St Mary’s Church in Crosthwaite is working towards being an Eco Church and as part of this has identified a need to engage more with the local community.
We are two of three Churchwardens and are spearheading a drive to change hearts and minds of all residents to move further than we already do to become ‘greener’.
In July 2023 we invited local organisations in the village to look at ways in which we could work together on projects which might benefit both residents and the environment.
CLEAN is a product of this meeting which we plan to launch at a public meeting in September. Our objectives are outlined below. We want local people to get behind CLEAN and reap the benefits!
You might not have heard much from CLEAN over the summer but we’ve been busy!
The focus of activity over the past few months has been increasing biodiversity -at church. Thanks to the generosity of local villagers and church members we have been able to create an enhanced garden space around the church building. With donations of plants and shrubs we have created a much more colourful and diverse space which will be attractive to birds, insects and small mammals - as well as humans.
We have opted to leave some of our grassed areas unmown at certain times of the year and are mowing other areas to keep the graveyard attractive and accessible to visitors. In November we will plant 30 extra indigenous trees and shrubs in the new graveyard to provide extra habitat and aerial pathways for birds. Plans and manufacturing is underway to make and install a unit of 4 swift boxes in the belfry tower of the church, in the hope we can attract more of these attractive and elusive birds into our valley. Other community events have included a bulk buy scheme of peat free compost, which was well supported and a knife and garden equipment sharpening service from KingSharp- both held in the church car park- so we did not have to travel miles and use our cars needlessly.
All these activities have contributed in part to St Mary’s Church having been awarded a Silver Eco Church Award- of which we are very proud!
In the meantime recycling at church is going well- we seem to have the world’s supply of used pill blister packs and these and other items go for recycling via charities and other outlets. Watch this space for other events which are planned over the next few months…
Beat the Loss of the Winter Fuel Allowance with Cold to Cosy Homes!
This project, which CLEAN has been promoting, aims to help people make their homes more energy efficient and could be a real help in reducing fuel bills this winter. If you feel you might benefit or you are aware of a friend or neighbour who might, please get in touch with one of the local Cold to Cosy Energy Champions (details below) who can help with an initial assessment via a free home visit and refer you to Cold to Cosy Homes;
Roger Smith: 07855 347295 Henk Muller: 07855 268922
Charlotte Robinson: 07787 024641 Pat Howarth: 07765 010252
CLEAN has been invited to take a stall in the undercroft at the Cathedral to talk to anyone interested in learning more about how St. Mary’s Crosthwaite was awarded a Silver Eco Church Award this year.
The Bishop of Penrith is hosting the event which is on from 10am to 3pm that day. There are talks from A Rocha UK who organise Eco Church here in the UK and the Revd Canon Grace Thomas from Manchester Cathedral.
Tickets are available online at £10 which includes soup and a sandwich lunch at: www.carlislecathedral.org.uk/tickets
At the same time there is the Carlisle Farmers Market selling local produce in the Cathedral Precinct from 9am to 2pm and at 3pm you can attend Evening Prayer in the Cathedral. For more information about the event follow this link: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/65186Want to save money, want to save the planet? Is you do please donate clothes and toys and come to this event which CLEAN is organising.
WHAT: Re-Wear or Re-Play Nearly New Sale
WHERE: Argles Memorial Hall, Crosthwaite
WHEN: Saturday 16th November 10.00am -12.30am
This event is planned to encourage us all to offer the things we no longer need to someone else who can make good use of them, instead of throwing them away into landfill. We are holding this event in front of Christmas to offer an opportunity to buy good quality toys and childrens and adults’ clothes at much cheaper prices.
We are asking you to look into your wardrobes for adult garments (women’s and menswear) and in your children’s wardrobes and select good quality, clean and wearable clothes that you no longer need. We also want toys of all kinds, games, books in good condition that your children may have grown out of or got tired of, but these would be exciting and new to other children.
Please bring adult and children’s clothes (preferably on hangers!) and children’s toys along to either of two donation sessions which will be held at the Village Hall in Crosthwaite on Thursday 14th or Friday 15th November between 4 and 5pm.
Then come along to browse, grab a coffee and get a bargain on Saturday 16th November.
