Alternative Local Shopping Options

In the midst of the pandemic, many voices are arguing that we must learn lessons, seize opportunities and ‘build back’ our economy and society ‘better’ than it was previously, with its emphasis on conspicuous and often reckless consumption, waste and lack of thought for the future. And we are definitely amongst them. Even the government is using this language. But deeds are more important than airy words.

So we thought we’d just mention a few local options worth considering as you contemplate your shopping this season, and beyond.

1. Getting fruit and veg locally. Why bother travelling miles, when a variety of veg box schemes (e.g. Riverford Organics, Cain and Abel) deliver to the village, Hayfield News and The Village Store stock a range delivered frequently to store, and Village Greens do home deliveries and ‘stand’ with pre-ordered boxes, for collection, at the Pack Horse every Saturday morning?

2. Sourcing you books carefully. With apologies to anyone who might work for the incredibly efficient Amazon, but this company’s financial muscle threatens a huge range of small, local bookshops where you can (ordinarily) browse your selections. This is even more so in the pandemic, when bookshops have had to close their doors during ‘lockdowns’, but Amazon is allowed to carry on. Now, though, the Booksellers’ Association – the trade organisation for local bookshops – has set up its own home delivery service, with part of the proceeds going to the local bookshop you want to support. And personal use confirms it works!

   So, if you’d like to avoid using Amazon, as many of us do, you’ve now another alternative. Using Bay Tree Books in Glossop as an example, if you know what book(s) you want to order and have delivered to your home, place your order via uk.bookshop.org/shop/baytreebooks and it should happen!

3. Buying individually-crafted goods for someone special For obvious reasons, this year Handmade Hayfield is not able to run its Xmas Gift Fair outside and inside The Royal Hotel as normal.. But it’s still up and running!

   It’s moved ‘the fair’ online November 27th and 28th, but participating craftworkers are always ready to take orders and can arrange delivery. Go to www.handmadehayfield.com and see what’s on offer!

4. Shopping Zero Waste We’re delighted to advise the opening of a new ‘zero waste’ shop in New Mills, called, very appropriately, ‘Millers' Refillers’, who opened earlier this month.

   As with all such shops, it aims to help people reduce the amount of plastic and other packaging they send to landfill by selling a wide range of unpackaged/’loose’ goods and providing an affordable refill outlet. Goods are ethically sourced, and comprise a mixture of organic/non- organic, with all clearly marked.

   It's started out selling pulses, grains, pasta, nuts, snacks, herbs, spices, seeds, cereals, dried fruit, gluten free options, sugars, flours, baking ingredients, teas, coffee, beans, vinegar, vinegars, shampoo, conditioner, cleaning liquid, laundry liquids, eco-friendly soaps, and lots of other bits.

   If you’d like to try their range, Millers’ Refillers is at 34 Market Street, New Mills. They’re open seven days a week (most days 9-5, but 9-8 Thursdays and 10-4 Sundays). They’d be very pleased to see you! We wish them very well.

We hope you find these ideas helpful.

John McCall Obituary

By Neville Kirk
4th November 2020
The Guardian

My friend John McCall, who has died aged 75 from cancer, was a leading architect who was committed to the green environment, social housing and civic provision. John designed pioneering low-energy and sustainable homes in north-west England.

He was also involved in a successful campaign to prevent slum clearance in Longsight, Manchester, and to save the homes instead. In Hayfield, High Peak, Derbyshire, he was centrally involved in refurbishing the Memorial Square, reviving a neglected central part of the village.

John was born in Glasgow, the only child of George McCall, a decorator, and Edith (nee Davis), a factory worker. The family moved to Hyde, Edith’s home town, while John was a baby. John attended Stockport school, a state grammar. He studied architecture at Liverpool University, gaining a first-class honours degree in 1969. He retained teaching and examining connections with the university up to his retirement.

