A mornings litter picking with Karen Beresford of Buxton Town Team litter picking group

Plastic bottles, crisp packets, bits of carpet, bathing towels, the plastic wrapping from a pair of swimming trunks, paper and of course drink cans, these were just some of the items of rubbish that we found on a recent litter pick at a local beauty spot.

I had joined Karen Beresford who runs the Buxton Town Team litter picking group, to spend a couple of hours tackling the never ending problem of litter that blights our towns and our countryside.

Though there is something satisfying in picking up litter, it is frustrating to think that people drop their trash and rubbish there in the first place. It is after all a beautiful, peaceful spot. In summer full of wildflowers and bird song.

But it does not seem to matter where you go, you will find discarded rubbish. Even providing bins does not always solve the problem. Whether it’s leaving the waste from a picnic or BBQ, or throwing bottles and plastic from a vehicle, it seems as if some people just don’t care.

Out of sight out of mind, and anyway someone else will pick it up.

We cleared two big sacks of rubbish from the site. So now at least for a little while it is free of discarded plastic and wrappers. And walking there will be a pleasanter experience.

We decide that as there was still time we would tackle a small section of the Tongue lane industrial estate. This was littering on a different scale.

As well as the usual items, there were bits of engine, oil containers, nappies wrapped in plastic bags and half full bottles of liquid. Plastic sheeting lay discarded on a patch of ‘waste ground’, and shreds of plastic bag caught by the wind lay twisted round the stunted bushes.

We could only scratch the surface. There is still much more to be done as you can see from the photos above.

I could not help wondering if this little patch of waste ground could be put to much better use. Planted with fruit trees, perhaps part of Transition Buxton’s urban orchard scheme, and wildflowers to attract bees, butterflies and other insects, and a bench, it could become a little haven of tranquillity,somewhere to sit and have a sandwich, or just to relax from all the hurly burly around you.

One for the Urbitat project perhaps?

Karen is always glad to hear from new
enthusiastic litter pickers and you can contact
her by email stoop.farm@icloud.com

Report and Update from BCA's Planning Committee September 2018

Click on the link below for the latest report and update from BCA's planning committee. Excellent work from Andy Banks (Chair), Alyson Phillips, John Anfield, and Derek Bodey

BCA Planning Committee Report September 2018

Update on our Neglected and Vulnerable Places Report - by Dia and Jon White

Click on the link below for the latest report. Excellent progress has been made on resolving some of the issues. Great work from Jon and Dia to keep battling away and a big thank you to HPBC, DCC, ENW and the Palace Hotel.

There is still more to do but considerable progress has been made.

Neglected and Vulnerable Places and Spaces report dated 19th September 2018

On Saturday 15th September from 1 - 4 pm

What will we find?
What will we see?
Who lives in the wonderwoods?

Join us for an afternoon of making, laughing and inventing adventures in Corbar Woods, one of Buxton’s oldest woods. There, under the spreading branches of the beech trees, we’ll tell terrible tales of the strange and wonderful world of Corbar. By ancient yews we’ll make the mysterious animals and beautiful peoples who might yet be hidden in the woods. As old and well-crunkled oaks watch us, we’ll make shining, glittering wood-eyes so the wood can watch us all the way home….

Join us for an afternoon of making, laughter and mess!

Drop in between 1 and 4 on Saturday 15th. This is one of a number of activities in Buxton that afternoon so look out for excitements at Lightwood, in Pavilion Gardens and in Grin low Woods at Buxton Country Park as well…
The activity is free, no booking needed
Materials provided
Enter the woods by the Corbar Rd entrance and we will be based somewhere round there

Two heritage events to enable you to explore and learn about Buxton's Industrial past and present.

Buxton Civic Association is organising a number of events this coming weekend in support of Heritage Open Day. The annual festival celebrates our diverse natural and built heritage, history and culture and allows people to visit some of the less well known places. The two events that we have organised for the weekend give a fascinating overview and insight into Buxton's industrial heritage and history.

On Friday 14th September BCA are organising a guided walk to explore the Buxton coal mining industry. Visitors will be taken on a guided walk lasting 2 hours of the Buxton Coalfields. The coalfields made a significant contribution to the lime burning industry. One can see and appreciate the extensive layout of the works and there are traces of the working visible.
Visitors will meet at Poole's Cavern Visitor Centre at 1.00pm for a short briefing. The walk should finish by 3.30 pm.
Booking is essential. To book a place on the walk please phone 01298 26978 and ask for Simon Fussell.

On Sunday 16th September BCA director and local historian Alan Roberts will be giving a talk on the “Limestone Quarries of Buxton.” This talk will cover an important part of the local industrial heritage. It will follow the growth of the industry from its early origins to its role as an industry of national and international importance, from its pick and shovel days to its modern highly mechanised situation. Social and environmental aspects will also be discussed.
The talk will be at the Buxton Campus of the University of Derby, The Dome, from 2.30 to 3.30 pm on Sunday 16th September. Devonshire Road, Buxton, SK17 9DH.

Both events are free. If you are planning to go on the walk you should be prepared for wet weather and ensure that you have walking boots and take something to eat.

