A quarter of a million reasons to be grateful at the start of 2024

Buxton Civic Association is delighted to announce that they will receive support totalling £249, 990 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s ‘Resilience and Recovery’ funding stream over the next two years. This investment will enable Buxton’s leading environmental heritage charity to begin preparations for its diamond anniversary in 2027, by enhancing their volunteering, visitor, and membership programmes, giving further emphasis to developing widespread community involvement and public engagement. The money will also enable reviews of digital provision, marketing, retail, and governance, allowing the BCA team to bring in two full-time project staff to support tasks, alongside a variety of expert consultants. Much needed conservation equipment and materials will also be purchased.

David Green, who wrote the funding application shortly after joining the charity as its first Chief Executive in 2023 said, “We are very grateful to everyone at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and all National Lottery players for their support. This money should be seen as a much-welcomed strategic investment in heritage conservation and engagement within our community.” He added, “The investment is a hugely exciting opportunity for Buxton Civic Association, and the residents of Buxton, who we are encouraging to get involved. Over the next two years we will be developing a number of new ways individuals and partner organisations will be able to help conserve our town’s heritage, maintaining Buxton as a special and popular place. We are really keen that we use this opportunity to grow our relevance to local residents, and celebrate our fantastic natural and built heritage”.


Robyn Llewellyn, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Heritage has an essential role to play in making communities better places to live and supporting environmental regeneration. At The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we want to ensure that heritage is valued, cared for and sustained by everyone now and in the future. We are pleased to be able to lend our support to Buxton Civic Association with the development of their programming and conservation of their local heritage, which will be crucial for Buxton and its community."

Buxton Civic Association is unique among Civic Associations, due to the number of assets it takes direct responsibility for. These not only include SSSI listed Poole’s Cavern, but also Grinlow Wood and Corbar Wood amongst others. BCA also campaigns actively within the town for high quality environmentally sensitive developments which encourage bio-diversity, whilst publishing a number of books and journals that celebrate the heritage of the town.

In 2020, as Buxton emerged from the pandemic, BCA embraced the chance to enhance its community engagement through the "Stronger Roots" initiative, a programme aimed at inspiring individuals to harness the positive impacts on wellbeing and mental health through closer interaction with nature. The programme facilitated a diverse range of woodland activities and volunteering opportunities. The resounding success of "Stronger Roots" inspired the trustees to continue its community-focused endeavours, and this Heritage Fund investment will allow the exploration of more diverse volunteering roles and visitor programming.

Anyone interested in applying for one of the project roles this grant will support, (Volunteering Development Manager, or, Membership and Marketing Officer), or volunteering with BCA should keep an eye on Buxton Civic Association’s website and social media, which will be used to promote opportunities and disseminate updates on the project to the community. (Contact - BCA (buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk) ) BCA also welcome potential partnership working opportunities from interested individuals and organisations.

About The National Lottery Heritage Fund

As the largest dedicated funder of the UK’s heritage, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future as set out in the strategic plan, Heritage 2033.

Over the next ten years, the Heritage Fund aims to invest £3.6billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to bring about benefits for people, places and the natural environment.

The Heritage Fund helps protect, transform and share the things from the past that people care about, from popular museums and historic places, our natural environment and fragile species, to the languages and cultural traditions that celebrate who we are.

The Heritage Fund is passionate about heritage and committed to driving innovation and collaboration to make a positive difference to people’s lives today, while leaving a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy.

Follow @HeritageFundUK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use

#NationalLotteryHeritageFund

www.heritagefund.org.uk

For further information about this exciting development or images contact David Green, Chief Executive Officer, Buxton Civic Association.
E: dave.green@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk Tel: 01298 26978

A slide show reviewing the highlights of the year for BCA.

The talk confessions of an editor schedule for tonight (Thursday 21st November) has been cancelled due to the adverse weather forecast. We hope to be able to rearrange the talk in the New Year.

Are you passionate about food, great service, and working in a fast-paced café?

Join our lovely team at Poole’s Cavern Café at the Cavern as a Full-Time Food & Beverage Assistant!

For full details and how to apply, please download the recruitment pack and job description.

Recruitment Pack Food and Beverage Team Member

Food and Beverage Assistant Job Description

We want to involve our local community in contributing to our new souvenir guide for Poole’s Cavern & Buxton Country Park.
We're looking for beautiful images that celebrate our natural environment, along with Buxton’s heritage and historic architecture, including:
• Poole’s Cavern – with its stunning limestone formations
• BCA woodlands - Grin Low (Buxton Country Park), Corbar, Gadley, Sherbrook, Hogshaw Woods, Shay Lodge, Ashwood Dale in all seasons!
• Woodland wildlife - snapshots of the amazing flora and fauna in our woodlands
• Historic Buxton - iconic landmarks, local highlights, and scenes to celebrate our vibrant visitor economy.

