News

Following the government guidance announced yesterday (Mon 16th Mar) we have taken the decision to cancel all upcoming events as they are ‘non-essential’ and bring people together which raises the potential risk of transmitting the virus in our community.

We have also advised all our Prospects Panels and Forums to do the same.

As a charity we have a duty of care to look after our volunteers and beneficiaries and as such we need to follow the government guidance to the full.

We will review the guidance daily and as soon as we are able to start hosting events again then we will obviously do so and let everyone know via e-mail, the website and social media.

We fully appreciate that volunteering outdoors is beneficial in so many ways to our volunteers in terms of socialising, health and wellbeing and as such we would recommend that you also follow the guidance given and as long as we are allowed to, take advantage of getting outdoors, even for short walks on your own!

Hello,

This is just a quick update given the everchanging situation surrounding Coronavirus and it’s potential to impact on people gathering for events, meetings and visiting our premises on Broadway.

As of today (Monday 16th March) we are continuing to deliver our activities as shown on our Events Calendar.  We will continue to deliver these activities until we are advised otherwise by the Government.

We review government guidance on Coronavirus on a daily basis and will take immediate action to prevent any potential risks to our wonderful team of volunteers and beneficiaries.

With regard to our premises at 54 Broadway, again these will remain open to the public until we are advised otherwise.

We will be planting trees and shrubs at Rothwell Heights which is at the top of Willows Lane in Accrington and part of Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve.  The site is opposite the KCL Garage just before you reach the hamlet of Bedlam.

The event will start at 10.00am and finish at 2.00pm, or when all the trees are planted.  Please wear warm clothing and wellies or strong boots.  Spades and gloves will be provided.

For more details phone Prospects on 01254-230348.

This event is funded by Hyndburn Borough Council as part of the Hyndburn Local Nature Reserve Weekend Volunteering Programme.

We are happy to announce that we are now recruiting for a new post here at Prospects.  The new post is an Outdoor Learning Officer with a strong emphasis on addressing Climate Change.

The post will be for 3 years and will be for 22.20 hours per week over 3 days, including Saturdays.

The salary is £15,000 per annum for 22.20 hours per week and the post will be based in our Accrington office.

The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Monday 9th March with interviews taking place the following Thursday 12th March.

All the information you need is available to download from our Job Opportunities page on the website.

This new post is funded by the Ernest Cook Trust, Hyndburn Windfall Fund, D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and Prospects.

The next Hyndburn Volunteer Workparty is on Wednesday, 19th February at 10:00am.

Please remember that our Volunteer Work Party dates are subject to change if we are asked to undertake essential or additional tasks by the Canal & River Trust.  Contact Barbara Sharples to sign up as a Volunteer so we can email you with any last minute changes.

Join us on the Leeds and Liverpool Enfield Changeline Bridge No 114A, Enfield Wharf, Blackburn Road Bridge, Clayton-le-Moors off the A678.  Grid Reference SD747304.  Weeding and pruning shrubs at the entrance slope from Blackburn Road.   We may be able to remove items from the canal – size and weight will determine this. There is a lot to do at Bridge 114A so there will be litter-picking at Enfield Wharf changeline Bridge #114A only and not along the canal towpath to Rileys Swing Bridge No 114 and Whalley Road Bridge No 114B.  This session is in response to a site visit and information supplied from the general public about magnet fishing and general litter and waste and future landscaping of the two shrub beds.

Tea, coffee and biscuit refreshments are supplied. All tools and gloves are provided but you can bring your own gloves. Safety equipment provided.  Please wear suitable outdoor clothing, strong shoes or boots and bring your lunch.  You may need to park in the Oak Street/Maple Street area – BB5 5JJ

Volunteer for as long as you can and do as much as you can or pop along to find out more about volunteering on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.  This volunteering opportunity is provided through a partnership between the Canal & River Trust and The PROSPECTS Foundation.

Contact barbara.sharples@prospectsfoundation.org.uk

Meet at 10:00am on Wednesday, 26th February.  Wear suitable footwear and clothing for walking and for the terrain and predicted weather on the day.  Only one dog per adult please.

Meet at ‘The Woodlands’ entrance just off Whalley Road (A680).  The Hyndburn circular buses 6, 6A, 7, 7A pass ‘The Woodlands’ at the Sparth House bus stop.  We start at 10:00am so people can use their bus pass to get to the start or have time to walk from a local school after dropping off children.

Post Code: Whalley Road BB5 5RP Clayton-le-Moors.  If driving please park on Warwick Ave, Clayton-le-Moors, BB5 5RE  Grid Reference: SD747314

This is the first of our monthly walks in partnership with the Canal and River Trust.

These walks will be for those taking their first steps into walking, those returning to walking and those new to the area that want to connect with other people and make new friends, be more active, take notice of their local neighbourhood, the history and nature around them, to learn with other people and to participation in social and community life.  We all want to feel a sense of wellbeing.  Life can be tough and we all need a space where we can get away from the noise, pressure and pollution of everyday life.

We will start after children have been dropped off at school and finish in time for everyone to get home for an early lunch!   The walks will be taken at a stroll and not a long or fast cardiovascular pace.  They are aimed at people who have not walked for a long time and are a little bit afraid of joining a walking group and those who want to get out and start building up their walking again.  We will be looking for the first signs that spring is not far away and simply enjoying being outside near water and woods together and meeting new people. and learning a little bit about local history.

Following the recent Windfall Fund assessment meeting 6 new projects received funding including Hyndburn Butterfly Project, Baxenden Community Forum, Lancashire Wildlife Trust and Idle Women. This means Windfall funded work will be carried out at Whinney Hill Woodlands, Milnshaw Park, Hollins Wood, Jubilee Plantation, Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve and at Woodnook and Miller Fold Community Allotments.

Look out for one of the Windfall Fund plaques to see where other projects have taken place. If your community group is interested in applying for funding then head to the Windfall pages on this website for more details.

Prospects Foundation and Ribble Rivers Trust have partnered with Hyndburn Borough Council to run a series of volunteering sessions on the two Local Nature Reserves in Hyndburn. There are a range of activities on both Woodnook Vale and Peel Park Reserves. Keep an eye on Prospects website for details of each event as they arise. For more information contact Roger Plum at Prospects on 01254 230348 or roger.plum@prospectsfoundation.org.uk or Ribble Rivers Trust on 01200 444452 or admin@ribbletrust.com

Click on poster to expand.

We had a Saturday session on 23rd November as part of National Tree week to plant trees in the Forest School area at Rothwell Heights, in conjunction with Adventure Hyndburn and Hyndburn Borough Council. The area is part of the Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve. Over 200 trees were planted to provide an understorey in areas where trees had been felled. This will improve the structure of the wood and the diversity of habitats. Woodnook Vale Local Nature Reserve was declared last year and along with Peel Park and The Coppice Local Nature Reserve is one of the two largest Local Nature Reserves in Lancashire. Leaflets on the reserves are available from Prospects Foundation and Hyndburn Borough Council. A further event for National Tree week will be held on Saturday 30th November at Plantation Wood, Accrington, details are in our What’s On section.