Appeal for help after vandals damage wooden fox sculpture Fido in Dane Valley Woods

Fido was ripped from the ground despite having a concrete base

Vandals have damaged a wood fox sculpture at Dane Valley Woods.

The fox, known as Fido to residents, was found in the middle of the cycle path, a short distance from his usual position by the bench.

The vandals had pulled the carving free of the ground despite it having a concrete base. The fox has suffered damage to its face.

Dane Valley Woods group secretary Steve Darling said: “Fido the fox has been a much loved part of the woods since May, and we are determined to see him back in his rightful place as soon as possible.

“To help us to do this we are seeking practical wood carving skills – please get in touch via social media or our website. We would also be grateful for small donations towards repairs, which can be made via www.danevalleywoods.org/donate

The carvings were put in place using grant money donated to the project by Tesco’s ‘Bags Of Help’ fund in 2017. The group commissioned the sculptures from Bruks Tree Carving and built natural wooden benches to make the site more accessible and friendly for visitors.

The vandalism comes on the heels of similar wood sculptures being installed at Dane Park.

The Dane Valley Woods group is a volunteer-led project in Margate, growing and maintaining a new 13 acre woodland on a former landfill site, for the enjoyment of the residents. There are monthly action days, when a team of volunteers maintains and improved the woods, and also a vital band of residents who keep the paths clear of rubbish and report any issues to local councillors or the steering group.

Dane Valley Woods’ volunteers

The group has just announced a competition for 2019 where they are challenging all budding local photographers to get snapping in Dane Valley Woods, recording the seasonal changes throughout the year.

A winner will be chosen by the steering group committee for each season, with that picture  becoming the Facebook cover photo for three months, as well as being displayed on the Dane alley Woods noticeboard. Then at the end of the year, an overall winner will be announced, to be placed as the main photo at www.danevalleywoods.org

Entries for Winter 2018/19 are now open, from today (December 1) until midnight on 28 February, with the winner to be announced in March.

The rules:

– Photos to be taken by you, within the boundaries of Dane Valley Woods – see the map at www.danevalleywoods.org/about
– Photos to be posted on the group Facebook page with the hashtag #DVW2019
– No inappropriate content….. but by all means be creative! The theme this time is winter.

Read here: Guerrilla signwriter with a vital message strikes in Dane Valley Woods

3 Comments

  1. I want to donate to the repairs to the fox, but the website that I am directed to seems to be a general site. I would like to specifically donate to the repairs to the fox

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