John met Susan Hotchkiss, a student at Liverpool Art College, and they married in January 1971. Sue became an established artist. From 1973 to 1991 John was a key figure in Michael Hyde and Associates in Manchester. Between 1991 and his retirement in 2010 he was head of John McCall Architects, based in Liverpool and Hayfield.

In the 1970s John was involved in a campaign that prevented the demolition of many homes and communities in Longsight, as part of Manchester City Council’s slum clearance programme. As a key member of the Manchester and Salford Housing Action group, formed by radical architects and other professionals, he pioneered more democratic ways of working with residents.

They carried out surveys of targeted properties, costed the options and concluded that it would be preferable to save and improve the existing houses and preserve the strong sense of local community and identity than bulldoze the properties. They produced information for residents, including material in Urdu. They made their case to the slum clearance hearings and were successful. Seven out of the nine proposed slum-clearance areas in Manchester were saved and became general improvement areas.

In 1977 John and his colleagues, working under the auspices of the Help the Aged Housing Association, won a Civic Trust award for their provision of the first sheltered housing scheme in Norman’s Place, Altrincham.

In Hayfield, High Peak, he was centrally involved in environmental and civic projects, including the Sustainable Hayfield Energy Group, which secured funding to help villagers improve the energy efficiency of homes. The creation of an eco-friendly environment, including social housing and strong communities, underpinned John’s philosophy and practice.

John was a generous, caring and optimistic person with a passion for fairness and social justice. He was sociable, enjoyed the pub and music and had great joie de vivre. John played cricket, the drums in his own band and, unusually, supported both Liverpool and Manchester City. He actively promoted local fell-running and believed in wider access to the hills. He designed his boat, Muddy Waters, on which and he and Sue spent happy holidays.

John is survived by Sue, his children, Katy and Jim, and grandchildren, Arthur, Anna, Johnny, Etta and Rose.

Green Homes Grant - for you?

Hayfield residents amongst you should all have had in the ;last few days a little leaflet delivered to you from the Parish Council and Sustainable Hayfield drawing your attention to the government's Green Homes Grant. We are very grateful to the Parish Council, as part of its wider work on climate change, for generously funding production of this leaflet.

The Green Homes Grant is amazing in three respects:

• it's huge. It offers up to £1.5 billion to homeowners and residential landlords to help fund energy efficiency improvements and cut their carbon footprints, up to £5,000 per household for those not relying on benefits, and up to £10,000 for those on means-tested benefits, and/or Attendance Allowance. Those on benefits need make no contribution to costs, those not on benefits are expected to pay one third the cost of energy improvements commissioned.
• it's got a really short timescale for applications, and for having work done, which will be authorised by vouchers. All works are, currently, due to be completed by March 31st 2021 although it will be interesting to see whether a renewed 'lockdown' will cause a change of heart there.
• it's all to be progressed online via the website identified on the leaflet we distributed. i.e. simpleenergyadvice.org.uk. There is no government-sponsored hard copy information about the scheme. But, for those who might need some help applying for the grant, we have given our energy group's email address (shayfieldenergygroup@gmail.com) and a telephone number of one of the group's members (07769 508302) if you want to make contact.

So, if you are serious about securing greater energy efficiency in your home, do have a look at what's possible by this scheme. There are eligibility criteria to be met. We wish you well.

Hayfield Community Orchard 2020 – Apple Juice

This year’s apple crop has been very good and as we were unable to hold the Annual Apple Day at the Primary School, where we normally juice the apples to give away, this year we decided to try something different.

The apples that were collected by the village volunteers were taken to High Peak Cider Press in Birch Vale to be cleaned, pressed and turned into pasteurised juice. 87 litres of juice has been produced from this year’s crop. The 1 litre bottles can now be distributed to those in the village who would like one.

We will be setting up outside the Packhorse on Saturday 24th October at 9 am, with the bottles of juice to give away.

The processing and bottling of the juice has resulted in a cost to the Community Orchard of £1.60 a litre. The Parish Council and Sustainable Hayfield have offered to offset this cost this year but donations would be welcome to pay back both for their generosity and support.

