Hyndburn's Community-Owned Environmental Charity
Just like buses, two come at once! Yes, we’re recruiting for another post at Prospects
We have secured funding from the Ernest Cook Trust, Hyndburn Windfall Fund and the D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust to provide a new 3-year, 3 days a week (22.20 hours per week) post.
The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Monday 12th October, with interviews taking place in Accrington on Thursday 22nd October.
Click HERE to visit the job page.
Prospects is currently recruiting for a new post!
We have secured funding from Hyndburn Windfall Fund and Hyndburn Borough Council to fund a 4-day a week (29.60 hours a week) post for an initial 12 months. We are working with our partners to try and extend this by another 12 or 24 months.
The deadline for applications is 5.00pm on Monday 28th September, with interviews in Accrington on Thursday 8th October.
Click HERE to visit the job page.
On Thursday 27th August The PROSPECTS Foundation is launching a series of ‘Discover Hyndburn’ self-guided walk leaflets.
The leaflets are aimed at people new to walking, those returning to walking, people new to the Hyndburn area as well as visitors and ramblers wishing to explore Hyndburn and the surrounding areas.
They range from shorter walks of 2-3 miles (4.8kms), medium walks 3-6 miles (9.7kms) and longer walks of 7-10+ miles (16kms) covering smooth, easy, moderate, and rough terrains. Some are mainly on the flat, but the longer hikes tend to have a few climbs. Several of the walks include sections of river side paths, greenways and multiuser tracks and/or canal towpaths.
The self-guided walk leaflets also include local history information and the routes pass by key features, go via woodlands and greenspace areas managed by PROSPECTS or places maintained by local volunteers from the township-based PROSPECTS Panels.
The walks can be found at https://prospectsfoundation.org.uk/walking/ and the Discover Hyndburn sub-page where there are links to download the leaflets and for the technical minded they can be downloaded as gpx files to android phones and other devices.
For more information contact mike.stapleford@prospectsfoundation.org.uk
Why not check out our 2019-2020 Annual Report?
It’s packed full of everything we got up to in the last year and there’s lots of great photos too. It’s the ideal read for a quick summary of all our projects, not forgetting a look back at our hugely successful 21st anniversary celebration event in Accrington Town Square.
Other highlights include:
– A summary of all the projects supported by the Windfall Fund over the year
– Our collaboration with the Canal and River Trust
– The work of the PROSPECTS Panels
– Progress with the Hyndburn Woodlands Project
– The launch of our new look website
If you feel inspired by what you’ve read then sign up to our newsletter list or register as a volunteer – who knows, next year you might see yourself in the annual report!
Happy reading!
Hard copies are also available from our premises on Broadway in Accrington.
Just over two years ago our successful Heritage Lottery Fund project achieved it’s aim of getting two areas of Hyndburn declared as Local Nature Reserves. The two reserves of Peel Park & The Coppice and Woodnook Vale were officially designated at a ceremony at Haworth Art Gallery.
You can learn more about the reserves here Hyndburn’s Local Nature Reserves or visit the project webpage here Connecting People to Hyndburn’s Natural Heritage
Our current National Lottery Heritage Fund project is focussing on Hyndburn woodlands and you can get more information and see how you can get involved by looking at the webpage here Hyndburn Woodlands
Last year, as part of our Heritage Lottery Funded project to designate two new Local Nature Reserves in Hyndburn, Prospects Foundation in partnership with Pendle Forest Orienteers and Hyndburn Borough Council established a new orienteering course in Peel Park, Accrington. The course provides a good way to exercise in the open air and explore one of our new Local Nature Reserves. The course is designed so you can follow different routes depending on your experience and fitness levels. The easiest course can be followed on or very near paths whilst the hardest course involves challenging terrain and navigation skills.
To see our website page about the course click here: PEEL PARK ORIENTEERING COURSE
To download the map and suggested routes click this link: Orienteering Sheet
To see more details of the course and information on Pendle Forest Orienteers click this link: Pendle Forest Orienteers
Keep Safe
PROSPECTS will share public safety information in relation to keeping safe when you are out and about in public spaces and the countryside. Some of these have already been shared via social media but we believe it is important to repeat them here. Please share the information especially with children and young people. Most reservoirs and rivers, whilst being close to public footpaths and bridleways, are on private land so please do not trespass!
Stay Safe when near reservoirs – https://www.unitedutilities.com/about-us/recreation-sites/reservoir-safety/
Is your river fit to swim in? – There are some areas in Hyndburn which are not fit for swimming and should be avoided. An example is the Hyndburn near the old paper mill in Rishton, which is on private land, and warnings about this location have already been issued and water tests are currently being carried out.
There is no public health monitoring of river water quality in the UK. There are pathogens (bacteria or viruses) in rivers which can cause illnesses. These can come from agricultural pollutions, discharges from badly connected household appliances and hidden septic tanks etc. Therefore, we can never be 100% sure that a location is safe for swimming or recreational access.
