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news from BCR
Keep right up-to-date with what's happening and what's new
Also see our activities log
February 2011
We are moving along with the Toilet Block work, have submitted several funding applications, and have successfully been awarded £1500 from Lend Lease. We have also been selected by Leap Frog as a community group they are able to support, and have been assigned a business coach to enable us to put a business plan together for our group.
January 2011
We have appointed a QS to help us with the Toilet Block project, and a comparison of the tender returns is now underway. We are busy completing funding applications to enable us to convert the disused building into a low carbon advice centre. Our two Ecoteams are running well and they will soon be finishing, when we will be able to see the results and how many savings they have made.
December 2010
We have responded to the Bollington Civic Societies consultation on the redevelopment of the Waterhouse Mill site - a large and strategically important development site in the heart of our town. We are also making enquiries as to how to set up our own solar carbon co-op, based on the successful model at Maidenhead. If successful, this will be the first solar co-op of its kind in the northwest.
November 2010
Our designs and specification for the toilet block retrofit have been completed. Our second Ecoteam of the season has started, and is led by Nicola Percival, Ecoteam facilitator and Bollington Carbon Revolution member. Five householders will go through a four month programme to understand and reduce their carbon footprint.
October 2010
Our first Ecoteam of the season started, led by Ecoteam facilitator and Bollington Carbon Revolution member Liz Khatri. Liz has 9 householders in her group who together are on a 4 month programme to measure and reduce their environmental impact.
Sept 2010
We held another successful stall at the Bollington Transport Extravegnza in September, with over 100 people visiting our stall of low carbon advice. We also recruited a record number of people for our Ecoteam programme.
May 2010
We have formed a group to look specifically at retrofitting the old toilet block at the end of Shriglaey Road. This will be an exemplar showcase on how to undertake a sustainable refurb. Our team includes using local architect Lesley Mattin from millennium3 design studio, which concentrates on sustainable architectural design, to come up with a low carbon sustainable specification. We have also called in Nick Parsons, who is based in Sheffield and created the “eco-house” at Heeley Farm in Sheffield, which is now the South Yorkshire Energy Efficiency Advice Centre. Between them Nick and Lesley have a great deal of knowledge on sustainable buildings. In our team we also have Nicola Percival who works at Bovis Lend Lease, a large construction company, in the Sustainability Unit, and have a good knowledge of sustainable construction techniques, as well as Sonia Mysko, who has recently completed an MSc at the Centre of Alternative Technology in Sustainable Architecture. We have Jon Weston, from the Bollington Initiative Trust – our landlord who runs is how financial services business Bradshaw-Bennett Ltd, and Ted Clun, a local councillor and well known developer in the region, who is part of Ingersley Vale LLP, the company who are developing the local disused mill into Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6 housing – the highest level of sustainable housing there is. Finally we have two other members of the Carbon Revolution helping – Liz Khatri who is helping us with a number of activities, including researching and designing the interior, and Steve Wood who is helping us with the communications.
Copenhagen march, London 5th December 2009
11 BCR members and friends took part in the march in London on 5th December, calling for action on climate change ahead of the Copenhagen Summit next week. Over 50,000 took part. Read more....The main aim of our group is not campaigning but more focused on practical issues, but we felt it was important to make a stand ahead of the Copenhagen summit.
October 2009
Shrigley Road Toliet Block BCR provide an update on their plans to renovate the building using the latest eco-refurbishment methods. Read more.....
July 2009
Bollington Carbon Revolution were amongst several community groups from across the UK who were invited to attend a “celebration” of community action at number 10, Downing St. Our Chair Nicola Percival represented Bollington Carbon Revolution She was joined by over 100 other community representatives and were able to spend time talking to Ed Miliband and Hilary Benn about their work.. This was great a honour for BCR and recognition for the work we’ve done so far. Though we realise there is still plenty to do!
May 2009
The Bollington Carbon Revolution took part in the Bollington Carnival Parade on 9th May. Dressed as cows they helped to raise awareness of the activities of the group and the support available to local residents by giving out flyers and hosting an information stall at the end of the Parade.
We responded to the recent Department of Communities and Local Government Heat and Energy Consultation, highlighting the important role low carbon communities can play in carbon reduction. To see a copy of our response click here.
Bollington Carbon Revolution were represented at the Cheshire East 2020 sustainability visioning event on 20th May, highlighting the role low carbon communities can play in achieving a Sustainable Cheshire.
April 2009
On the 8th April 2009 the Future Friendly Awards were held at the London's first eco-friendly restaurant Acorn House. To represent Bollington Carbon Revolution Nicola Percival and Graham Mellish attended. Out of 200 entries Bollington Carbon Revolution had been selected as one of the five finalists. The other four groups were Green Zones, Climate Friendly Parish Project, George Stevenson High School and Ravenscliffe High School. The winner of the Award was given to Ravenscliffe High School based in Halifax. Full details can be found on the Future Friendly website.
