Latest News

23rd November 2011 - New Road Signs to Look after East Yorkshire's Wildlife

New road signs with a difference have been erected near Driffield by Centrica. The signs, recently installed near Rudston village, north of Driffield, are part of an ongoing initiative to protect the verges in this area, designed to protect wildlife within the verge grassland habitat.

The signs inform drivers not to drive over or onto the grass verges at the roadside for fear of the damage on the local environment and wildlife.

The road signs were implemented as part of a wider scheme called 'The Country Mile Project', which engages local residents to help look after sections of grass verges around the East Riding of Yorkshire and the Yorkshire Wolds designated as Verge Nature Reserves.

The funding for the new road signs came from Centrica Storage as part of the money donated to the Caythorpe Environmental Support Fund.

Michael Newton, Biodiversity Project Officer for East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: "Roadside verges can provide an important refuge for threatened habitats, as well as insects, birds and small mammals. The best of the roadside verges in the East Riding have been designated as Verge Nature Reserves (VNRs). To have the Rudston VNRs sign posted is a great benefit in both protecting the verges and raising their profile."

James Tonge of Centrica Storage, said: "We are really pleased to support this worthwhile initiative - one that will clearly assist in helping to preserve verges and the plants and animals that live within them. Grass verges seem like such a small area and are often disregarded as unimportant or unattached to the wildlife in the area, but they are every bit as important. The signs should make a real difference to the environment around Driffield."

Centrica Storage awarded a team responsible for preserving countryside verges £1,310.85 back in March as part of the Caythorpe Environmental Support Fund. The £5,000.00 per year fund, which was set-up during the Caythorpe Gas Storage project approval process, will generate £125,000.00 over 25 years for qualifying environmental projects in and around the East Riding villages of Boynton, Burton Agnes and Boynton.

20th June 2011 - Liaison Committee Meeting

For the latest news about the Caythorpe Gas Storage Project, why not come along to the next liaison meeting which will now take place on Monday 20 June 2011. The meeting will start at 19.00 at Boynton Village Hall. We hope to see you there.

18th May 2011 - Public Inquiry Cancellation Notice

A public inquiry was due to take place from 24-26 May 2011 at The Spa Bridlington to consider relevant objections as defined in s13(6) of the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. As all relevant objections have now been withdrawn the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has cancelled the public inquiry. The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change will now proceed to decide whether to confirm the Order. Once the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has issued his decision a further notice will be published in the Bridlington Free Press.

The Public Inquiry Cancellation Notice can be downloaded here

4th April 2011 - Community and Environmental Newsletter Sponsored Until to 2012

Centrica Storage has awarded the team who produce the Rudston Newsletter £650.00 as part of the Caythorpe Environmental Support Fund. The £5,000.00 per year fund, which was set-up during the Caythorpe Gas Storage project approval process, will generate £125,000.00 over 25 years for qualifying environmental projects in and around the East Riding villages of Rudston, Burton Agnes and Boynton.

The monthly newsletter, which is delivered to every home in the parish, was established more than 25 years ago and is used to inform local people about events and community matters as well as environmental improvements and initiatives. The grant funding awarded, by Centrica Storage, will cover all publication and operational costs for the next twelve months.

The newsletter's main aim is to help local people become more environmentally friendly. The newsletter receives a high volume of articles submitted by its readership, and the feedback about its usefulness is always very positive.

Shirley Harland who submitted Rudston newsletter's successful application for grant funding, said: "To receive sponsorship that will cover the costs of producing the Rudston newsletter for the next twelve months is a real boost. Whilst it is relatively cheap overall to produce, raising funds to keep it going year on year can be quite a challenge. This welcome news will enable us to start fund raising in 2011 for future years helping us to get ahead of ourselves from a guaranteed production perspective. It is a wonderful position to be in."

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at Centrica Storage Limited, said: "We are delighted to support this very worthwhile cause. The Rudston newsletter is put together very well and is an interesting and informative read - one which is welcomed by local residents. I look forward to reading future editions."