This event is open to anyone in the Two Valleys; please support it and the ideas behind it. Proceeds from this event will be shared between Crosthwaite Playgroup and Crosthwaite School For further information please contact Pat Howarth (07765010252)
After a pretty grim spring and summer for gardeners and growers, CLEAN and the Gardening Club are attempting to revive some enthusiasm by organising a plant and seed exchange (and sale by donation)
Plant and Seed Swap and Sale
Argles Memorial Hall, Crosthwaite
Saturday 12th October 10-12 noon
Please bring along potted surplus plants which you might be splitting or have grown during the summer months. They need to be labelled with basic details e.g. name, colour, height. If you have spare seeds from flowers or veg, please pop them in an envelope with details of type and variety so we can share and save money.
If you have nothing to swap and just want to increase your garden stock or fill up gaps in your borders, then please come along as there will be plants for sale by donation. This is an opportunity to pick up plants which grow well in our locality – and don’t cost the earth!!
For any further information please contact
Pat Howarth, email or
Jenny Waldron, email
Following its launch we have 16 people willing to offer a lift to other residents using WhatsApp on their smart phones. If you would like to offer or request a lift, email Steven Brierley, email to receive an invite to join the scheme.
We are particularly looking for people to join who live in Hubbersty Head, Bowland Bridge, Foulshaw and Gilpin Bridge.
We are delighted to be able to extend the scheme to residents of the parish who don’t have a smart phone or don’t use WhatsApp. Just contact Steven Brierley on 07470 169890 and he will forward your request to those in the scheme. Please pass on this news to others who may need it.
Homeowners Share Energy Saving Technology Experience
Our panel of 9 householders who have installed energy saving
technology in their homes are willing to open their doors to those
considering doing the same to see the technology in action. Between
them they can offer a range of home styles from new build, modern
and traditional stone construction. These homes have a range of
energy saving technology covering Solar Panels, Storage Batteries,
Air Source Heat Pumps, Ground Source Heat Pumps and Biomass Boilers.
Get in touch to visit real world installations and get honest,
impartial advice. Call Steven Brierley on 07470 169890 or email
Cold to Cosy Homes
If your home is not as warm and dry as you would want it to be this
winter why not see whether Cold to Cosy Homes could help?
Advisers from this organisation have visited homes in our village to
help with issues around damp, insulation and how to be more energy
efficient …and it’s all for free! Contact our Cold to Cosy Homes
Energy Champions for help or a referral:
Charlotte Robinson; 0778724641 Roger Smith: 07855
347295
Henk Muller: 07855
268922
Pat Howarth on 07765010252
Protect, Conserve and Improve our Environment
Have a look at the Biodiversity Action Plan on our website,
developed in consultation with local residents. It covers how to
garden to help wildlife, ensuring our rivers are kept free of
harmful chemicals, helping local birdlife, butterflies, bees and
small mammals. We have a plan to improve St. Mary’s church grounds
and are looking for volunteers to join a working party. Watch this
space for events which will educate you and inspire you to get
involved. Call Pat Howarth on 07765 010252 to volunteer.
Recycle, Reuse and Repair
Recycle your bread bags, used toothpaste tubes, batteries, pens, and
crisp packets in the new recycling point in St Mary’s Church. These
are given to Crosthwaite School which gets money for them. Look out
for more recycling points coming soon!
Crosthwaite School is starting a Repair Shop and CLEAN wants to
support this with volunteers with skills in sewing, woodworking and
general DIY. If you can give any time to this, contact Maria
Littlewood at Crosthwaite School.
Ideas and suggestions brought to two recent Biodiversity Brainstorm events, organised by CLEAN, have resulted in a draft plan which seeks to bring together a range of activities which we might like to see and make happen in our area. There are a lot of ideas here and a small number of brave souls did step up to volunteer to help. These things do not happen without people power!
Through CLEAN it is hoped that small groups of people might get together to plan and deliver some of these activities, and each group would have a coordinator who might work with Pat Howarth and Steven Brierley to promote and disseminate information, events and activities to raise awareness and get other residents ( including families and children) involved.
Pat is asking you to find some time to read through this action plan- it is quite long! - and consider which of the ideas contained in this document you might like to help with - even in a small way. We need practical people, people with information and technological skills, people with useful contacts and people who think that halting the decline in biodiversity is something they would like to support by giving some time.
Please consider how you could contribute and then get back to Pat, preferably by email ( howarth8hr@btinternet.com), or text (07765010252) or in person. It is only when we get volunteers and people willing to take on some responsibility for taking action, that some of these ideas will happen.
When she gets this deluge of offers, a final Biodiversity Plan will be produced which we can all work to and get things moving..
Thank you
Presentations, Advice, New
Ideas and a Chance to talk to
Stall Holders about Eco Issues and Opportunities