Up for a Bash?

This grand weather is for being outdoors - if so, are you up for a bash?

Our friends at Transition New Mills are in their third year of 'bashing the balsam' (Himalayan Balsam, that is, a hugely invasive plant which smothers virtually all else once it gets a foothold, often along ditches/streamsides). it's recognised nationally as an unwelcome invasive plant and much effort goes into its eradication: Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, amongst others, is active in providing advice on how to deal with it.

If you'd like to help out the following sessions have been organised in coming weeks:

• Monday 6th June 6.30 - 8.00pm The Picker
  Meet at junction of High St, Dye House Lane and Hyde Bank Rd Leader : David Blowers
• Monday 13th June 6.30 - 8.00pm The Torrs
  Meet at Torrs Hydro Leader : Jill Hulme Saturday 25th June 10.30-12.30 Mousley Bottom Meet at DCC Rangers Hut Leader: Julian Ashworth

If you're moved to help out, you're advised to wear stout footwear. Gloves and long sleeves are more comfortable, given the balsam can be several feet high. Transition New Mills has some gloves for loan if you don't have any yourself.

Upcoming and of Interest?

Here's a few very current events/activities in the village which may be of interest to you (in date order):

1. You may have already seen the current exhibition in the library, commemorating the Civic Trust's 45 years of volunteer effort on Hayfield's behalf. If you haven't, it's an attractive introduction to the range of the Trust's work and - if it encourages a few additional new members - so much the better! The exhibition is there until the end of June;
2. Sustainable Hayfield is organising an activity session at the library garden this Saturday, 21st May at 3pm, for an hour or two. At this, the focus will be on: Weeding all the beds and around the fruit bushes Hopefully planting - courgettes, peas, beans... Everyone's welcome - and if you've any surplus plants you're happy to see planted or swap with someone else, so much the better. There'll be some tools, but please bring your own. And - if you need an incentive - there'll be home-made cakes and biscuits for the workers!
3. On Wednesday 25th May at 7.30p.m., there's a talk at the Village Hall, again organised by the Civic Trust, on 'Samuel Oldknow, His Life, Times and Legacy'. Oldknow was one of the prime innovators in the Industrial Revolution and had very strong local roots, notably at Marple and Mellor. The lecturer, Bob Humphrey-Taylor, organises and supervises the volunteer excavations which - underway for some time - at Mellor Mill and is a trustee of the Mellor Archaeological Trust.

Spring 2016 Newsletter Out Now

In the Spring newsletter...

• WHAT DO YOU WANT?
• A VERY HAPPY TALE
• THE BIGGER PICTURE
• ENERGY ENDEAVOURS?
• NATURE’S GIFTS - 1 & 2
• MAGNIFICENT WALKS
• 3 CHEERS FOR TRANSPORT PAIR!
• SPRING CLEAN FOR YOU?
• WASTE WORKS
• FROM THE COUNCILS
• NEAR & FAR: NEWS YOU’VE MISSED?
• COMMITTEE DETAILS
• UPCOMING EVENTS

Download Spring 2016 Newsletter

Spring Clean - your library garden - this Saturday, April 2nd, 10-1.00pm

Lengthening days, a warmer sun, what's not to like? It encourages many of us to get out and about.

So why not devote a slot of time this Saturday to tidying up the library garden a little? A work session's been organised between 10-1.00, but come along whatever time you can afford. There's some simple tasks planned:

• weeding and feeding the vegetable beds;
• extending the 'wild flower meadow' a little up by the herb garden;
• taking out some turves around free standing fruit bushes, to encourage their fuller growth.

A few hands should be able to accomplish a fair bit in the allotted time. Why not turn out and show your support? Bring your own tools - and enthusiasm! If you'd like to know more - or show interest in the garden beyond this session - contact Ellen Bennett at ellenkbennett@yahoo.co.uk or on 07742 968436. Ellen's taking on a co-ordinating role at the garden, so would be especially pleased to hear from you/see you!

Thanks for your support.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all our readers!

Here’s our winter newsletter. We hope you find it of interest. If you’ve ideas for future issues, do let Laurie James (lauriejamesis@btinternet.com) know.

IN THIS ISSUE...

• THE BIG PICTURE...
• CHAIR’S WORDS
• THANKS, KEVIN!
• TALKING TO OUR MP
• GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
• GREEN FINGERS DO THE TALKING
• ENERGY MATTERS
• LOOKING BACK... + FORWARD
• WASTE WORKS
• NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS?
• NEAR & FAR: NEWS YOU’VE MISSED?
• ONE QUESTION QUIZ!
• COMMITTEE DETAILS
• UPCOMING EVENTS

Download the Newsletter

Going Green(er) for Xmas - Some Ideas

It’s estimated we in GB will create 3 million tonnes of rubbish this Xmas – enough to fill 400,000 double decker buses! That’s crazy! Can we do better? Here’s a few ideas…..

