Dear TDEG Friends – Autumn is now well and truly here, after a summer of bizarre and extreme weather, with some truly shocking consequences for communities around the globe. Other countries are increasingly active in developing green energy projects and ways of protecting biodiversity. So it is particularly disappointing that the UK government appears to now view these issues as a low priority. Our actions can make a difference. But perhaps even more importantly, they demonstrate to our politicians and others that these things matter to us.
WHOLE GROUP UPDATES
Next TDEG meeting – “How can we best support our farmers to help nature recover?” (Please note the amended date)
Our next TDEG whole group meeting, Chloe Palmer (local farming and environmental consultant) will share her experiences of working with farmers to help nature recover in the Hope Valley and elsewhere. We will also show the short film “Save Our Wild Isles – Hungry for Change”.
Everyone is welcome (it’s a free event, but we welcome any small donations to help cover expenses and room hire). 7.30pm – 9pm, Wednesday, 15 November, in the Fountain Square Church, Tideswell.
We Still Need You!
We are still looking for volunteers for our TDEG Secretary role and our Climate Action Group lead. Do get in touch (info@tdeg.org.uk) if you’d like to chat about either of these roles.
LITTER PICKING
We are delighted to announce that we have been able to organise another litter-picking event (many thanks Bill). Everyone is welcome to get involved – we have all the appropriate equipment and highviz vests. Our litter-picking events just involve a gentle stroll along some of the roads leading out of the village. So join us for a walk and a chat!
The next event will be on Sunday 5 November – meet outside Tideswell Co-Op in the Pot Market, at 2pm.
PROJECT GROUP NEWS
CLIMATE ACTION GROUP:
The CAG is still without a lead co-ordinator – so arranging meetings is problematic. Please get in touch if you’d like to help. Despite this, the group are still focusing on three main priorities – Education, Home Energy, and the Climate Pathfinder Youth Forum. You can read more about their recent activities on our CAG web page.
- Home Energy – The Hope Valley Climate Action group offers a range of interesting meetings and activities on this topic. Please contact Simon Daniell if you are interested in attending any of their Energy Group meetings (email: sandj.daniell@gmail.com). The HVCA’s next public event is their “Open Eco Homes” on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 October. More details on the homes and how to book a visit can be found on the HVCA web site.
- Climate Pathfinders Youth Forum – For more information about the CPYF, see their web page here.
- Education – Our members are working closely with both Litton Primary School and Bishop Pursglove Primary School. Read about more of their activities below.
- Excellent Bug Hotel Builders –
Creating a bug hotel was the mission for Emerald class at Tideswell’s Bishop Pursglove’s School in June. Their warm up session was offered by TDEG’s Suzanne with questions and activities on why bugs are important and what they need to survive.
Emerald class finished with an activity matching different bugs to different materials which might be used in a bug hotel. They then used materials brought from home, TDEG members and offered by the community to create their new bug hotel for the school.
- Litton School’s Eco-council Go Litter-picking
Litton School’s Eco-council started in March 2023 with the support of school staff and TDEG. After completing an Environmental Review of the school, the Eco-council chose three areas to focus on over the year.
One area was “Litter.” They were very excited at the prospect of a local litter pick (yes, they really were!). In May they set off in their hi-viz waistcoats, with their litter pickers, bags for litter that could be recycled and bags for waste.
The Eco-council met again recently at the beginning of the new school year and are keen for a repeat.
CYCLING GROUP
Free bike marking returns to the The Bicycle Maintenance Club on 7 October, 3-5pm in the playground at Tideswell Old Grammar School. Bring your bicycle along to get this important security upgrade!
The Bicycle Maintenance Club is on the first Saturday of every month. Everyone is welcome, as a one-off visit or every month to develop your bicycle knowledge. You can bring your bike, or just come to ask questions, listen and watch, or practise on one of our donated bikes.