Next year we are hoping to put the Community Orchard on to a more commercial basis for the benefit of the community. If you are interested in becoming involved in the Community Orchard Project please contact Councilor Cath Hughes or Derek Clarke.

If you missed the videos that we made to provide you with some of the other elements of Apple day, click here, sit back and enjoy!

Welcome to Apple Day 2020

For obvious reasons, we've not been able to hold our normal Apple Day this year. So we thought we'd bring you a virtual version, sharing with you some short videos from local people, displaying sustainable talents from bee keeping to preserving, and updating on how we've made best use of our community orchard apples this year. Despite disruption to our lives, the apple harvest has been as good in 2020 as any other year, and our intrepid pickers have been busy picking, sorting, bagging and boxing them...

Some of 2020's apples have gone to Glossop and New Mills Food Banks, and the rest will go to High Peak Cider Press, for juicing/bottling. We hope to share an anticipated 40 litres with the Hayfield community soon. Watch our notices and updates for more information! So, click here, sit back and enjoy! And, if you've a sustainable skill you'd like to share, get in contact with us at sustainablehayfielduk@gmail.com and we'll talk videoing you at work!

Thanks for all your support and interest.

New Mills Fashion Week

People's invention knows no bounds!

Please find below a poster for a series of 5 free online ‘zoom’ events, Mon 12th to Fri 16th October, celebrating New Mills Fashion Week, which brings an alternative look at clothes and fashion, designed to be informative, thought provoking & fun!

It's a delight that such a series of such events should be organised so close to home. It's bound to be stimulating! Hopefully, you can join in whichever of the events appeals to you.

Powering Our Homes with Renewable Energy - Survey Form

We advised some weeks ago our success in getting funding to explore the feasibility of developing a solar farm in the parish, to help supply clean energy to the locality. As part of that work, we’ve now produced a survey form to local households to get your views on renewable energy supply to Hayfield, with some focus on the possibility of a solar farm. You can complete the survey online here.

We’ll also be delivering this door to door.

If you live in Hayfield parish, we hope you’ll want to complete it. This will inform our continuing work. As you’ll see, you can return it hard copy or, preferably, electronically, by September 7th to shayfieldenergygroup@gmail.com. since electronic return makes analysis of responses somewhat easier. A good return rate from Sustainable Hayfield supporters will help our work considerably.

Summer Newsletter

Our summer newsletter is ready for download. We hope you find it of interest. Given 'lockdown', it's encouraging to see how much has been happening.

We'd draw your attention to local interest there is in having some regular 'litter picks' around the village (see page 5). If you'd be interested in joining in what might be, say, monthly activity, do email me at sustainablehayfielduk@gmail.com.

Forthcoming Talk - The Role of the Community in the Electrification of the UK

It’s Community Energy Fortnight 13th-28th June. And what better way of recognising it than by sharing details of the revolutionary changes which have occurred, are underway, and are yet to come, in how we source and use electricity, already dominant in the UK. You need to know!

Our Energy group Chair, Richard Noakes, who’s worked in the electricity market for the last 10 years, has kindly agreed to give a Zoom presentation and take questions, next Thursday, 25th June at 7.00p.m. on the subject of ‘The Role of The Community in the Electrification of the UK’. He’ll be charting some of the key changes in the market, past and future, and what it means for us.

Think how much we rely on continuing electricity supply, at home, at work, in our leisure activities. Extended – or repeated large-scale- outages would compromise almost all of what we do.

But there’s revolution afoot in the electricity market, which will affect almost all of us. It’s clear that coal as a UK power source has almost disappeared, and many questions are being asked of gas, all with government backing. Petrol and diesel cars will no longer be produced in just over 10 years’ time, and our homes will increasingly have EV charging points, and heat pumps in place of gas boilers.