Whether you are a seasoned pro or an enthusiastic amateur, we welcome your perspective! We only ask that photos are your own work and high-resolution to be used in print. We will provide a complimentary copy of the souvenir guide to the successful entrants!

In order to be considered, you must download the entry form from our website.
Complete and return the form, along with your photos, in an email to our Membership & Marketing Officer:

leah.mycock@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk

Submit your photos and entry form by 6th December for a chance to be featured in this meaningful project supporting Buxton Civic Association.

Buxton Civic Association Photography Submission Form

Kate Dickson of Creative Heritage gave a talk to BCA Members titled "Rescuing Ruins - the challenges and opportunities of the creative reuse of old buildings" to watch the talk again please click on the link below or go to our You tube channel by following the link at the end of this post

Rescuing Ruins

As those who followed the Buxton Crescent project will recall, historic building projects take a long time and cost a lot of money. Why is that? Is it all about the funding, or the location, or technical problems, or is there something else? With 25 years’ experience of working on difficult historic buildings projects, as a project manager engaged by charitable organisations, a Trustee of the Architectural Heritage Fund and a mentor with The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Kate will share some insights in an inspiring talk, illustrated with photographs of projects ranging from industrial dereliction to chocolate box cottages.

BCA You Tube Channel

Fund Raising Manager (Part time)

Do you have skills as a fundraiser, working with grants, foundations, the public sector and corporate partners? Do you care about the environment, and want to spend your career working to support the natural world, built heritage, and ways of involving the community in their conservation? If so, joining us as BCA’s first-ever Fundraising Manager could be the role for you.

Following a recent restructuring, BCA is seeking to recruit a part-time Fundraising Manager who will work closely with our senior management team and trustees to help the charity secure its ambitions. Experience working as a fundraiser for a charity is essential, as is the ability to multi-task on different projects, work well with a team, and work strategically on a results-driven basis. Knowledge of the Buxton area would be advantageous.

For further information please see our recruitment pack.

Fund Raising Manager recruitment pack

Equality Monitoring Form

We are recruiting Elves for our Santa Experience this Christmas

We are seeking actors to play the role of Christmas Elves at Poole’s Caverns for our popular Santa’s Grotto event this Christmas. As a Christmas Elf, your main responsibility will be to ensure that all visitors have a magical experience during their visit. You will work alongside Santa in our natural limestone cave in shifts lasting approximately 90 minutes. Your duties will include staying in character, guiding families from the meeting point to Santa, and ensuring that the event timings are followed. You will also be responsible for greeting families, assisting with present organization, and maintaining and cleaning the grotto set. Please note that this role involves outdoor work, and an elf costume will be provided.

If you are interested and want further information please download the recruitment pack and don't forget to complete the Equality Monitoring Form.

Recruitment Pack for Christmas Elves

Equality Monitoring Form

Head of Operations

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a new position at a leading tourist attraction in Buxton, situated at the gateway to the stunning Peak District.

If you can demonstrate that you possess expertise in commerce, education, leadership, team management, and achieving results working to strict budgets and targets, this could be your opportunity to advance your career.

For details of the role and how to apply click on the link to the recruitment pack below.

Recruitment Pack Head of Operations

End of Term Report on Buxton's Swifts by Lindsey Wakefield

Most of our swifts have left us now to make the long journey back to Southern Africa, or in the case of the chicks that have just fledged making the journey for the first time.

If you are interested in finding more about swifts click on the link after the report panels below.

Derbyshire's Swifts

Civic Voice is the national charity for the civic movement in England. Its role is to make the places where everyone lives more attractive, enjoyable, and distinctive. It promotes civic pride and speaks up for civic societies and local communities across England. Civic Voice believes that everyone has the right to live somewhere they can be proud of and works towards enhancing the quality of life and the environment in local communities.

The organization also serves as a voice for the civic movement, which includes over a thousand local civic and amenity societies. These societies focus on voluntary and community action to improve the places where people live, work, and relax. They champion the importance of these places to decision-makers and opinion formers in various sectors. Civic societies are known for being independent and grassroots organizations that can be provocative, stubborn, forceful, inspiring, and outspoken on behalf of the places they care about.

Civic Voice also aims to build stronger, more active, and more engaged communities through its work and aspires to have a nation of active citizens³. It is a fundamental source of civic pride and plays an essential role in helping individuals and communities understand and take action to improve their lives through the places they live.

Civic Voice article