Programme to celebrate 50 years of BCA on 18th May 2017

BCA 50th Anniversary Programme

Celebrating 50 years "Remember the Past, Shape the Future."

Inspired by the book "Remember the Past, Shape the Future." By Olive Middleton and Dr Trevor Donald, BCA have made a film to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. The film was shown for the first time tonight (18th May) at the Devonshire Dome as part of the celebrations.

You can watch the film by clicking on the link below. Alyson Phillips has written a short piece about the film which you can read on this website.

The Film of the Book - by Alyson Phillips

The making of "Remember the Past, Shape the Future"

This film, promoting the work of BCA, was inspired by the book, Remember the Past, Shape the Future written by Olive Middleton and Trevor Donald, to celebrate the first 50 years of Buxton Civic Association.

A young student asked, ‘...so what does civic mean?’ Our film aims to be BCA's answer to this question.

Civic obligation, and its links to citizenship, is as important today as it has ever been. It concerns our shared duties and relationships, rights and responsibilities to care for where we live.

The film has been made by members and staff of BCA with original music, 'Poole's Theme', composed and performed by local musicians.

We set out to contrast Buxton 'then and now' in order to ask the question, 'What would Buxton have been like in May 2017 without the BCA?' We promote the efforts of individuals, who became the founders of BCA, and made a difference. The tradition of membership continues to shape the future of this unique town.
Fifty years ago anything Victorian was seen as expendable. The Pavilion Gardens could have become a private zoo, the Octagon a casino and Buxton's rail links were set to be axed. Buxton's River Wye was polluted, and lime dust from quarries and lorries caused concerns over poor air.

Buxton Civic Association generally challenged the local authority over these plans and lack of public consultation. They went on to create Buxton Country Park from woodland gifted to BCA by Chatsworth Estates and reopened Poole's Cavern.

Without this Civic Association, Buxton would have become a different place.
This promotional film is also a snapshot of a moment in time; this spring 2017, when Buxton Civic Association marks its 50th year. It raises awareness that it is up to us to help save, protect, repair, prevent, rejuvenate and pressurise.
Today BCA is a registered charity, managed by a board of volunteer directors, employs over twenty people, owns, preserves and maintains almost two hundred acres of land, including nine woods, and welcomes over forty-five thousand visitors a year to its show cave. We have an Environmental Quality Mark and maintain high standards to ensure a balance between safe public access and preservation of wildlife.

Volunteers work hard to help keep the woodlands maintained.

Volunteers work on our committees for Planning, Places and Spaces, Corporate Affairs, Membership and Community, and Woodlands.

Volunteer and you could be starring in the sequel!

A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the making of the film.

The film will be available to view by the public from 7.40pm this evening (18th May 2017). And will be available to view on this website.

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It was good to see Ashfield U3A enjoying a relaxing and well deserved rest in the Cafe at the Cavern today. They had been walking from Brandside to the Race track and then back to Poole's Cavern via the Health and Safety site up at Harpur.

They do three walks a month and their next planned walking trip is to the Goyt Valley. Hopefully we will see them again soon.