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 and was launched at a public meeting in September 2023. Our objectives are outlined below. We want local people to get behind CLEAN and reap the benefits!
Home Energy Support (formerly Cold to Cosy Homes)
This service, which CLEAN has promoted in the past, is designed to help people who may be in financial difficulty with products and vouchers to assist with fuel bills and make their homes more energy efficient. Support can include fuel vouchers, energy saving appliances and ‘renter friendly’ draughtproofing. Applications are open whilst funds last, with a closing date of 31st March 2026.This funding applies to residents within the Westmorland and Furness Council area.
If you feel you might qualify or you are aware of a friend or neighbour who might, please get in touch, in confidence, with CLEAN who can arrange a referral. There are no guarantees and success will depend on individual circumstances.
In addition to this localized Household Support Fund, all Cumbrian residents can access free advice on energy tariffs, and grants through Home Energy Support.
As an additional tool in identifying energy ‘cold spots, CLEAN now has a Thermal Imaging Camera which can provide households with reliable visual confirmation and measurements of heat loss within the home.
If any of these issues and services are of interest, please make contact with Pat Howarth (07765010252) or Steven Brierley (07470 169890)
CLEAN: Bulk Buy of compost and other gardening products
For the last couple of years many local gardeners have taken advantage, both financially, ecologically and with increased convenience, of a large-scale bulk purchase of compost and other horticultural products, organised by CLEAN (Crosthwaite and Lyth Eco Action Network)
To take advantage of bulk purchases and get advantageous rates, CLEAN registered with a horticultural supplier as a ‘Gardening Society and Allotment Group’
To make the distribution of order forms and help with the compilation of a single order it is helpful that all who are interested in taking advantage of the CLEAN order should sign up to our local online Gardening group (at no cost!)
To do this, please register with the Gardening Group by contacting Jenny Waldron either by email or mobile: or phone 07900 508941.
Once you have signed up, you can receive an order form with details of the priced products on offer, decide what you want, and send your order back to Pat Howarth at CLEAN. You will then receive an individual costed bill to be paid before the whole CLEAN order is finally submitted. You will be informed when the bulk order will be delivered to St Mary’s Church car park, and your individual order will be ready for pick up on a specific date.
So, fewer repeat trips to the garden centre, saving time and fuel, the advantage of local delivery and pickup, economical prices and peat free products wherever possible – So, good for the planet and good for the community, working together.
Pat Howarth (07765 010252)
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 , 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