Here’s an update following our first steering group meeting last week. Yes we have a name…. “Tideswell & District Environment Group,” chosen so that we can be clear of our purpose and to reflect that the group includes neighbouring villages.
A range of possible logos were kindly offered by Howard Crowe. A logo depicting Tideswell Church clock was favoured with the strap line “Time is of the essence.”
The steering group established its own overall purpose: to be available to the project groups for support e.g. ratifying grant applications and publicising events. Ideally we will have representatives of each project on the steering group.
The steering group now has a chair Lynn Crowe, secretaries Andrea Mitson, with Jules Fell too in the autumn, and treasurer Rob Mitson. Other members of the steering group have offered help to set up the constitution, identifying grants, and help with IT and social media. The one role that we are missing is a link person with the Village Voice which will be vital to publicising our projects. Please let me know if you can help.
Our next steering group meeting will be on Wednesday 28th August 7-9pm at The Star (tbc). All welcome. Please let me know if you are hoping to come then I will send an agenda nearer the time. During this early phase of developing the T&DEG, the steering group meetings will need to be fairly regular, perhaps every 4-6 weeks but less regularly thereafter. Even if you can only pop along to one, we would be delighted to see you.
As previously announced our next full umbrella group meeting will be on Wednesday 25th September 7-9pm at Fountain Square Church. At this September meeting we will have a speaker and time to feedback from each project groups. These full meetings might be 3-4 times a year.
In the interim the project groups will be meeting. If you are not in a project group then you have a lovely selection to choose from:
1. Ethical Consumerism Project lead: Ben Twelves Contact: ben12s@hotmail.co.uk
2. Litter Pick Project lead: Steve Elliot Contact: steveandsuzanne@btinternet.com
Promoting Wildlife Project lead: Lynn Crowe Contact: L.crowe@shu.ac.uk
Recycling Project lead: Rob Mitson Contact: rpmitson@gmail.com
5. Tidza Business Environmental Forum Project lead: Bill Purvis Contact: purvisbill1@gmail.com
Please contact the project of your choice to be included in their activities. There will be the option to meet at a time which will be convenient for you and plenty of the actions will be by email too which might be perfect.
Updates on Project Group Activities
Wildlife protection and Improvement
We are undertaking a short survey of local people to find out if you have seen or heard hedgehogs, swifts or owls, during 2019. All these species have been seen in the area previously, but all are in decline. This is often because of fewer places to live and nest, and fewer insects and other animals to feed upon.
Our survey takes ten minutes to complete, and includes helpful tips and information about each of these species. School children in the area have been asked if they would like to complete the survey – as we are very keen to involve young people. You can complete the survey on-line by using this web link – https://bit.ly/2JqA1hU . Or you can collect a paper copy of the survey from Tideswell Post Office and return it there before the end of August. We publish our results later in the year and share ideas about how we can all do more to help wildlife thrive in our community.
Bishop Pursglove School pond and grounds
Kath Longden has looked after the Bishop Pursglove School pond and grounds for the last 15 years and is now requesting some help from our group. Kath says “The pond needs some management every year and the area around could be a much more attractive ‘wild area’ with a bit more input.”
She would like to arrange a day/half day working party over the summer with interested people. Please contact her directly (Kath.longden@tiscali.co.uk ).
Recycling (Rob Mitson rpmitson@gmail.com)
Alan Page has offered that we can submit a “Did you know?” contribution to the
VV each month offering a snippet of recycling advice. Our first submissions are
about recycling batteries and jewellery.
We will shortly be contacting Chloe Lewis, recycling officer for DDDC, to gauge
what advice and guidance she can offer us and the residents of Tideswell and surrounding villages.
Tidza Business Environmental Forum (Bill Purvis purvisbill1@gmail.com)
Enquiries have been made with the Carbon Trust to access free energy audits or
deliver a presentation on energy saving for businesses.
We’ve also contacted Faith Johnson from the Peak District Environmental Quality
Mark who is interested in helping local businesses.
A simple business environmental audit tool is coming together to look at
opportunities to reduce costs associated with recycling, energy, water, vehicles
etc.
The group are also hoping to invite any interested businesses to meet in
September.
Litter Pick (Steve Elliott steveandsuzanne@btinternet.com)
Once a core of litter pickers is established, a first litter pick date will be arranged. Please contact Steve if you are interested. The aims of the litter picking group are to:-
Attract lit-minded residents from Tideswell, and surrounding villages, to remove
unsightly litter from village centres and linear approach routes, in an attempt to
improve the visual impact for residents and visitors.
To engage residents and visitors in litter prevention via a media approaches.
To create a sense of well-being and pride in Tideswell and surrounding villages.
Ethical Consumerism Contact: Ben Twelves ben12s@hotmail.co.uk
Dates for your diary:
Sat. 13th July – Maybe see you at the Year of Green Action day in Great Hucklow (www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/looking-after/projects-and-partnerships/year-of-green- action-2019) . Thanks to the Peak Park we will have a display and flyers and a presence!
Wed 28th August T&DEG steering group, 7-9pm The Star Inn, side room ~ do come along. Please contact this email address to receive an agenda which will be sent near the time.
Wed 26th September T&DEG full meeting ~ 7-9pm Fountain Square Church, front hall ~ all welcome. We are delighted that Faith Johnson from the Environmental Quality Mark will be speaking. On the night we will also have time to meet in our project groups.Finally… Did you know that one quarter of the people on our mailing list do not show up on the email copy list? They are the BCC group who have either not given perm ission or haven’t had the opportunity to give perm ission for their em ail addresses to be shared. If you would like to send out something of interest to everybody then please send it to this email address, and I will include it in the next update.
