News

Protecting the moors around Rochdale

Off-road mitigation measures

Now is perhaps a good time to let people know our forum is involved in a project to introduce off-road mitigation measures to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour in the area with particular regard to off-road bikes, quads and 4x4s.
Work started on the first phase of the project on Tuesday 27th April 2021 to replace 1km of damaged fencing along part of Edenfield Road, near to Owd Betts in Norden. There are a number of rights of way to consider, one of which is a bridleway. The plan is to replace the fence and place new gates, styles and vehicle barriers at various points to restrict unauthorised vehicle access onto the moor.
In Rochdale we are fortunate to have guidance and advice from Rochdale Council’s Public Rights of Way Officer, who is acting as the project lead. Together we have raised over £13,000 and financial contributions have come from RMNF, Rochdale Ward and Township Funds, the Lord of the Manor of Rochdale, Rochdale and Bury Bridleways Association, the Greater Manchester Lieutenancy Office of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Greater Manchester High Sheriffs Police Trust.

Why are we doing this

Evidence shows that large numbers of off-road vehicles regularly travel from outside the Rochdale area, from as far away as Merseyside, Cheshire, Derbyshire and beyond, in order to illegally ride or drive on the moors. So far the furthest travelled and apprehended has been from Edinburgh! These off-road vehicles, particularly motorbikes, quads and 4x4s are causing significant environmental damage to the surrounding moorland peat (a natural carbon store), damaging wildlife (especially ground nesting birds) and putting upland farming at risk by distressing grazing cattle and sheep – large areas of the moorland in our area is Common Land where Commoners exercise their “Rights of Common” to graze sheep and cattle. Significant damage is being caused to footpaths and bridleways and sadly there are reports of legitimate users of these facilities (farmers, equestrians, ramblers and cyclists, etc.) being put at risk and threatened with physical violence.
  • Watch the BBC North West Tonight news item broadcast on Wednesday 31st March 2021 by clicking HERE.
  • Read a Rossendale Free Press article by clicking HERE.
  • Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team reported, “The moors have become horrendously devastated by illegal trials bikers ripping through the hillside creating vast areas of deep rutted land. At daytime it’s bad enough but in the pitch of night it proved nearly impossible to navigate but thanks to specialist kit and thorough training (but some 4 hours later), the casualty was off the hill and safely going to hospital for further treatment.” Read more HERE.

What the Police are doing

Operation Dragster is the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) response to these illegal off-road activities and last year, at the start of the first lockdown, the Police expanded Operation Dragster due to increased complaints. As a consequence of Operation Dragster, our forum along with a large number of residents and their ward councillors became actively involved in regular Zoom meetings with our Neighbourhood Beat Officers to discuss these issues and to see what could be done to improve the situation. At these meetings a number of opportunities were identified to reduce unauthorised motor vehicle access to the moors and our GMP Neighbourhood Beat Officers have been outstanding in liaising with the community and helping to tackle these issues. Together we have built positive working relationships with Lancashire Police, the GMP Off Road Bike Team, local Councillors, the Rights of Way Officers in Rochdale and Rossendale Council, local landowners – in particular United Utilities and the agent for the Lord of the Manor of Rochdale, the West Pennines Commoners Association, the Rochdale Ramblers, Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, community groups such as Prickshaw & Broadley Fold Neighbourhood Watch and the equestrian community through the Rochdale & Bury Bridleway Association.
GMP advise enforcement activity will continue throughout this year.

Next steps

All of the organisations involved in this project have been consulted and are looking at what learnings they can take to do something similar in the surrounding area. Lancashire Police have recently introduce “Rossendale’s Rural Task Force” and we have asked local Members of Parliament, The Right Honourable Jake Berry, Tony Lloyd and Chris Clarkson to approach wind farm companies in the area to get involved.

What you can do

We hope you all agree the moors in our area should be a safe place for locals and visitors to enjoy, especially given how the current pandemic has shown our green spaces to be incredibly beneficial to the health and wellbeing of so many legitimate users.
We still need people to report illegal off-road vehicles, please contact the Police on 101, or use the ‘live chat’ facility on the Greater Manchester Police website.

CPRE Update – January 2021

Dear Rooley Moor Neighbourhood Forum

Even in dark times such as these, the countryside can lift our spirits.

While not all of us live with local access to the countryside, green space or gardens, there are many ways we can all try to connect with nature from home.

Even taking just a few minutes to appreciate nature’s small joys, wherever you can find them, can lift your spirits at times like these.

We’d love to know how you’re planning to stay connected with nature close to home. Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or just reply to this email.

Read on for all the latest updates from us at CPRE, and how you can connect with the night sky from home.

Let’s count the stars

A dark starry sky is one of the most magical sights imaginable. But light pollution means that many of us can’t see the stars.

Our annual Star Count is back, and we’d like you to help us map of the nation’s view of the night sky – this year, from home.
It’s easy to be a part of Star Count: just look to the heavens between 6-14 February and count the number of stars you see in the constellation of Orion.

