How a road to nowhere is linked to India’s freedom struggle
Eastern Eye columnist Amit Roy asks Bharti Parmar how a road to nowhere is linked to India’s freedom struggle.
Rooley Moor Neighbourhood Forum
Working together to protect and enhance our neighbourhood
Eastern Eye columnist Amit Roy asks Bharti Parmar how a road to nowhere is linked to India’s freedom struggle.
Drumroll…
Moors for the Future are launching a campaign to help people understand why blanket bogs are worth protecting!
1) Because they are HUGE stores of carbon. Keeping it in the ground is essential to tackling #ClimateChange.
🙏Please share!
https://t.co/sjiPYSeDyB #PeatlandsMatter pic.twitter.com/ZUhRsFlwrd— Moors for the Future (@moorsforfuture) January 21, 2022
Here are the minutes from our AGM that was held via Zoom on the 17th November 2021.
On Friday 1st October 2021 the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Diane Hawkins, visited the area to look at the work being done to reduce the damage being caused by illegal off-road vehicles to the moorland surrounding Rochdale.
Over the last five years a central theme of Spotland & Falinge Ward and Norden Ward area meetings has been the adverse effect of illegal off-road vehicles (motorbikes, 4X4’s, quads, etc.) on residents, the environment, upland farming and leisure activities (horse riding, rambling, running, etc.). During that time Greater Manchester Police and United Utilities have worked together to try and diminish these illegal activities, primarily to reduce pollutants in the water run-off going into our local reservoirs and to lessen the possibility of a major incident should a vehicle full of fuel and oil end up in a reservoir.
More recently global warming and damage to peat, which is a natural carbon store, has come to the forefront and we can all see for ourselves the adverse effect unlawful off-roading is having on the natural environment, which includes protected species of ground nesting birds. Upland farming is suffering with livestock being stressed or killed, sheep aborting lambs and grazing being destroyed. Even the local windfarm on Scout Moor and the nearby Marshalls Quarry have been affected with damage to service tracks and regularly having to take action to neutralise spilled oil and petrol, removing petrol cans, broken glass and litter. And there’s always the risk, during those warm summer days when we like to get out into the open, of a moorland fire being started by a vehicle’s hot exhaust or a broken bottle acting like a magnifying glass – let’s not forget the recent moorland fires on Saddleworth Moor and Winter Hill.
As a result a group of like-minded volunteers decided to step up and work with the various organisations to try and do something positive to help, and on Friday Mrs Hawkins was able to see first-hand the collaboration between the various organisations that have pulled together to protect our moorland.
It’s quite staggering to see the number of organisations involved and we are grateful for the help and support from the High Sheriff, the Greater Manchester Lieutenancy Office of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Greater Manchester High Sheriffs Police Trust, the Lord of the Manor of Rochdale, Greater Manchester Police, Lancashire Police, United Utilities, Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, Rochdale and Rossendale MP’s Sir Tony Lloyd and Jake Berry, Rochdale Council & the Rochdale Ward Councillors and the local Area Forum representatives, the West Pennines Commoners Association, Rochdale and Bury Bridleways Association, BayWa R.E, Marshalls Quarry, Rochdale Ramblers, Peak and Northern Footpaths Society, National Trail Officers for Natural England, Prickshaw & Broadley Fold Neighbourhood Watch, Healey Dell Heritage Centre & Tea Rooms and BBC Northwest News.
Thanks go to David Pheasey for the photographs, which record a memorable day where many people representing their various organisations came together to show it’s possible to work together to achieve a shared objective – Our thanks go to all involved!
Please click on any image to scroll through the photos.
Our AGM meeting will be online via Zoom on Wednesday 17th November 2021, 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
Following on from our update in May (see: https://www.rmnf.org.uk/protecting-the-moors-around-rochdale/) we are pleased to report that whilst progress has been slow, due to the impact of Covid-19 and a shortage of raw materials, the work completed thus far has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of illegal off-road incidents reported to the Police. The general feedback from members of the public, farmers, residents and user-groups has been very positive too. In certain locations you can already see damaged flora is recovering.
The expected completion date of the project is now September when two more gates and a horse friendly vehicle barrier should be installed, subject to availability of materials.
From the outset of this project, we knew we weren’t going to be able to stop all unauthorised motorised vehicles accessing the moorland, but through a process of education (see the BBC North West news item: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rooleymoorneighbourhoodforum/posts/1812930962213775/) and reducing the number of opportunities to get motorised vehicles on to the moors, we seem to be left with a hard core of illegal off-roaders who simply don’t care about the adverse effect they are having on people, the environment and upland farming.
Fortunately, our project is providing support to Greater Manchester and Lancashire Police enforcement activities and generally speaking, the once silent majority of the public are now vocal in letting offenders know they are not welcome.
We have also seen a great pulling together of the community with the public, Police, local MP’s & Councillors, landowners, businesses, Rochdale Ramblers, Rossendale & Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, Peak and Northern Footpaths Society, National Trail Officers for Natural England, community groups such as Prickshaw & Broadley Fold Neighbourhood Watch and the equestrian community through the Rochdale & Bury Bridleway Association, all contributing to the project by providing information and taking positive action to reduce these illegal off-road activities.
Lancashire Police have introduced a “Rural Task Force”, which is operating to great effect. The facilities management company for Scout Moor Wind Farm has had approval from their client to install two large gates on turbine service tracks. These gates will help enforcement activities by reducing the number of access and egress points to the moors for motorised vehicles. Marshalls Quarry in Edenfield has taken a number of actions to reduce moorland access and egress points for motorised vehicles. United Utilities are taking action to repair walls, fences, styles and gates that have been damaged to facilitate access to the moors via their land. The Lord of the Manor of Rochdale has given permission and provided financial support to inhibit illegal access to their land. Local Members of Parliament are helping RMNF approach companies in the rural area to get involved. Local Councillors and the Rights of Way Officers in Rochdale, Whitworth and Rossendale are looking at the possibility of introducing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) to further protect our moorland by making penalties for these illegal activities commensurate with the crime.
Looking to the future RMNF is actively working with other organisations to try and implement similar “off-road mitigation measures” in the area of Lancashire that borders with the RMNF neighbourhood area.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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