28th March 2011 - Funding Will Make Verges the Best... by a 'Country Mile'

Centrica Storage has awarded a team responsible for preserving countryside verges £1,310.85 as part of the Caythorpe Environmental Support Fund. The £5,000.00 per year fund, which was set-up during the Caythorpe Gas Storage project approval process, will generate £125,000.00 over 25 years for qualifying environmental projects in and around the East Riding villages of Boynton, Burton Agnes and Boynton.

The Verge Nature Reserve project is part of a wider scheme know as, 'the Country Mile Project', an initiative led by East Riding of Yorkshire Council in partnership with the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) and North Yorkshire County Council. The wider Country Mile Project is funded for one year through the LEADER Coast, Wolds, Wetlands and Waterways programme.

The funding will be used to help preserve grass verges around the Caythorpe Gas Storage site near to Rudston village. Signs will be installed to remind people that the verges are part of a nature reserve designed to protect local wildlife. The signs will also contain contact details for anyone wanting to undertake work on or near the grass verges so that they can be advised about what is there to help preserve natural habitats and other environmental occurrences. The scheme near to the Caythorpe site is part of a wider programme to ensure practical habitat management and effective community engagement and education.

Nadine Rolls, Assistant Biodiversity Officer at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: "We have been rolling this programme of work out across the East Riding for a while now and in those areas that we have implemented similar initiatives the results have been very encouraging.

"Our aim is to preserve natural habitats through the correct management of grass verges and prevent unintentional damage wherever possible. Signage like the ones we will install with the help of Centrica Storage's Environmental Support Fund will enable us to further this cause around the company's site at Caythorpe and we are thrilled that they chose to financially support our project. Schemes of this nature can have a hugely positive environmental impact."

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at Centrica Storage Limited, said: "The Verge Nature Reserve is a praiseworthy environmental project and we are delighted to support the East Riding Local Strategic Partnership and its partners. We believe this initiative will be a real benefit to the local environment and I look forward to seeing the project fully implemented."

28th March 2011 - Public Inquiry for Compulsory Purchase Order

In order for Caythorpe Gas Storage Limited to proceed with the Caythorpe Gas Storage Project all of the land interests required for the project must be acquired. The Company has acquired the majority of the necessary interests by agreement however there are some outstanding interests which it has not been possible to negotiate. As a result the Company is seeking to acquire these few remaining interests through the use of a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

A public inquiry has been scheduled to take place from 24-26 May 2011 at The Spa, Bridlington, details of which can be found here.

21st March 2011 - East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust Nets £3,000.00 from Environmental Support Fund Grant

Centrica Storage has awarded East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust £3,000.00 as part of the Caythorpe Environmental Support Fund. The £5,000.00 per year fund, which was set-up during the Caythorpe Gas Storage project approval process, will generate £125,000.00 over 25 years for qualifying environmental projects in and around the East Riding villages of Rudston, Burton Agnes and Boynton.

East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust promotes good practice in the conservation and improvement to habitats of chalk rivers, wetlands and other water bodies in the East Riding. It also educates the public in river habitats, species and increasing awareness and understanding amongst landowners.

The funded project will involve a detailed species and habitat recording on the Gypsey Race in Boynton and Rudston parishes, followed by targeted habitat works, invasive species control and localised tree planting, as well as a programme of nest box installation for birds.

The trust also aims to plant around 50 bank side trees and install 15 nest boxes. Invasive species control will reduce the distribution along the watercourse, benefitting native flora and fauna. By comparing baseline monitoring with repeat surveys, positive change will be captured.

Increased tree cover will stabilise banks, provide more constant water temperatures and aid aquatic fly life. Reduced invasive species will directly aid native species recovery.

David Croft, representing East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust, said: "We are absolutely delighted that Centrica Storage decided to allocate £3,000.00 towards our work in and around the Gypsey Race. The funding will certainly help from a sustainability perspective whilst having a positive environmental impact in a number of areas. We intend to put the money to good use so that we can both preserve and improve what is one of the area's most beautiful hidden gems."

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at Centrica Storage Limited, said: "East Yorkshire Chalk Rivers Trust does some fantastic work across the East Riding of Yorkshire. We are delighted to support this very worthwhile initiative and we look forward to seeing the outcome of the team's work over the coming weeks and months."