It’s a safe, outside activity to do as a family or household, from your home, garden, balcony or even bedroom window, and everyone can take part.

As we’re all asked to stay at home, please don’t travel to do a Star Count.
Sign up below to register your interest.

Campaign win on housing algorithm

After our pressure, the government’s housing algorithm, which could have caused needless loss of green space, has been revised to focus building more in cities and on previously-built-on land.

Building more affordable homes on so-called ‘brownfield’ land is something we‘ve long called for and is a win-win scenario for people and nature.

This is a victory for the countryside and a democratic planning system – and one that you have been part of. Thank you!
But we’re clear that the problems with the planning proposals run much deeper than the housing algorithm. We need a complete reboot to put people and nature at the heart of a new planning system.

Looking after winter wildlife

There might not be so many animals out and about to spot at this time of year but with little effort you can make it an easier season for them.

From the food birds most crave during the winter, to easy ways to make your garden more wildlife-friendly, here are our top tips for helping wildlife through the winter

The Countryside Voices podcast episode 5: What even is planning, anyway?

This time, we’re talking about something that affects us all: the planning system.

What is it, and why does it matter? We take a look at the power that the planning process gives us citizens to shape our local area – and the serious threat posed by the government’s damaging proposals for the planning system.

You’ll hear from Hugh Ellis, director of policy at the Town and Country Planning Association, Madeleine Gohin, planning officer at CPRE, and Naomi Luhde-Thompson, chief planner at Friends of the Earth.

Listen at the link below, or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Breaking down barriers to the great outdoors

Before this summer, Aisha Nazir Iqbal was far from an experienced hiker.

But now the optician and mum-of-three is a co-founder of the Manchester Nomads, a 15-strong Muslim women’s walking group.

Discover her story of helping her community discover the countryside, and how time spent outdoors has helped her to manage stress and practice mindfulness.

As always, thanks for everything you do to support the countryside, and stay safe.

Best wishes,
Calum

Calum McGregor
Digital Engagement Officer

British Association For Local History

As part of our digital engagement, we are running a series of online skills workshops and webinars throughout 2021.

This year, we (BALH) are trialling a new initiative to offer benefit to your society’s members through a discount scheme for BALH events.

Initially this benefit will be in the form of a discount on selected online webinars, workshops and talks, but we will be reviewing its use over the course of the year.

Our aim is for this discount to be an additional attraction to members of your society; in turn providing extra value for your BALH society membership.

To take advantage of this discount offer, your members will be asked to enter your society’s unique code when booking designated events via our website.

Your unique code for Lancashire Local History Federation : F-23712J

We do hope you find this initiative of use in our new programme of events see below.

The first of these events are now open for booking. The majority are free for BALH members but open to non-members for a small fee. We are also trialling a new initiative to offer a discount for BALH Society Members to pass on to their membership. Each society has been issued with a discount code for this purpose.

BALH Digital Webinar : Creating your local history website

Wednesday 13th January 2021 6:00pm

A one-hour webinar with BALH’s Web Manager and professional web developer Paul Carter.

Paul will be introducing the basic concepts of setting up a local history website, whether that is for an individual research project or a local history society. The webinar will cover the key components of a website and demystify some of the technical jargon before looking at how to plan your website content and putting it all into action.

There will be plenty of time for Q+A as well as one of Paul’s fact sheets to save you having to make lots of notes!

Details and booking

BALH Digital Workshop : How to get your local history research out there!

Saturday 13th February 2021 10:00am

Public Engagement and Collaborative Working (a student special) with Claire Kennan (BALH)

This workshop will offer practical guidance on how academic research can be communicated to wider audiences, the opportunities that are available for collaborative and partnership working and how your research can have an impact in the wider world. In particular, it will focus on the specific support and opportunities offered by BALH ranging from writing blog posts to producing podcasts, working with teachers, local history societies, museums and much more.

Please note that this session is only available to students registered on a recognised Masters or PhD course of study at an HEI. ECRs who are within 5 years of completing their PhD are also welcome to attend.

Details and booking

BALH Digital Webinar : How to grow your local history social media presence

Wednesday 10th March 2021 6:00pm

A one-hour webinar with BALH’s Social Media Fellow, Daniella Gonzalez.

Daniella will provide an introduction to the various social media platforms available and how local history societies can best use them to promote their work and engage with the wider history community.

Details and booking

We will keep you updated with details of future events or check our website www.balh.org.uk/balh-events .

 

Catley Carols

Message from the Chair

This has been a challenging year for an awful lot of people and our thoughts are with those who are having an exceptionally difficult time. Hopefully, with vaccination, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Christmas will be very different for everyone this time around with restrictions on family and social gatherings but I hope that you will be able to have as good a time as possible given the circumstances.

Just a reminder that we are holding our virtual carol concert tonight at 6.30 pm via Zoom.