A stock of common spare parts is available to help us fix as much as possible. We will charge for spare parts at a not-for-profit price, so that we can replenish our stocks, but all other services are free, and there is no membership fee for attending routinely
ETHICAL CONSUMER GROUP
- Repair Café –
The Repair Café continues to draw people from the area who want to save their items from the dump. After 14 successful events, we have saved the same amount of emissions as driving for over 40,000km, with 850 hours of volunteer time (according to the international database of Restarters).
The Repair Café has been so successful that other groups have come along to learn how they might set up similar operations in their area. Bakewell Rotary International visited in June and were very impressed. They are aiming to launch their own Repair Café in September. The Rotary audience were especially interested in how the Repair Café offers a positive community service, as well as lobbying for our “right to repair” and measuring our landfill/ carbon savings.
The partner of the late instigator of the Eyam Repair Café has donated some of his books on zero waste and other environmental issues. These are now at the Repair Café for loan if anyone is interested. The list of available books is attached here .
Our next event is 10am-1pm, Saturday 21 October in the fabulous new Tideswell Community Hall. You can read more about how the Repair Café works here.
RECYCLING GROUP:
- The Recyling Group has recently updated its TDEG web page with more information, and recycling tips are also posted into the Village Voice every month.
- If anyone comes across other ways to recycle unusual or difficult to recycle items, please pass the information on to Rob via info@tdeg.org.uk.
WILDLIFE GROUP:
- Going Wild – helping nature to recover
The Wildlife Group has re-launched its `Going Wild` project, with a splendid map highlighting all the projects around our communities where local people are helping nature to recover. You can view the map here. We are also encouraging everyone to share their successes and their top tips. You can read about Kate and Ethan’s efforts to start a wildflower meadow in their garden here.
- More tree-planting planned –
We are working with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to plant more hedgerows and trees around Tideswell and Litton over the coming tree planting season. DWT are providing local landowners with advice to ensure the right trees are planted in the right places. We are also hopeful of obtaining free trees and tree guards through Derbyshire County Council’s “Million Trees Campaign”. We currently have five local sites, where we hope to plant at least 100 trees at each site. Do get in touch with us (email – info@tdeg.org.uk ) if you would like to plant a significant number of trees on your land in our area.
- Hedgehog Highways
Our Wildlife Group has been contacted by Tideswell Parish Council to see if we might work with them to promote the national `Hedgehog Highways` project in our area. They have offered £150 to launch the project. Over 140 local councils have already joined the scheme (more information here), which hopes to create safe corridors for hedgehogs to roam around their territories.
We know we have many keen hedgehog observers in our group. We intend to support the project via our `Going Wild` web site, where you can already read about what one of our members has done to encourage hedgehogs in her garden (Nicky’s Hedgehog Heaven – here). We could do more – so if any members are keen to help co-ordinate a new `Hedgehog Highways` project in our local communities, please get it touch (email – info@tdeg.org.uk ).
- Owl-Kestrel Connect Project
This partnership with other groups in the Hope Valley, Bradwell and Buxton area continues. 133 boxes have been fixed, and we have funds for a further 87 boxes over the coming season (likely to be on 25 sites). We now have six TDEG volunteers involved in monitoring nesting success in the boxes. There will be a further year of fixing boxes under the FiPL grant awarded to the project (including, we hope, a box for some children from Litton School at a local farm).
Our success has been highlighted in a recent publication from the Peak District National Park Authority on projects funded through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme (you can read more here).
- Our Summer Walks Programme
We had another successful walks programme this summer. Highlights included a wonderful morning in the sunshine with several young families (and others!) stream dipping in Tideswell Dale. Our thanks to our Peak District National Park community ranger, Kate Wilson, for leading this event, as well as the support from Esther from our own butterfly transect team. We also enjoyed a fascinating walk on the Taddington Farm of Rosemary and Jim Furness, learning about the challenges of running a sustainable business whilst helping nature to recover. Derbyshire Bat Group once again led a splendid bat walk. Our thanks to all these experts for their assistance.
We hope to see you at our forthcoming meeting on 15 November.
Together we can make a difference!
Best Wishes
Lynn Crowe