But that’s not all. Already, there are trials charging us for electricity on tariffs changing by the half hour, using smart meters being installed. One supplier has recently been paying customers to use electricity, to secure continued operation of its renewable supply (the best deal was at 4.00a.m.!). And increasingly, we’ll be getting much of our supply from, and paying our bills to, a local energy provider, maybe one controlled by the local community. The world is changing...

Why not join us - from your lounge or kitchen - to hear of the revolution that’s under way? Content will be pitched at the non-scientists amongst us. The event will last about an hour. To register your interest, email Shayfieldenergygroup@gmail.com and shortly after, you’ll be sent a ‘Zoom link’ which you just need to click on shortly before 7.00p.m. on 25th June, to join the audience. As someone says, “simples!”

Good News - They're Back!

We're delighted to advise that, starting this Saturday, Village Greens will be resuming their 'pitch' outside The Pack Horse, from 10.00-12.00noon. Because market conditions are still problematic, they will have their usual pre-ordered boxes of their delicious fruit and veg for you to collect, but will not, for the first couple weeks, be bringing anything extra to sell, after which they hope to resume that service too, gradually, if all goes well.

Village Greens are contacting all their regular customers to advise of this, and will continue to deliver to self isolating and vulnerable customers on Saturday morning. But for others, it will be a question of turning up at The Pack Horse and collecting the orders you've placed. And, apparently, large numbers of those of us who've been contacted are looking forward to the social dimension of picking up our box, and 'having a chat' (but still with social distances observed and certainly no hugging!), as are Sharon and Rod. Or, if you wish, you can drive up alongside and they'll put your box in your car for you. Village Greens, of course, are on 01457 865256.

We're sure you're as pleased as we are with this news. Regrettably, Grains are not yet in a position to resume their service but we hope to keep you informed of developments there. See you Saturday?

Shining a Light - Hurrah for Hayfield (and neighbours)!

A few days ago, Pennie Roberts gave us an update on the achievements of High Peak Scrub Hub, which she leads and which has a core representation of Sustainable Hayfield's Reduce, Re-use and Recycle group members amongst its participants. And what story it is!

The Hub, set up and coordinated by Pennie, and providing aprons, face masks and mask extenders, scrub hats, headbands and laundry bags primarily for carers and exposed professionals working in community settings – now has over 70 people on its database, aged 18 - 85, mainly sewing but also volunteer drivers and 2 bike couriers. Sewers come from across High Peak including Hayfield, New Mills, Chinley, Chisworth, Tideswell, and Buxton and includes the retired head seamstress from Chatsworth House. The Hub liaises with the Glossop Scrub Hub to ensure best use of resources.

High Peak Scrub Hub’s sewers had, as of a few days ago, sewn 3188 items. Yes, that’s 3188! These include 1154 face masks and 826 laundry bags. they contributed 100 sets of scrubs to the Christies hospital appeal for 1500 sets and 300 laundry bags to Salford Royal’s appeal for 6000. This is a magnificent achievement, and reflects great credit on everyone involved with this wholly voluntary and largely informal effort, started just a few weeks ago.

Apart from the 2 hospitals its items have been distributed to community settings across the High Peak. It has supplied to 20 care homes, residents at Primrose Court, 3 schools including Hayfield Primary School, community carers, nurses and volunteers. It's provided scrubs for GPs and podiatrists. It is distributing cotton face masks to the community free of charge through the Village Store, Hayfield News and New Mills Food Bank. The Hub is also in touch with High Peak and New Mills CVss.

At least 50% of the material used has been repurposed from other cotton items, so avoiding recycling or landfill. The Hub's sewers have dug deep into their stashes of material, supplemented by some judicious purchasing. A problem with the supply of elastic worldwide did not stop the Hub’s intrepid team who altered designs and adapted their sewing to ensure items continued to be produced.

If anyone knows of a need for face masks in particular please get in contact. High Peak Scrub Hub is at highpeakscrubhub@gmail.com. Pennie is on 01663 747132. Any other potential contacts are welcome: just let the Hub know who's in need.