To join in Rooley Moor Neighbourhood Forum is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Catley Carols

Time: Dec 23, 2020 06:30 PM London

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/76602912723?pwd=cmZGZkx4SSt4b1lOK04wZElhTWVRUT09

Meeting ID: 766 0291 2723

Passcode: 2g3D3k

Here’s wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Andy Meek

Chair RMNF

Catley Carols – Wed 23 Dec 20

Catley Carols – Wednesday 23rd December 2020 – 6:30 pm via Zoom

You are welcome to join us on Wednesday 23rd December 2020 at 6:30 pm. We’ll only have 40 minutes so the idea is for the RMNF chair to make the opining comments, we’ll play a couple of carols, the Revd’s Sue & Morley Morgan and guests will say a few words. Then we can raise a glass together and maybe have a chat before our 40 minutes are up.

Please email: info@RMNF.org.uk and we’ll email a Zoom link to you on the 23rd December, which you can ignore if you are not able to participate.

  1. Welcome from the RMNF Chair
  2. Reading – Luke 2: 1 – 14 – The Birth Of Jesus
  3. Carol – Once In Royal David’s City
  4. Reading – John 1: 1 – 18 – The Word Became Flesh
  5. Carol – Hark The Herald Angels Sing
  6. Christmas Resolution
  7. Prayer and Blessing
  8. Carol – O Come All Ye Faithful
  9. Raising a glass
  10. Chatter and end

The Importance of Peat

BBC Countryfile – Sunday 6th December 2020 – Black Mountains.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000q6r1/countryfile-black-mountains

39:25 minutes into the programme they highlighted:

  • 7 million acres of peatland in the UK providing a home to hundreds of plant and wildlife species.
  • The peatlands absorb vast quantities of carbon from the atmosphere.
  • Damaged peatlands release carbon into the atmosphere.
  • Damaged peatlands account for around 10% of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Preserving peatlands is crucial in the fight against climate change.
  • Black Mountains Land Use Partnership (https://www.blackmountains.wales)
  • Th Black Mountains are a hotspot for illegal trial biking which is taking its toll on the delicate peatland soil.
  • Restoration is being lead by the Countryside Ranger and an Ecologist (Dr Paul Sinnadurai – https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Paul_Sinnadurai2)
  • In the UK 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide are released each year into the atmosphere from damaged peatlands – so it’s critical to look after them.
  • Peat is really important because it locks in 5 times more atmospheric carbon than any other vegetation. It’s been doing that for thousands of years but where it gets exposed through the actions of footfall, livestock walking across it, illegal off road motorcycles ripping open the ground – we need to repair the damage to lock in the carbon.
  • What is peat? Undecomposed vegetation that is formed where sphagnum moss traps rainwater. The moss gets buried and buried and buried but keeps growing towards the sky and the rain, it gets trapped beneath its own growth and gets pushed underground over thousands of years and more vegetation grows on top.
  • To repair the peat Coir roll is used to slow water flow (https://www.salixrw.com/product/coir-rolls/) and the erosive power of water and to stabilise the peat.
  • Heather seed is then planted.
  • GeoJute is laid over the seed. (https://www.flexiblelining.co.uk/ground-reinforcement/erosion-control/geojute-erosion-control-rolls) The GeoJute is a biodegradable net that will eventually rot, it’s used to stabilise the peat and holds moisture so that in the summer the peat doesn’t completely dry out and it allows the seed to germinate.
  • Damaged peat not only releases carbon into the atmosphere, it affects ecosystem, the control of water flow and water quality.
  • Important habitat will be lost if we don’t tackle this problem.

2020 AGM Minutes

Our AGM was held online via Zoom on Thursday 12th November 2020

Circumstances of the AGM 

Due to Coronavirus restrictions the Government had given flexibility in the method used to conduct a Charitable Incorporated Organisation AGM. The Trustees decided to conduct the AGM by proxy, the AGM agenda and reports pack was published on our website, with additional reach being given through our social media platforms on Facebook and Twitter. Voting members of the forum were each sent an email that contained the AGM agenda and reports pack, a postal ballot form and a link to an online ballot that could be completed through SurveyMonkey. The results of the ballot were broadcast using Zoom video conferencing and each item on the agenda was commented upon.

You can read the AGM minutes HERE

2020 RMNF AGM

SAVE THE DATE!

Our AGM meeting will be online via Zoom on Thursday 12th November 2020, from 19:00 to 19:40 and a link to the meeting will be provided by email on the day of the meeting to anyone who wishes to participate.

Due to the public health emergency this year’s AGM will consist of the minimum statutory business and all voting will be by proxy. We will contact members who have voting rights and invite them to instruct the Chair to cast their vote. Or, if they wish they can leave the choice to the Chair.

Please see the attached meeting agenda and reports pack. You can get more details or make any comments by emailing: info@RMNF.org.uk

20201112 – RMNF AGM – Agenda and Reports Pack

Going Underground

Why soils are key for climate smart cities

Our thanks go to Professor David Johnson (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester) for giving his permission to share the following video, which was presented at the Greater Manchester virtual Green Summit.

More details about the Greater Manchester virtual Green Summit can be found at: https://www.gmgreensummit2020.co.uk