March 2007
Members of Parklands School environment group visited the ponds with Councillor Mark Perks and began to plan the new hedge along the fence line.
If you want to enlarge any of the photos, just click on the one you want to see larger.
July 2006
Westway Ponds and Nature Reserve will be open for the Astley In Bloom, Open Gardens Event on Sunday, 9 July for a Pond Dipping workshop run by the Countryside Education Officer from Chorley Borough Council.
Councillor Mark Perks pulling out the fly-tipping from the edge of the pond
April 2006
Over Winter the Ponds have faired well. What damage has been done is some small mindless acts vandalism but the most worrying is some fly tipping by residents living close to the ponds of dangerous waste which is harmful to the ponds. Cut down conifer trees and branches have been thrown over back fences which have slipped down in to the pond and these can be toxic to the water, and its inhabitants.
More nesting boxes have been going up in the area and the ponds benefitted from the public litter pick on the 8 April, report here.
NOVEMBER 2005
An opening event took place on Wednesday 9 November 2005 at Westway Ponds Nature Reserve attended by residents, Parish Councillors, representatives from Groundwork Wigan & Chorley, Chorley Borough Council and children of Buckshaw Primary School.
The photos of the event can be viewed on the right.
OCTOBER 2005
Westway Ponds Community Nature Reserve
Wigan & Chorley Groundwork are currently preparing the final two pieces of work involving the interpretation boards and maintenance plan, in time to be ready for the opening of the Westway Ponds Community Nature Reserve on Wednesday 9 th November at 2.30pm.When invited partnerships and funding providers will attend the opening.
The project began only in February of this year and has seen the regeneration of four disused and rubbish filled ponds on the edge of the village.
Under the watchful eye of project co-ordinator Mark Perks on behalf of residents’ group Astley Village Action. The ponds have seen a remarkable change and made into an asset for the public at large to enjoy and take pride in.
Mark Perks teamed up with Vicky Duxbury of Groundwork to kick start the project back in 2004, when all appeared lost with budget cut backs announced by Chorley Council.
Working in partnership with Groundwork, Mark Perks acquired funding from the Lancashire Environmental Fund, Lancashire Small Sites Reclamation Fund, Living Spaces, Astley Village Parish Council, Awards For All and Chorley Borough Council.
Westway Ponds Community Nature Reserve now boasts disabled access to a circular footpath, footbridges, boardwalks and a pond-dipping platform. With an additional butterfly nature area and footpath leading into the village centre, Astley Village really can feel proud of its latest community asset and welcomes visitors to the village and share our wildlife reserve.
Work is finished at the ponds with Groundwork Wigan & Chorley having built the access paths and wooden walkways to make the area more accessable. The perimeter fencing has been erected and the area has had the finishing touches to the rails and wooden walkways done.
The ponds are cleared of fallen trees, large stumps and branches by volunteers.
Cllr Mark Perks with the Groundwork team member put the finishing touches to the dipping pond platform.
APRIL 2005
A green woodland day was held back in April when residents helped clear up the ponds. Volunteer groups including BCTV, Parklands High Conservation Group and Buckshaw Primary School have already begun to undertake conservation work at the ponds and in the nature reserve.
The finished reserve is in contrast to the overgrown and rubbish littered area that existed prior to March 2005.
Initial works involved reducing the tree canopy by 15% to allow more light to penetrate to the woodland floor and on the 19 March a working party from Parklands High Conservation Group, under the supervision of Vicky Duxbury from Groundwork planted young trees and blackthorn.
On Saturday 9 April there was a litter pick followed in the afternoon by exhibitions of willow weaving, bodging (green wood turning) and making bird boxes - photos below. The Astley Village web site has followed the progress of the ponds transformation updating regularly with progress.
Barrie Robins demonstrated some wood turning.
Residents and volunteers came to litter pick and clear away rubbish from the ponds
The photos below were taken on 9 November 2005. 
The photos shown here were taken on 12/08/05
Pepper
This furry helper was assisting in cleaning up by towing out the large lumps of fallen wood and branches from the ponds