The whole Scrub Hub enterprise and its achievements just shows what can be done quickly, by like-minded people starting out with no resources other than their own skills and passion to assist. We are all most grateful and extend congratulations to everyone involved!

Annual Plant Swap - At a Distance!

Each year Sustainable Hayfield’s Food Group organises a ‘plant and seedling swap’ for a couple of hours at the Library garden. There, gardeners can bring their surplus seedlings and take away those they’d like that others have donated, all for free!

This year, as many of us have turned to our gardens as a means of coping during these difficult times, we wanted to try and continue to run the plant swap. So, we are proceeding with the plant (vegetables, herbs and flowers) swap in an alternative, non-contact way but which we hope maintains the mutual help ethos which has underpinned the event.

From next Monday, May 4th, there will be a plant swap station set up in the library garden, in front of the building, where you will be able to drop off and pick up spare plants. We aim to keep the plant swap station in place for about 4 weeks, as gardeners amongst us continue to plant seeds and bring their surpluses for distribution. We will try and update what is available through the Sustainable Hayfield Facebook page.

So, when you’re on your daily exercise walk, do consider going past the library and seeing what’s there and dropping off what you can spare. And don’t worry if you are new to gardening and don’t have any plants to swap, we are happy for you to just take some spare plants and have a go at gardening!

To help the plant swap run smoothly, please follow the guidelines below:

• Please label the plants that you are dropping off, as there won’t be anyone there to do it for you. A pot of spare labels will be provided;
• Please ensure your seedlings/plants are well-watered just before you bring them. We’ll be able to water them subsequently, but at intervals;
• When visiting the plant swap station, please observe social distancing rules. We’ve spread the ‘event’ over four weeks to ensure there’s plenty of time in which to visit and no need for any congregations of people. If, by chance, there are two or more people already present, you can decide to come back another time.

We hope you’ll support this activity. It’s another way of showing we do things of shared interest, and mutual support, even in these troubling times. And attached is a sample of the sort of fare you might see – or bring!

Thanks very much - and happy gardening!

Spring Newsletter

Our Spring 2020 newsletter is ready for download, shortened and shaped by these extraordinary times.

We hope, even so, it's of interest to you and may provoke thoughts and actions geared to improving our well-being, and that of all around us. if you've thoughts about what we might include in future newsletters, do please let us know.

In this issue:

• COVID-19 WHAT’S TO LEARN?
• OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH....
• SUSTAINABLE HAYFIELD EVENTS
• TRANSPORT TREATS
• IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
• THOUGHTS FOR OUR TIMES?
• SOLAR SUNRISE?
• TAILPIECE
• OUR COMMITTEE

Looking Up In These Downcast Times

Many of our lives are being circumscribed, with 'social distancing', and exhortations to stay at home. How can we most easily make the best of these strange times, helping ourselves, our community and beyond? Here's a few suggestions:

Keeping In Touch

• make an effort to talk with your neighbour (over the wall, or the 'phone) - a human voice can be such a comfort;
• ask if help's needed with some shopping;
• if you're already part of a community group, whose meetings have been cancelled, consider buddying up with another member, and share your experiences;
• Jocelyne Underwoood, Sustainable Hayfield supporter, has asked about organised schemes for supporting the most vulnerable. The two already running are:
  • New Mills and District Volunteer Centre, a well-established community volunteer service, running several schemes. Details are displayed prominently on Hayfield Parish Council website;
  • High Peak Council for Voluntary Service, a coordinating body for many local groups, and able to give advice. They're on 01663 735350 and at hello@highpeakcvs.org.uk. Please recognise there will be a delay on getting a response.