The project is anticipated to take a year to complete, and has support from the Environment Agency, Natural England, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the East Yorkshire Biodiversity Partnership.

14th March 2011 - New Community and Sports Facility for Burton Agnes

Burton Agnes Sports Club has received a significant grant award from Centrica Storage Limited as part of the company"s £150,000.00 Caythorpe Community Support Fund.

An award of £58,750.00 has been handed to Burton Agnes Sports Club for the construction of a new energy efficient community building alongside the current sports pavilion which was originally built in the 1970s.

Burton Agnes Sports Club plans to construct a new building next to the existing bowls pavilion allowing for extended use by the local community. Sports club members hope to attract more local people and social groups when the project is completed.

Burton Agnes doesn"t currently have a designated community space or village hall, so the new building will be a welcome addition. This was a key reason for Centrica Storage Limited"s grant awarding panel backing the sports club"s plans. The company hopes that residents will use the new building as a place to congregate, either through sporting activity or by basing their social groups there. It will also give the parish council a place to hold its meetings.

The new facility will also have environmental benefits, as the project will result in a more energy-efficient building than the older bowls pavilion.

The funding forms part of the Caythorpe Gas Storage project, which will convert an area of land in Caythorpe, between the three parishes of Boynton, Burton Agnes and Rudston, to an onshore gas storage facility.

Centrica Storage Limited set up the fund for qualifying community projects within the parishes of Boynton, Rudston and Burton Agnes. The fund was established for community and voluntary organisations to support initiatives that will create a long-lasting and sustainable benefit.

Burton Agnes Sports club member, Cliff Dalton, said: "We are delighted that Centrica Storage Limited has agreed to back our plans for a new facility alongside the village"s sports pavilion. For many years now, Burton Agnes has been without a place to meet as a community and this is a great opportunity to provide a resource that will benefit the parish council, the sports clubs and people from the village and the wider area. This is a brilliant project and we feel extremely privileged that it has been given the green light."

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at Centrica Storage Limited, said: "The fact that Burton Agnes doesn"t currently have a building for the community to use was a key reason for the grant awarding panel"s decision to support this project. The sports club proposed an excellent solution and we are delighted to be able to award them £58,750.00 for the construction of a new facility, which we hope will benefit the local and wider community.

"Centrica Storage Limited set up the fund to support community projects exactly like this and we are really pleased that the new building, alongside the projects we have agreed to support in Boynton and Rudston, will have a huge, long-lasting and positive impact for all three communities."

7th March 2011 - New Eco-Friendly Village Hall to Benefit from Centrica Storage Funding

Following on from Centrica Storage Limited"s promise to award the local community £150,000.00 in grant support, the company is delighted to announce the second of three successful applications that will receive a share of the funding.

Boynton village has been awarded £36,793.95 from the Caythorpe Community Support Fund for much needed improvements to its community building. The decision follows last week"s announcement that neighbouring Rudston Parish Council has been awarded £55,957.03 to build a new play park in the village. The scheme will help to create a more sustainable building for the local community, providing additional social and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to Boynton.

Included in the project is the installation of solar panels on the roof of the village hall. These will produce energy, which will pay for the village hall"s future utility bills with any surplus electricity created being sold back to the National Grid.

The village hall floor will also be replaced, creating a more durable surface that will cater for a wider range of activities for the local community. The village hall committee believes that the new floor will help generate much needed additional revenue by generating opportunities for more events throughout the year as well as improving the facility throughout.

A new village hall website is also part of the project, with a portion of the funding going towards a resource to provide information about the parish, including the history of the area and the current activities at the village hall and in the community. Please visit: www.boyntonvillage.co.uk to see the new website, which is a credit to local representatives, and is now live.

Janet Brannan, chair of Boynton Parish Council, said: "We are absolutely thrilled that our application for major improvements for the village hall has been accepted. The funds that Centrica Storage Limited has allocated to us will make a huge difference - one that will make the hall more sustainable now and in the future. We are all really excited about the prospect of a more energy efficient facility with scope for expanding the services we can offer. Our new website will also help us to promote the hall more widely and hopefully this will result in more users and visitors. Since taking over the Caythorpe project, we have been very impressed with the way in which Centrica Storage Limited has tried to become an active and integrated part of community life."

