The former Cheshire County Council succeeded in receiving funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a new Landscape Partnership Scheme 'Habitats and Hillforts'.

The 3 year scheme is based within the Sandstone Ridge Area, and focusing on the six iron age hillforts along the ridge. There are four main programmes, Habitats, Hillforts, Access and Interpretation and Training.

There's a training programme, aiming at providing training for people within the local area and the vicinity of the hillforts.
See website - www.habitatsandhillforts.co.uk. Also, some documents are available in the Habitats and Hillforts tab under 'Downloads and Information'

We're currently loading a green guide on - please comment or amend.

Other Green Guides:

Shrewsbury (on line pages and pdf)

Chester had one, it's now defunct but replaced by a nominal entry (needs filling up) here

VREN would like to hear your experiences. How do you apportion costs? Do you have difficulties with insurers? Who wins when two want to use the car at the same time, in opposite directions? What are the financial/social/other benefits? Please add your thoughts via our contact page
Liftshare: If you've got a long haul or a regular journey, register at https://www.liftshare.com/uk/. People there offer or request lifts.
Freewheelers helps co-ordinate lifts to events (from festivals to conferences, including council gatherings) - event holders and event goers note! See http://www.freewheelers.co.uk/

Speaker Available
 
Ever felt like a small fish battling an incredible torrent? VREN has a COIN-trained speaker available. Together we can turn the tide! Contact us for details.  

(COIN = Climate Outreach and Information Network)

Recycling Roadshows

The Vale Royal Area is first to be targeted with the new recycling/waste collection service. Here’s a list of the roadshows coming up, from CWAC’s website, where you’ll find more details:

Tues, 10 April, Tarporley Community Centre 1.30pm - 3.30pm

Thurs 12 April, Frodsham market 9am - 1pm

Thurs 12 April, Tesco Helsby 2pm - 6pm

Sat 14 April, Winsford Cross Shopping Centre 9am - 5pm

Mon 16 April, Sandiway Library 2pm - 4pm

Mon 16 April, Barnton Library 4.30pm - 6.30pm

Tues 17 April, Wharton Library and Community Centre 2pm - 4pm

Wed 18 April, Weaverham Community Centre 10am -12pm

Fri 20 April, Delamere Park Community Centre 2pm - 6pm

Sat 21 April, Northwich Weaver Square 9am - 5pm

Sat 21 April, Tarporley (outside St Helen’s Church) 9am - 2.30pm

Resource Recovery Solutions is a United Utilites and Interserve partnership, planning a waste-to-energy plant using gasification technology in Wincham. Website: www.resourcerecoverysolutions.co.uk or freephone 0800 1303 505.

Both groups have put planning applications in: it appears the council is having difficulty squeezing their bulk onto their website. Meanwhile the Viridor application is available to view now at Wyvern House, Winsford, and the RRS one will soon be.

CHAIN is co-ordinating action against these and other proposed incinerators, eg Brunner Mond's. Meet them at www.anti-incinerator.org.uk

Cutting back on waste is an obvious answer - buy less, mend more, maintain, compost, borrow/hire, and use FreeCycle to find new loving homes for the things you no longer love. You can also advertise for stuff you need, within reason. All saves trips to the tip! See http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/valeroyalfreecycle/

For other UK/northwest Freecycle groups, see http://www.uk.freecycle.org/ and http://www.freegle.org.uk/groups/north-west

There's a nice map of recycling sites here,

If you're stuck for what kind of plastic it is, there's a set of tests to try at www.recoup.org > Identifying Plastics.

www.junkk.com have ideas for reusing plastic things (usually with a deft cut and a canny stick), and a search on 'plastic' came up with Smile Plastics (http://www.smile-plastics.co.uk) of Shrewsbury, who take a range of plastics and turn them into rigid sheet.

A faesibilbity study has narrowed down the choices for renewable energy from the Mersey:
# Tidal Barrage, with conventional low-head turbines
# Tidal Power Gate, a grid of specially designed low-head turbines
# Tidal Fence, capturing energy from the natural or constrained tide, using horizontal or vertical axis turbines designed for use in open streams
# Tidal Fence variant, using turbines set in venturi tubes to concentrate the flow.
(This list may be revised as further information comes in)
The next stage in the study will identify suitable sites.
More information on the faesibility study by Scott Wilson, Drivers Jonas and EDF for Peel Energy and NWDA.

Where's the Hydropower?
The Environment Agency has a report on the potential for small hydropower in England and Wales. They've identified over 25,000 sites where existing structures have potential for conversion. Together they could generate 1% of the UK's electricity, but only around 4,000 sites are suitable for use with environmental measures to protect wildlife, eg fish passes for migratory fish, as well as having access to the electricity network.
See the report, which includes information on what you need to know when developing a scheme.

 There were two proposals: one a swing bridge, the other a high level static bridge. British Waterways need access, especially emergency access to the sluices. They're planning for it to have a 120 year life, like the last.

The swing bridge was been opted for, though more expensive by 25%, and requiring more ongoing costs in maintenance, etc. The less expensive high level option (it needs to clear the water by 5.5m) would have been more intrusive on locals in The Crescent. (The old bridge took two-and-a-half months from conception to completion!) Whitbybird worked on the bridge design  www.whitbybird.com. The new bridge is steel, and 6' 6" wide (ie, wide enough for a car). Bridge completion was in November, with the opening on 3rd December 2010. The old bridge (pictured below in April 2010) went in May that year. The new bridge was largely  constructed off-site. With £600,000 from Connect2, 2/3 of the funding is secured. And it is a Public Right of Way!
 

More pictures in our Gallery section
Sustrans has offered £160,000 to improve the footbridge over the River Dane by the railway viaduct. I believe this is now open to pedestrians, having seen, from the railway, the barriers down on 23rd March.

Headwater, a Northwich-based company specialising in active holidays, has teamed up with Re~Cycle to supply unwanted bikes and bike parts to Africa. Many of the bikes assist medical workers, helping them cover long distances. If you've a bike you'd like to donate, check Headwater's website 

March/April & Sept/Oct - 8am - 6pm
May - August - 8am - 8pm
Nov - Feb - 8am - 4pm
7 days a week, only closed Christmas Day.
But before you take it to the tip, does anyone want it? Is it still usable, or good for parts? Check via Freecycle - see last paragraph under 'Incinerator', above