Tending The Garden

Many of us know the soothing effects of gardening. Why not reconsider your plot by:

• redesigning some feature, if only in your head/on paper to begin with;
• getting some seed (flowers or veg) and nurturing a new area;
• consider opening up more space for wildlife in your garden, perhaps linking with neighbours. There's wildlife gardening ideas from Springwatch here.
• using your surplus imaginatively, for community benefit. Sustainable Hayfield supporter Trevor Williams has been planting out native English bluebells and snowdrops around the 'old school field' for a few years. And now's the time to split up your snowdrop clumps and further beautify the area. Subdivide your snowdrop clumps and join Trevor on the slopes near the Scout Hut on Saturday at 11.00.a.m. to augment planting there.

Supporting Local Businesses

Businesses - such a key part of our community - are facing huge, and immediate, threats. Let's help by:

• shopping local wherever we can;
• supporting them by paying for appointments (hairdressers, physio etc.) which may have to be unavoidably cancelled, helping their cash flow and building loyalty.

Helping the Poorest

Who, as ever, will be the hardest hit by local, and global, dislocation:

• keep giving to the Food Banks, and, if you can, give a little more. Donations are already down, as demand grows;
• give, as birthday/other presents, virtual gifts via www.oxfam.org.uk or www.practicalaction.org.
• we recently held a very successful sewing event for Dress A Girl Around the World. But there's still surplus material and dresses which are either cut out or partially finished. If you'd like, in the current situation, to do some sewing at home, and help restore dignity to children abroad at risk of sexual exploitation, please contact Pennie Roberts, Sustainable Hayfield Committee member on 07749 710127 or iampennieroberts@gmail.com. Material and instructions can be provided and left in a suitable place for completion.

Loving Your Home

One of the paradoxes of the current crisis is that the environment is benefitting through less pollution. Can we sustain these improvements close to home by;

doing what you know makes sense, by switching your energy supplier to a green supplier. It's so easy.
• ensuring that more time at home doesn't always mean excessive use of electronic appliances, and more expense. Remember to disconnect appliances (TVs, phones etc) at night (no red lights);
• reducing your food waste with these tips from Love Food Hate Waste.
• chilling out, economically - set your fridge to the right temperature to save energy.

Let's make the best of the challenges we face - together! Thank you, and take care.

Suspensions, Cancellations and Postponements

With regret, I'm advising that, given government advice about 'social distancing' and linked matters, we have decided that:

• The operation of the Terracycle recycling scheme for 'unrecyclable' plastic is being suspended forthwith, with boxes withdrawn from local shops etc., until such time it is judged appropriate to resume collections. When you consider all items will have been touched by others' hands, and sometimes their mouths, and that children at the primary school and adult helpers, some with underlying health conditions, separate these out for despatch, this is the only sensible thing to do in the current circumstances. But we hope the suspension will not last too long, and we, as ever, thank you for your support for this enterprise which diverts substantial sums of plastic from landfill and raises funds for the school. We'll advise when the service resumes;
• The Village Spring Clean and Litter Pick event, Saturday March 28th, is similarly postponed, for related reasons. This has usually benefitted from the voluntary involvement of dozens of supporters and other villagers and does great service in sprucing up the village, with a good part of the waste collected being separated out and diverted from landfill. Again, this is greatly regretted but the organisers considered we could not proceed with such an organised event, involving many hands, at this time. There is nothing, of course, to stop individuals actively recovering litter from your immediate locality and popping it in your bin, from which we'd all benefit.

These are strange and sober times. These notices will, for many of you, be very similar to messages you've received from elsewhere. It does feel, for many of us, our habitual pattern of activities is shrinking. All the more important, therefore, that at a very local level, we do things we can to sustain our local community life. Making, and keeping in, contact, with older, and 'self-isolating', neighbours and other villagers, assisting where we can with shopping etc., continuing to support local businesses and the like are the more important in these straitened times. In doing what we can, we - again - all benefit.

May you enjoy good times these coming weeks and more.

Two new invitations and two reminders...