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at Centrica Storage Limited, said: "We are delighted that we have been able to provide funding for the village of Boynton. The project that the committee has proposed is one that we feel will have a positive impact on the village hall and the wider community.

"The grant awarding process, from the initial applications to the analysis and evaluation of the individual projects was a lengthy and in-depth procedure. Ultimately, Centrica Storage Limited is delighted that the projects chosen to receive funding successfully meet the application criteria and that the individual communities will benefit greatly through the support we have given."

28th February 2011 - A New Play Park for Rudston"s Families

A play park in an East Yorkshire village is now being renovated after being awarded grant funding through a locally based gas storage project.

Rudston"s play park will be transformed into a modern facility after the parish council was handed a grant worth £55,957.03 towards the project. The funding is part of Centrica Storage Limited"s promise to award the local community £150,000.00 worth of grants, associated with the Caythorpe Gas Storage project.

Rudston"s play park was in need of development to bring it up-to-date with the latest safety specifications and to make it more fit for its purpose as a child-friendly area.

The ageing play equipment is being replaced, modernising the park to encourage children of all ages from the parish and the surrounding area to engage in activities that will provide health, fitness and social benefits.

A wide range of social groups in the village will also benefit from the project, providing a revitalised playground that is fully accessible throughout the year. It will also be used for other community and social events.

Simon Rhodes, Rudston Parish Councillor part of the team responsible for submitting Rudston"s application, said: "The announcement that Centrica Storage Limited decided to support our proposals to renovate the village"s play park is fantastic news. The new facility will be open in the spring so that children and families from the local area can enjoy it throughout the warmer months. We are delighted that this important community project has been given the go-ahead and would like to thank Centrica Storage Limited for supporting our plans."

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at Centrica Storage Limited, said: "The play park in Rudston is a great project and we are delighted to be able to support the Parish Council"s application to vastly improve the existing facility. It is a project that Centrica Storage Limited was keen to provide funding for, because of the potential health and community benefits for parents, their children and the wider population. As well as giving the children of the village a brand new play park, the whole community will have an excellent place to enjoy, 365 days a year.

"Selecting the projects that would receive funding was done so through a rigorous process, taking into account how each individual project would meet our qualifying criteria. The projects selected to receive funding, including Rudston play park, fulfilled the criteria and we are pleased that the local communities will benefit from this and a number of other excellent projects, which will be announced in due course."

21st February 2011 - Centrica Storage Ltd Helps Children to Stay Safe in the Dark

School children across the region have been given a helping hand to stay safe and be seen in the dark this winter with the help of Centrica Storage Limited (CSL).

CSL, the company responsible for bringing a large proportion of the UK"s much needed gas supplies ashore in Easington East Yorkshire as well as being behind the proposed Caythorpe gas storage facility at Caythorpe, near Bridlington, has provided five schools across the East Riding of Yorkshire with "snapbands" to help the school children be seen when walking to and from school.

The "snapbands", hi-visibility bands which fit around the wrist, are designed to help people be seen in at night and during inclement weather.

Commonly used in road safety campaigns, the "snapbands" have been donated by CSL as part of the company"s commitment to working with the local communities surrounding its operational sites and its East Riding-based offices.

The bands have been handed out to every child at Patrington, Inmans (Hedon) and Easington primary schools in Hull, Burton Agnes primary school near Driffield and Boynton primary school near Bridlington.

Glenn Sibbick, Project Director at CSL, said: "In the darker winter months, children and their parents can be difficult to see as they walk to and from school in limited daylight. These "snapbands" are a brilliant way of helping them stand out in the dark, allowing them to travel to and from school safely and become more visible to road users.

"We hope that the pupils across the five schools, as well as parents and staff, will find the "snapbands" not only fun but also an important aspect of road safety. CSL is delighted to be able to provide pupils from the schools with the "snapbands", and we hope that they are able to make a difference."

Mr Church, headteacher at Burton Agnes Primary School, said: "These are a great gift which can be very helpful to children and drivers - particularly with it being dark when the children set off for and come home from school. We are grateful to Centrica Storage for their ongoing support at our school and across the wider community."

