighbouring the wood, was the now demolished, Broadwood Farm, whose owner was rumoured to have planted a tree for each of his children. We recently counted 30 trees there! Finally, there was a tragic murder in the Wood within the last century!

We have continued gradual improvements over the years and have dedicated four years of unsung weekly maintenance volunteer time to the Woodend site, which last year resulted in the removal of over 30 agricultural bags of weeds and many other tasks. We hope our work has helped to lighten MTC’s load and provide some positivity, during their challenging times to resurrect our town hall following last year’s fire, whilst maintaining seamless services.

Please Help.

Consequently, we would be delighted if you could spare just one hour for the beginning of our 2026 maintenance work at the Woodend Community Woodland Project on Monday (2.2.26) at 09:30 hours. The sooner we can complete this work; it will enable us to develop new possibly award-winning projects elsewhere for the benefit of Maghull, in the same vein as our ongoing 2025 BBC/RHS national award-winning Rowlands NHS Health and Wellness Project.

Venue & Tasks.

The Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD) need volunteers to meet at Woodend (next to Bumbles Children’s Nursery, junction of Liverpool Road South and Northway) for one hour on Monday (2.2.26) at 09.30 hours, to:

• Transfer one fruit trees to Rowlands Dell.
• Shape wisteria arch
• Strim and clear choking grass from around 72 young underplanted trees
• Restore wooden reindeer.

Equipment needed: sturdy boots, garden gloves, rake, strimmer, secateurs, fork.

Thank You to Joan, Graeme, (pictured) Frank and Colin undertook the following

• Replaced 32 damaged trees.
• Transferred one fruit tree to Rowlands Dell.

• Weeded 72 new underplanted trees and woodland border.
• Installed recycled tree stakes and strapping to support leaning tree.

Best Wishes,

Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD)

Together making Maghull a better place to live.

More information at www.fomd.co.uk including: (1) Events tab for everything about the meeting and (2) Projects tab for the project background.

Contact: admin@fomd.co.uk

#fomdcic #Maghull #Environment