Details for the Buxton Coalfield Walk

Details for the Talk on the Limestone Quarries of Buxton

Steve Orridge reports on a better year for Butterflies in Grin low

Every year a band of dedicated butterfly enthusiasts look forward to the start of the survey season. This runs from the beginning of April until the end of September and lasts for 26 weeks.

The year is divided up between the volunteers and it usually means that we each have one survey to do a month. We started surveying in 2015 and each year has been better than the last.

See Graph below

We are now up to week 19 and our count is already 100 more than last years total. We have seen 18 species of butterfly within Grinlow and here is a selection from the 11 species we saw in week 19’s survey.

Last year was a fantastic year for Red Admirals with huge numbers seen right up to the end of September Will we get the same this year? It is hard to tell but the dry hot summer and lack of rain has reduced the crop of Devil’s Bit Scabious which provided such a wonderful supply of nectar for last year’s generation. No matter how the year ends, it is going to be remembered for the exceptional numbers of butterflies.

Although it is not a rare species this brimstone butterfly is our first record for Grinlow.

It has been a very good year for Common Blue butterfly with 68 being counted on one survey in June.

The introduction of the Woodland Ride in 2015 has provided increased habitats for Butterflies as well as increasing the bio diversity of the wood generally.

We will publish a full report at the end of the year which will be available to download from our website.

If anyone would like to get involved in future surveys please let us know by emailing us at communications@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk

A Video by Andy Parker on the Serpentine Community Farm

The Serpentine Community Farm was set up four years ago and had faced a constant struggle to stay on the site of the Serpentine Nursery. Other sites had been considered but none proved suitable. Meanwhile the site had been transformed from a neglected dilapidated space into a vibrant community garden, a haven for the young and old, the green fingered and the not so green fingered. It became a place to learn and a place to share knowledge. A few weeks ago High Peak Borough Council gave notice that they wanted the Community Farm to vacate their base on the Serpentine site by 31st July 2018. Denied even the opportunity ti water and harvest the plants that were growing, the process of packing up and storing equipment began.

But on the 19th July High Peak Borough Council had a change of heart and reconsidered their decision. They offered the community farm an eighteenth month temporary lease while a more permanent solution was sought.

Great news indeed. On the last Sunday of the 2018 Festival the community farm hosted a fringe event "Give Peas a chance."

This is Andy's short video celebrating the community farm, the people and its future.

The journey continues.

Give Peas a chance

Jon White on a memorable evening 'Trapped' in Poole's Cavern

Not many people know that Chile is the world’s largest miner of copper ore. At the San Jose mine on 5 August 2010, a collapse left 33 miners trapped. They were 700 m underground and 5 Km from the entrance of the mine.

“Trapped” tells the story of how they survived for 69 days until their rescue. The Experiential Theatre Company told this story in a way that does justice to its name!

We were greeted by the team at Poole’s Cavern and required to don boiler suits, gloves and helmets. Health and safety was a priority and we were advised to take responsibility for ourselves and to look out for each other. “What have we signed up for?” one lady was heard to ask her friend……

Into the cavern we boldly go, holding on to a thick rope in single file. On reaching the poached egg chamber, one of our guides unexpectedly fell and screamed to the others, rocks fell clattering and there was darkness. Real darkness and screaming!!!

Slowly the lights on our helmets came back on and we were Trapped. The “miners” panicked as they fought and cried. They calmed, becoming “strong in turns” just as the miners in Chile. There emerged an espirit de corps through which they supported each other demonstrating strength through unity.
We were there and being immersed in the action, were given an authentic experience. The lighting of the cavern, with dramatic images and the haunting voice of the live soloist echoing through, completed the picture.

Then the moment of rescue arrived. For us, it had been an hour while for the miners they were there until 13 October. On our emergence from Poole’s Cavern we all felt a little awed and shaken by this very physical experience. Perhaps also with a little more understanding of the miner’s leader, Luis Urzua, and a sense of how hard it must be to work safely when profit comes ahead of people.

Thanks go to Buxton Civic Association and their team for hosting such a creative, relevant and poignant performance.

We have wonderful news. High Peak Borough Council is stopping all works on trying for residential development within Serpentine Walks.
The Serpentine Farm is to be offered a lease on the whole site, including buildings until 31st December 2019 as discussions open on the long-term future - whether a long lease or outright purchase at a suitably discounted price.

Thank you to all our followers for the support and leads you have given us.

Dr Tim Birch Head of Living Landscapes North, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust will talk about his vision for the Uplands

"We will continue to present the arguments for a new approach to our uplands where wildlife can thrive and people and the local economy benefit."

What future do we want for our Uplands? With Brexit looming there are exciting possibilities if we think differently about our Uplands. We can carry on with business as normal or we can look to a future where our Uplands are full of wildlife and truly wild places. That will be good news for wildlife, people and the local economy.

Come along to our September Members talk on Friday 21st September at 7.30pm at Poole's Cavern Visitor Centre and hear about Tim's and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust's exciting vision for the future of our uplands.

The talk is free to BCA members and their friends.

Read about the Vision for the Uplands here