1. You know the value of tree planting as one means of offsetting carbon emissions and locking in carbon...…but did you know that, short to medium term, little old sphagnum moss is many times more effective, especially on peat soils? Now we've the chance to do something practical and increase the sphagnum cover on our moorlands, by planting sphagnum plugs in association with the National Trust! (Read more: Scattering moss can restore key carbon sink.)

Next Sunday, 8th March, the National Trust has invited us to join them for a day's planting on high moorland near the Snake summit. A number of folk have already signed up, but more would be very welcome! Could this be you and yours, outdoorsy types as so many of you are? National Trust rangers suggest meeting up at Birchen Clough Car Park (A57) at 9.30a.m.

The 'planting party' will be out all day, returning to vehicles no later than 4.00p.m. You need to be prepared for a day on the moors, so...walking boots, gloves, hats, outdoor/waterproofs and lots of layers, with plenty of food and (warm) drink. A couple of Land Rovers will transport people to the planting site, which will also require about 30 minutes' uphill walking, but there may also be need for some car sharing, depending on how many people join in. For now, can you please:

• let me know if you'd like to attend, and;
• indicate whether you need or can offer a lift from the village to Birchen Clough car park. I hope I'll hear from some of you!

2. In quite different vein, you may know Derbyshire County Council is proposing to close a number of its old peoples' care homes, to include Goyt Valley House in New Mills, where a number of former village rs live. The reasons given are some homes' underoccupancy and their need for extensive refurbishment to meet current standards. Nothing is known about what will happen to current residents, except that they will be relocated - somewhere. Opposition to these proposals, on which DCC is consulting, is growing. If you'd like to take part in the consultation, making your views known, go to http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/care-home-review. or, if you want your MP to do something about it, go to https://www.change.org/p/robert-largan-mp-stop-derbyshire-county-council-closing-goyt-valley-house-residential-adult-care-home

3. A reminder that, this Wednesday, 4th March, there's a Dress A Girl Around the World sewing evening at The Threadmill (just past the primary school down Swallow House Lane from 7.30p.m. It aims to use old or unwanted materials to make dresses and shorts for children in poor countries who have none, or insufficient. Particularly for girls, a lack of suitable clothing is a matter of personal and family shame and makes them vulnerable to sexual abuse. These evenings help make suitable clothing which is then despatched via the Dress A Girl Around the World charity to where it’s needed.

Can you help? Experienced and novice sewers are welcome plus anyone who can help with cutting out, ironing, making coffee etc. Cash donations are also welcome towards sewing supplies. We've material from previous sessions but please bring along any cotton you would like upcycled into shorts and dresses for children who have none. It needs to be pure cotton and not too flimsy. There’s no need to book, just turn up …and enjoy! If you’ve any questions, contact Pennie Roberts on iampennieroberts@gmail.com or at 01663 747132. Thanks!

4. Last, a reminder too of the 'Ecobricks training workshop' on Saturday 7th March 11-3p.m. at Hayfield Village Hall. Ecobricks are a way of capturing non-recyclable plastic and turning it into building blocks, which we can all make! In 2019 20,000 kg of plastic was 'ecobricked', with millions of pieces of plastic put to good use in local building around the world. Have a look at www.ecobricks.org. for how they're used. It will amaze you!

A certified ecobricks trainer, will help us get started with this great initiative, so we can add ourselves to the list of places working to remove plastic from our environment. School age children as well as adults can attend. There'll be a presentation and discussion as well as practical activity. Lunch will be a 'bring and share' event. It should be informative, interesting and fun! If you’re interested in this event, please email iampennieroberts@gmail.com. Meantime, please save any plastic bottles you have plus any plastic that can't go into your brown bin. Bottles and plastic must be free of food contamination.

Four of Different Kinds...

Here's notice of four different forthcoming events, which we hope will interest you:

* First off, our Food group is hosting a thoughtful/lively discussion, led by Chris Walsh, co-founder of the Kindling Trust, on ‘What makes a sustainable food system’ on Wednesday February 26th, at 7.30p.m.,St Matthew’s Church Hall. Chris will talk about the many projects the Trust has helped set up, including co-operative organic veg. enterprises, an urban horticulture hub, training programmes in organic growing, new farmer incubation, volunteering opportunities on local farms, community gardening and social prescribing.

