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ENVIRONMENTAL MISHAP

I Call About The Work, Yes, I'll Come
Bring A Lunch And A Smile I'm Told On The Phone.
Food And Enthusiasm Is All That's Required.
Turn Up At The Minibus, You Can't Miss Us,
A Bright Red Sign Proclaims "Conservation Volunteers".

A Short Trip Back To Headquarters After
The Original Pick-Up, To Find Other
Like-Minded People, Collect Equipment And Make Tea.
Tree Planting Today And Hedges Of Blackthorn And
Hawthorn. Mid November, The Best Time;
The Trees Are Hibernating.

A Long Drive North To The Site Of Our Plans,
On Island Magee, A Private House. We Start
With Earnest, Even Though It Is Cold, And Damp,
Wet And Windy, Not Ideal.
Holes Dug Easily In The Rain-Softened Mud, Stakes
Hammered In Gently, Trees Potted Beside.
Holes Filled In And Stamped Down, Tight.

Only Later Do I Learn Of The Details Behind The
Reasons We Work As We Do. I Came Out For
Idealistic Reasons, To Help Create Something New,
Positive And Egalitarian. No Suck Luck.
The Reality Is Sorely Different, We Are But
Free Labour On A Commercial Site, A Private
Home Of A Private Individual Who Is Paying For
The Right To Have Trees And Hedges Planted.
So The Organisation Profits From Its Disguise, And
Receives Labour For Nothing As Gullible Do-Gooders
Like Myself, Work Away For Nothing.

Believing I Am Doing A Good Service To The Land
Yet All Who Profit Is The Landowner And The
Company. I Detest Being Used In Such A Deceived Way.

I'll Not Return Again.

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