31st January 2011 - Caythorpe Environmental Support Fund 2011

The Caythorpe environment support fund 2011 launches today (31 January 2011). The environmental support fund is an annual payment of £5,000 for the planned lifespan of the project (24 years). This is the fund’s second year.

The qualifying criteria and application form can be viewed by clicking here

Please note: it is important to stress that the fund is only available for qualifying groups or organisations in Boynton, Burton Agnes and Rudston within the East Riding of Yorkshire.

17th January 2011 - Liaison Committee

The next meeting of the Liaison Committee is planned for 7.00pm, Monday 24th January 2011 at Boynton Village Hall.

We look forward to seeing you there.

10th January 2011 - Liaison Committee

The community liaison meeting scheduled to take place at 7pm on 16th December at Boynton Village Hall had to be postponed due to heavy snow. An alternative date is currently being arranged and further information will be posted on the website in due course.

30th Oct 2010 - Ancient Burials Discovered at Caythorpe Gas Storage
Project Site

Further significant discoveries have been made during recent archaeological excavations in advance of the construction of the Caythorpe gas storage facility.

Three human burials, believed to be of Iron Age or Roman date, were discovered during an archaeological excavation at the site, at Caythorpe, near Bridlington. The recent investigations have been concentrated on areas which will be affected by the extension to the existing Caythorpe facility, which is managed by Centrica.

The latest finds follow on from discoveries made at the site in late 2009, when remains of prehistoric, Roman and Anglo-Saxon date were discovered in an earlier phase of archaeological works.

One of the burials was found with an iron blade, likely to have been a knife, in a grave that was one of two that intersected each other. In the same area, a number of Iron Age pits were recorded, likely to have been dug to enable the collection of water from what may have been a natural spring.

The pits lay close to where the foundations of several circular houses, some of which were up to 15m in diameter, were excavated in the earlier archaeological work. A large saddle quern, or grinding stone, was found in the pits, which would have been used to process grain for flour. Well-preserved wood fragments were also found, showing the marks of the tools that were used to cut and shape them.

Pottery and bone found in the pits will enable experts to date the objects found in the excavation, and provide evidence of the animals that would have been present in the nearby settlement.

The excavation work is being undertaken by Humber Field Archaeology, a professional archaeological consultancy which is based within Hull City Council. They provide expert integrated archaeology services, supporting proposed developments, grant-funded research and community-based projects, throughout the Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire areas.

Ken Steedman, project manager at Humber Field Archaeology, said: "Our investigations at Caythorpe are continuing to bear fruit, with important information being collected regarding the past inhabitants of the Wolds and how they lived their lives.

"It is a stimulating and rewarding project to be involved in. The finds that have been made so far provide plenty of archaeological evidence towards the history of the site and, with the work set for completion at the end of November, we are confident we will find further important remains to investigate."

The majority of the remains that have been found to date were either previously unknown or had only been seen on aerial photographs. The date of the remains spans several thousands of years, so further investigation and analysis work is needed before a detailed history of the site can be compiled.

The Caythorpe gas storage project involves the conversion of an onshore field into a storage facility, with a possible capacity of 7.5 billion cubic feet of gas storage.

As a result, Caythorpe will have significant withdrawal and injection capacity, complementing the nearby Rough facility offshore from Easington, which his currently the UK"s biggest storage facility.

21st Oct 2010 - Bridge Deck Installation Completed at Caythorpe Gas Storage Project Site

The bridge at the Caythorpe gas storage project has been installed, providing an access road from the main processing facility to the well site approximately 1.2km away.

Weighing approximately 95 tonnes including rigging, the bridge was installed on 21st October 2010, a week ahead of schedule, after being lifted into place by the 700 tonne Super Lift Crane, ending a two-and-a-half month operation to prepare for the installation.

The design of the bridge took six months to design and was carried out by Jacob"s Engineering, a global engineering firm.

The structure was prepared by Balfour Beatty, who carried out the concrete civil work, and Hull company CDS Oil & Gas Services Ltd, who carried out the fabrication of the steelwork.

The bridge construction was completed successfully under the observation of both the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.

Click here to view a time-lapse video of the installation.

