News and Events
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BCA – a personal view
Heritage Open Day 2019 Lecture notes by Jon White
Mark Cocker talk to Buxton Field Club
Mark Cocker will talk to Buxton Field Club on 15th November at 7.30pm about Re-wilding
A date for your diary: Friday 15th November MARK COCKER is talking about Re-Wilding at Buxton Field Club. Mark is an author, naturalist and environmental tutor, who writes and broadcasts on nature and wildlife in a variety of national media. In 2018 he released a new book Our Place (Cape), on the fate of British nature in the twentieth century, and completed 30 years as a Guardian country diarist.
His 11 other books include works of biography, history, literary criticism and memoir. They include Claxton: Field Notes from a Small Planet (2014) and Birds and People (2013). The latter was published to international acclaim and was a collaboration with the photographer David Tipling.
Time: 7.30-9.30pm
Place: Buxton Methodist Church Hall, Chapel St, Buxton
Free to members, 18-25s, accompanied minors. £3 all others. Everyone is really welcome.
Biodiversity Group inaugural meeting
7.00 pm Tuesday 10th December 2019 at Poole's Cavern Visitor Centre
Everywhere nature is under pressure, and Buxton is no different from the rest of the country. As the pressure for more housing and roads increases the landscape becomes more and more fractured making it harder for flora and fauna to thrive and survive.
We need to take action to reverse this decline and it falls within the remit of BCA to take the lead on this. We have demonstrated our stewardship of the beautiful woodlands that we own but we need to look outside our own estate and bring together all the wonderful, dedicated hardworking groups in the town that care for and look after nature.
There is a need for a dedicated grouping to bring these concerned individuals and groups together and to attempt to address these important issues in the town. We have had informal liaison with the Buxton Field Club (a group of naturalists concerned with the study of natural history in and around Buxton) and several BCA members who share this concern. They agree that it would be helpful and valuable for BCA to create a group to fulfil this role.
Some of the immediate issues of concern are;
• the future management of the Nestle landholding at Lightwood
• the management of Fernydale Local Nature Reserve (adjacent to our Sherbrook Wood)
• the County Council land at Solomon’s Temple
• the management of wildflower areas at the Serpentine
• conservation of the important, highly threatened breeding population of Curlew and Lapwing in the immediate vicinity of Buxton
• the management of Cowdale Quarry
• the management of road verges
• spread of tree diseases in the town
• the conservation of breeding populations of swifts, martins, swallows and bats that use buildings in the town
• the conservation of wildlife on brownfield sites in the town
Many of these issues involve liaison, potentially lobbying and, hopefully, partnership working with other organisations (e.g. Nestle, High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust and RSPB).
If you are interested in being part of the Biodiversity Group email us at;
We are holding an inaugural meeting at Poole’s Cavern on Tuesday 10th December 2019 at 7.00pm.
If you are interested in coming along it would be helpful if you could let us know at communications@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk
Butterfly Surveys 2015-2019
Steve Orridge's end of term report and review of Butterfly surveys in Grin Woods, Lightwood and Cunningdale
Excellent report from Steve outlining the fantastic work that he and his surveyors do. If you want to join Steve's group of surveyors let us know at communications@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk
En Plein Air – Come Rain or Shine
Lyn Noble and Kathyrn Howson report on a very successful first En Plein Air competition
They knew that it would happen come rain or shine, and it did. Add to that a blustery wind and the stage was set for a challenging art competition in the “plein air” (remember your school French?).
On 28th September artists from as far afield as Plymouth and Whaley Bridge descended on the Pump Room to sign in for a five hour battle with the elements and produce a work of art that would be exhibited and judged in the Old Clubhouse at the end of the day.
More than 40 artists braved the elements and most people found a moderately sheltered location; two brave attempts to paint in the open were sadly washed away by the rain but the artists started again under cover. Despite, or perhaps because of the weather, everyone rose to the challenge and clearly enjoyed the day.
The judging panel was led by The Buxton Spa Prize 2019 winner, Simon Roderick. Also judging were Sarah Males, director of Buxton Civic Association and Kate Dickson, member of BCA and director of Creative Heritage (a Buxton Spa Prize sponsor). The Bingham Trust was represented by trustee Christine McMullan. Jonathan Dawson, Managing Director of Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust & Thermal Spa also joined the panel.
The prize winners were chosen as Kieran Ingram – First Prize, winning £500, David Lowther – Second Prize and Conan McPhee – Third Prize.
The event was sponsored by Buxton Civic Association, The Bingham Trust, Buxton Crescent Thermal
Spa and The Buxton Spa Company.
Organisers Neil Scowcroft and Kathryn Howson of The Buxton Spa Prize Team, are delighted with the success of the very first Come Rain or Shine! event and are already planning for next year . . .
Lyn Noble took his camera out and about to photograph some of the artists at work
Members Event Thursday 19th September
Dr Catherine Parker Heath on Discovering Heritage in the South West Peak
Discovering Heritage in the South West Peak: How the Barns and Buildings and Small Heritage Adoption Projects are adding to our knowledge of the past in this part of the Peak District.
Thursday 19th September at 7.30 pm, Poole's Cavern Visitor Centre, free to Members.
BCA to sponsor En Plein Air Competition
Buxton Spa Prize have organised an 'en plein air' competition for artists of all ages using any medium apart from photography.
Buxton Civic Association are sponsoring the first prize of £500.
HOW TO ENTER?
To Register come along to The Pump Room, Buxton Crescent to register on Saturday 28th September 2019 between 9.30am and 11.30am.
Then go and create your work of art by anywhere in and around the town.
Return with your finished piece to the Old Clubhouse by 3pm.
Exhibition Preview & Prize Giving from 5pm.
Artists are invited to exhibit and sell their work the next day.
1 Day Exhibition - Sunday 29th September 2019 - Noon to 6pm.
HOW BCA MEMBERS CAN GET INVOLVED?
Enter the competition and produce a work of art, see details above
Volunteer to help out on the day with registration and helping with the exhibition, contact Simon Fussell at
communications@buxtoncivicassociation.org.uk
Doing their Bit for Nature
Anna 13 and Izzy 10 raise £50 to help Friends of the Earth Save the Bees Campaign selling delicious homemade cup cakes at Poole's Cavern Visitor Centre
Buxton International Festival 2019
Buxton Civic Association are sponsoring a talk at the festival 'Mark Cocker and friends'. The talk is on 6th July at 10.30 am in the Pavilion Arts Centre.
Mark Cocker is one of Britain’s foremost natural history writers whose books include Our Place: Can We Save British Nature Before It’s Too Late? and Claxton: Further Field Notes From A Small Planet. BIF has invited Mark to ‘guest edit’ this event, and he has chosen two authors whose work he admires. Jean McNeil, author of The Ice Diaries and Tessa Boase, author of Mrs Pankhurst’s Purple Feather join Mark for an informal and lively debate about diversity in our countryside, climate change and the writer’s art.