On behalf of the Bollington Carbon Revolution we would like to congratulate the Ravenscliffe High School for succeeding in winning the Future Friendly Award of £20,000 which was sponsored by Proctor and Gamble. We would also like to thank the sponsor for choosing Bollington Carbon Revolution as one of the finalists.
Last but not least Bollington Carbon Revolution would like to thank all of the people of Bollington that supported us and Internet voters that voted for us.
February 2009
Thermal Imaging to show heat loss
The Carbon Revolution team have arranged to borrow a hi-tech Thermal Imaging camera to look at buildings in Bollington and show up where they are losing heat. This is the type of highly sensitive camera used by the emergency services to find people buried in collapsed buildings. The camera was hired in November 2008/February 2009 and photos were taken of 35 residents homes to show them where heat is escaping and therefore what kinds of insulation improvements they needed to make. The camera will be hired again from Monday 21st December 2009 to Monday 4th January 2010 and Monday 15th February 2010 to Monday 1st March 2010. If you would like a photo taken of your house, for a fee of £10, please email Graham Mellish.
February 2009
Bollington Carbon Revolution shortlisted for Future Friendly awards
Bollington Carbon Revolution is one of only five groups in the country running for a prestigious Future Friendly Award - beating hundreds of entries. The winner will be decided by public vote and will win a bursary of £20,000, which if we win, we will put towards taking forward our plans to generate hydropower from the River Dean, and by ec-refurbishing the old toilet block at Shrigley Road into a Low Carbon Advice Centre. We need your help.
Watch the short film about us and
1. Vote for us yourself
2. Forward the link to as many people as you can and vote for us as well. Thank you for your support
Voting ends 4 April
December 2008
Response to the consultation on the redevelopment of Macclesfield town centre
The Bollington Carbon Revolt ion joined forces with the Macclesfield branch of the World Development Movement to respond to the recent energy report for the redevelopment of Macclesfield town centre. The report detailed proposed energy targets for the new development which the BCR and WDM do not think go far enough, and have made 11 recommendations for Macclesfield Town Council to take into consideration. Read the response.
December 2008
Blog entry on the Low Carbon Communities website
We are members of the Low Carbon Communities Network and our blog entry makes it to their home page. Our emphasis is around providing support to those people who want to understand and reduce their carbon footprint.
November 2008
Eco-refurbishment course
48 householders attended the first Eco-Refurb your House course held at Bollington Arts Centre on 8th November. This one-day course was run by Nick Parsons from the South Yorkshire Energy Centre. It covered renewable technologies, how to insulate, particularly in hard to insulate solid wall houses such as many of Bollington's stone cottages, how to improve air-tightness, how to appraise and choose materials for least environmental impact. Following the course the delegates committed to making changes to their homes which would result in an annual reduction o f 77 tonnes of carbon dioxide (based on calculations using standard conversion factors on the Energy Savings Trust website)
November 2008
Bollington calculates its residents carbon footprint as 48,494 tonnes
On Wednesday 12th November 2008, Bollington was one of the first towns in the UK to have its carbon footprint measured. The carbon footprint measures how much greenhouse gas we put into the atmosphere, and so how much we are contributing to climate change. The local Bollington Carbon Revolution group has teamed up with the University of Leeds to work out how much carbon Bollington emits now. The footprint is based on a questionnaire: students knocked on doors around the town, getting as many people as possible to contribute information. 11% of the town was surveyed and the 2008 carbon footprint was calculated to be 48,494 tonnes, which equates to 14.5 tonnes per household.
October 2008
Meeting with policy makers
BCR members Sonia Mysko and Nicola Percival attended a meeting with our local MP, Sir Nicholas Winterton at the Department of Local Government and Communities, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and the Energy Savings Trust. At the meeting Sonia and Nicola were able to explain the work of the BCR group and problems of reducing energy use in old housing stock to senior government officials, to demonstrate how the voluntary sector can play a big part in advising people on how to reduce their carbon footprint and combating climate change. Read the presentation we delivered.
September 2008
Response to the existing homes consultation
The Bollington Carbon Revolution responded to the governments recent consultation on how to address the problem of the existing housing stock. 80% of the housing in 2050 has already been built, and the big challenge is making these buildings more energy efficient. The BCR called for recognition and support fotr the hundreds of low carbon community groups which have formed in the voluntary sector over the last few years, who will play a key role in educating and influencing home owners to take action in reducing the carbon footprint of their homes. Read our response to the consultation.
September 2008
Transport Extravaganza stand
We held a stand for the second time at Bollingtons popular Transport Extravaganza at Adelpi Mills. 4 low carbon cars were exhibit at the stand and advice was provided to visitors on the performance of the cars, as well as advice on how to reduce carbon emissions in other ways such as insulating homes.
Newsletters
You can also download our latest newsletters by following the links below.
2009 number 1 (adobe PDF 271kb)
2008 number 1 (adobe PDF 387kb)
2008 number 2 (adobe PDF 248kb)
Send an email with 'newsletter' as the subject line to subscribe.