1. Agree a cash cap for presents for your nearest and dearest – then everyone’s playing by the same (proportionate) rules.
2. Make a NUP (No Unnecessary Present ) pact with friends, or at least agree a Secret Santa scheme – where a group of family, friends or work colleagues agree a budget together and secretly draw names for who needs to buy for whom (one present for each recipient) . This way you need buy only one present for the group, rather than a dozen or more.
3. Buy a live Xmas tree with roots – so you can replant after use – and use next year.
4. Give cinema or concert tickets, or membership of a favourite museum, or similar as a present – the promise of nice experiences rather than more (often disposable) ’stuff’.
5. Make a difference/get a warm glow from helping others: give presents to those who can’t imagine the sort of Xmas we can enjoy. www.practicalpresents.org, www.wwf.org.uk and ‘Oxfam Unwrapped’ include great gift ideas (from goats to floating gardens). Closer to home, help give a homeless person a place at a Crisis for Christmas centre – donate via www.crisis.org.uk.
6. Check out ‘eco stores’ (e.g. www.nigelsecostore.com) for sustainable gifts: amazing!
7. If you’re buying Xmas lights, check out LED lights: they look good and are far more energy-efficient, saving you £££s in the long run.
8. If you’re talented in the kitchen, make chutneys, cakes or similar and give as presents.
9. Buy/give locally-produced or recycled gifts: they’re often unique. Source from the likes of Handmade Hayfield , New Mills Gallery, flea markets and antique shops.
10. Buy your Xmas meal from locally-sourced supplies (e.g. farmers’ markets). It’s been estimated the ingredients for the average supermarket-driven UK Xmas meal have travelled a combined 49,000 kilometres before appearing on your plate. That’s just madness!
11. Buy rechargeable batteries – available from the likes of B & Q.
12. Buy Brussels sprouts (yes, sprouts!) on the stalk – they’ll last 2 weeks stored outside, saving fridge space.
13. Get your fruit and veg loose – avoiding all that unnecessary plastic packaging. And, if you need to buy some packaged food, avoid getting individual portions: so much wasteful packaging, when the fridge/freezer is available for storage.
14. Make a few handmade/natural decorations – these can be so much more elegant and distinctive. And it needn’t mean much work. Consider: a spray or two of holly/ivy, a pine wreath, a decorated branch, beeswax candles, hanging snowflakes cut from white paper.
15. Wrap presents in plain brown wrapping paper, with a festive ribbon, string or raffia binder: they can look very stylish!
16. Turn off all appliances not in use. Avoid standby mode, which still uses 13-18% of the electricity needed to power them. Save ££££s! Turn off fairy lights overnight or when you’re away. If you’re prone to forget, get some timers to switch them on/off automatically.
17. Why not be kind to yourself and plan your meals for two or three days, making best use of leftovers from the ‘big meals’, in sandwiches with/without salad garnish or especially, in nourishing stews?
18. Re-use/recycle your Xmas cards. Cut them up for next year’s home-made cards or gift tags from them or at least take them to WH Smith/Tesco collection points where they’ll be well-used to raise money for The Woodland Trust.
19. Let’s be honest – some of the presents we get are often unwanted. Recycle these: take to a charity shop or give away to others via e.g. www.freecycle.org.
20. Use excess cooking fat, mixed with muesli, to make fat balls for the birds. While warm, spoon the mix into muffin cases, add a hanging string or make sure they fit your bird feeder.

Saving Your Local Community Transport Links

What would you do if you had no car, limited income, mobility problems and wanted to shop and travel to required health appointments? Ask a neighbour - again? Call on family, who may work and often live a distance away? Spend on taxis?

For many people currently, local community transport services provide an economical and more sustainable door-to-door service for just folk. But, as we've advised previously, Derbyshire County Council has been consulting on withdrawal of funding for Community Transport and removal of both shopping buses and health care travel. With others, we believe the loss of this vital service will harm older, disadvantaged, vulnerable and disabled people in particular, here and throughout the county. The prospect of such cuts has already caused anxiety and distress among many service users. There is a groundswell of support to let county councillors know the strength of feeling there is.

A petition asking the council not to proceed with such cuts has been organised. Thousand have already signed, with presentation of the 'completed' petition to inform a debate at County Hall in December. If you're concerned about this - on behalf of many of the most disadvantaged members of our communities - please sign the online petition below by Friday 20th November.

The petition can be found here