6th Oct 2010 - Announcement

Centrica Storage Limited has sought to acquire the interests needed for the project by agreement with the relevant landowners. However, this has not been possible in all cases.

The original Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) confirmed in April 2008 did not include all of the interests required and omitted:

rights that are required for the drilling and completion of the new boreholes and installation of monitoring equipment, as part of the maintenance of existing boreholes;
a clear definition of the rights required for the pipeline; and
rights to store gas beneath Rudston Road.

As a result it is necessary to promote a supplementary CPO to enable the project to be fully implemented.

Below are links to documents associated with the CPO that have now been filed.

Any objection to the order must be made in writing to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Area A, 3rd Floor, 3 Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2AW (marked for the attention of Robert Pridham, Manager, Onshore Power Consents) before 29 October 2010 and should state the title of the order, the grounds of objection and the objector"s address and interests in the land.

5th Aug 2010 - Community and environmental support fund updates

In May this year Centrica Storage Limited announced the launch of two funds for the communities of Boynton, Burton Agnes and Rudston. The community support fund is a one off payment of £150,000 split between the three communities for qualifying projects. The environmental support fund is an annual payment of £5,000 for the planned lifespan of the project. We can confirm that we shall continue to honour these commitments and applications to both funds are due to be considered by the company in October.

29th July 2010 - Regulatory uncertainty

Centrica announced on 28th July 2010 that as a result of regulatory uncertainty the company had decided not to proceed with the Caythorpe Gas Storage Project at the current time. Although this means that the final investment decision on the project will be delayed, preparatory work at the site will continue so that if the project is sanctioned at a later date then it will be able to proceed quickly. Over the coming months the early civil works will commence which will include the construction of the access road to the wellsite and the bridge crossing of the Gypsey Race.

8th July 2010 - Liaison Committee

The next meeting of the Liaison Committee is planned for 7.00pm, Tuesday 14th September 2010 at Rudston Village Hall.

5th May 10 - Community and Environmental Support Funds Launched

Centrica Storage Limited is delighted to launch two funds for the communities of Boynton, Burton Agnes and Rudston. The community support fund is a one off payment of £150,000 split between the three communities for qualifying projects. The environmental support fund is an annual payment of £5,000 for the planned lifespan of the project (24 years).

The qualifying criteria and application forms for both funds can be found by clicking here

Please note: it is important to stress that the funds are only available for qualifying groups or organisations in Boynton, Burton Agnes and Rudston within the East Riding of Yorkshire.

23rd Dec 09 - Local gas storage facility making historic discoveries

An East Yorkshire-based gas storage facility has been making some incredible discoveries after six months of archeological excavations in advance of construction work starting at the site.

A team from Humber Field Archaeology has been working on the Centrica Storage Limited (CSL) site at Caythorpe, carefully extracting and investigating remains of prehistoric, Roman and Anglo-Saxon date.Read More

16th Dec 09 - Local gas storage facility lighting up children’s dark nights

With the dark winter evenings drawing in, Centrica Storage Limited (CSL) has donated over 100 eco-friendly torches to two nearby primary schools.

The small wind-up torches, supplied to Burton Agnes Primary School and Boynton Primary School, both based near CSL’s Caythorpe site near Rudston, are powered by a dynamo and give off a very powerful light beam.Read More

16th Oct 09 - Boynton Primary School Visit

School children from Boynton Primary School in East Yorkshire are being given the opportunity to take a closer look at a number of interesting archaeological finds in their area.

Children from years five and six at the local village school have been invited to Centrica Storage Limited’s Caythorpe site to learn more about an archaeological dig that has been taking place at the site over recent months. The visit follows a tour by the Caythorpe Gas Storage project community liaison committee on Saturday 10 October 2010. Read More

10th Oct 09 - Liaison Committee Site Visit

On Saturday 10 October 2009, members of the Caythorpe GasStorage Liaison Committee visited the site to find outmore about the archaeological dig that has taken place and to see some of the interesting finds that had been unearthed by a team from the Humber Archaeological Unit lead by Peter Cardwell, whose association with the site spans more than 15 years.

More than 20 people turned out on a cold Saturday morning to learn about the team’s experiences and to see, firsthand, what had been found since July 2009.