For 12 years, the Kindling Trust has worked for a just and ecologically sustainable society. Alongside local communities, farmers, activists and policy makers, it uses food as a catalyst for environmental and social change. Their work challenges the dominant model of industrial production and widespread food inequality.

Chris will share his thoughts on how we can all play a role in creating a local food economy that both supports community gardeners and local farmers to make our communities more resilient. This is a free event, and should be both practical and inspiring. There'll be plenty of time for questions and discussion....we hope we'll see you there! A poster's attached.

* Second, exactly a week on, our Reuse and Recycling Group is holding another Dress A Girl Around the World sewing evening at The Threadmill (just past the primary school down Swallow House Lane on Wednesday 4th March, from 7.30p.m. Its purpose isto use old or unwanted materials to make dresses and shorts for children in poor countries who have none, or insufficient. Particularly for girls, a lack of suitable clothing is a matter of personal and family shame and makes them vulnerable to sexual abuse. These evenings help make suitable clothing which is then despatched via the Dress A Girl Around the World charity to where it’s needed.

We’ve run these events before and they’ve been very successful. Experienced and novice sewers are welcome plus anyone who can help with cutting out, ironing, making coffee etc. Cash donations are also welcome towards sewing supplies. We've material from previous sessions but please bring along any cotton you would like upcycled into shorts and dresses for children who have none. It needs to be pure cotton and not too flimsy. There’s no need to book, just turn up on the night…and enjoy! If you’ve any questions, do contact Pennie Roberts on iampennieroberts@gmail.com. or at 01663 747132.

* Third, just a few days later, we’re running, with Transition New Mills, an ‘Ecobricks training workshop’ on Saturday 7th March 11-3p.m. at Hayfield Village Hall. Ecobricks are a way of capturing non-recyclable plastic and turning it into building blocks, which we can all make! In 2019 20,000 kg of plastic was 'ecobricked', with millions of pieces of plastic put to good use in local building around the world. England topped the list of ecobricking countries! Have a look at www.ecobricks.org. for how they're used. It will amaze you!

Josanne McLean, a certified ecobricks trainer, will help us get started with this great initiative, so we can add ourselves to the list of places working to remove plastic from our environment. School age children as well as adults can attend. There'll be a presentation and discussion as well as practical activity. Lunch will be a 'bring and share' event. It should be informative, interesting and fun!

If you’re interested in this event, please email iampennieroberts@gmail.com. Meantime, please save any plastic bottles you have plus any plastic that can't go into your brown bin. Bottles and plastic must be free of food contamination. Again, a poster's attached. Thank you!

* Last, but definitely not least, we - with the Civic Trust and the Parish Council - have set the date for this year's Great Village Clean Up. It's Saturday March 28th, from 10.00a.m. until around 2.00p.m. Each year, dozens of villagers turn out for an hour or two to spruce up the village in an organised way, removing impressive sums of discarded rubbish, and we hope for the same again this year. There will be a good deal more publicity nearer the date but, for now, please make a date in your diaries.

You can feel that spring is on the way...….thanks for your continuing support.

Sustainable Hayfield Winter Newsletter

Here's your winter newsletter, which we hope you find informative. We're always pleased to receive your comments and suggestions.

In this issue, we've given a fair amount of space to working with public authorities, and we've listed a summary of some key commitments made publicly by our (new) government. We need to keep all such agencies on their toes around the climate emergency. We mention High Peak Council's Climate Change Summit being held 15th January, to which we've been invited to contribute as a relevant local organisation. If you've observations of practical things which should receive a mention at the Summit, do please let me know. Thanks!

As usual, there's also updates on the work of our sub- and subject groups. And other materials too. We hope you enjoy the read!

Thanks for your continuing support.