The Rivers Trust https://www.theriverstrust.org/2019/07/24/river-safety-routine/
Water Safety for Kids – https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers/water-safety
YouTube video – Water Contamination – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om42Lppkd9w
PROSPECTS is not running any cycling activities at the moment. We receive regular information from our partner organisations and associates. We share this information via emails, our website and social media. See Positive Spin, Go Velo and Pedal Away below to find out about led cycle rides, adult cycle training and cycle maintenance courses for Hyndburn residents.
To keep local cyclists up-to-date there is a Hyndburn Cyclists Facebook page. This is a private group to protect people who wish to invite people to join them on a cycle ride so you will need to join the group.
Cycling UK provide up-to-date information on safe cycling.
Hopefully Pedal Away Hyndburn will be able to resume their Monday cycle rides in the not too distant future. Pedal Away Hyndburn link.
Positive Spin have recently received funding from Connecting East Lancashire and they will be providing led rides (ages 16+) on either a Saturday or a Sunday in the Hyndburn area starting soon. You will need your own bike and helmet in order to participate. The rides will be geared towards various levels with some being beginner/improving confidence rides and some being for the more experienced cyclists. If you would like to know more, please contact David via email at SPDLancashire@hotmail.com
Go Velo are now providing cycle training and are looking forward to starting another Sofa to Saddle in Accrington in September. The course is a six week course and is specifically for those who have never ridden a bike or those who haven’t ridden in years. You will start at week one learning basic bike maintenance and by week six you will be taking part in a led ride. The Sofa to Saddle will be at the Accrington Stanley Sports Hub on Thorneyholme Road. Go Velo will promote the course via Eventbrite in due course. Contact info.govelo@googlemail.com for details.
School Holidays!
Most of our young people have been home educated since the beginning of lock-down. Saturday, 18th July is the start of the traditional wakes-weeks in Hyndburn and the start of the long summer school holiday. Since March, several of our partners and national charities have produced educational and fun family activity ideas and we will continue to share these with you until the end of August as part of our Environmental Awareness theme. This will be mainly through social media as this is how we receive them.
To get you started we have included a few links in this newsletter:
Wildlife Trusts – https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wild-activities-families-and-schools
Ribble Rivers Trust – Ribble Life Together – https://ribblelifetogether.org/homelearning/
The Woodland Trust – kids nature activities
Canal & River Trust – https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers
Canal & River Trust Home Learning – https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers/learning-from-home
Canal & River Trust Lego – https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/explorers/children/build-along
Following the fine spring weather we’ve seen the earliest average emergence of butterflies for the last 20 years. It’s vital that we understand how these weather patterns affect butterflies to help protect them for the future.
By spending just 15 minutes taking part in this year’s Big Butterfly Count, you will help Butterfly Conservation understand how different species are faring in our area, which in turn will help them target research and conservation work where it’s needed most.
How to take part in the Big #ButterflyCount 2020:
Take a look at Hyndburn Butterfly Project, visit Milnshaw Park WildFlower Meadow, Huncoat Colliery and Whinney Hill Woodland
PROSPECTS is not currently organising and leading any guided walks. We have considered all the UK Government guidelines and the information and guidance available from the Ramblers and, like many walking groups, we have decided now is not the right time.
Our Discover Hyndburn walks are now being written up into self-guided walk leaflets. The first pdf leaflets will be launched during the week commencing 27th July and will be available via the website on the News and Discover Hyndburn walking pages. There will also be an external link to the gpx routes for those that like technology!
We will uploaded our routes to the ViewRanger App, where you can plan, navigate, record and share your adventures, so why not have an explore! The App provides PROSPECTS with a more efficient way of updating routes and gives you access to the most up-to-date information.
To download a route you will be asked to create a FREE account (all of the PROSPECTS Discover Hyndburn routes are free to download.)
Action for Insects is a campaign led by the Wildlife Trusts, supported by a range of partners who are all determined to reverse the alarming declines in insects and help nature recover across the UK. The Wildlife Trusts hope to inspire and help people take action for insects where they live, learn, work and farm.
Just how important are insects to our everyday life? Answer: VITAL.
This is the link to download the guide – Action for Insects Guide – At Home
You can watch Action for Insects – Reversing Insect Decline on YouTube by clicking on the image below.
With more people remaining at home for extended periods of time because of the coronavirus outbreak, households may see an unexpected increase in their monthly energy usage. Please do your own research to find out what best fits with your home and family circumstances!
PROSPECTS understands the increasing financial hardships facing families and businesses and offers these helpful room-by-room tips to reduce home energy costs.
We have produced a short document to give you a few ideas to ge start Energy Conservation
Here are some links so you can do your own research.
LINKS (in alphabetical order). We recommend that you take a look at several or all of these in order to make a decision.
https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-energy-efficiency
https://hoa.org.uk/energy/top-10-energy-saving-tips/
https://www.citizenenergyuk.co.uk/home-energy/energy-saving-tips.aspxEnergy ConservationEnergy Conservation
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/energy-saving-tips/
https://www.thegreenage.co.uk/100-ways-to-save-energy-in-your-home/
Have you enjoyed walking along the canal towpath? Have you thought about becoming a volunteer? Why not join the Hyndburn Volunteer Work-party.
May 2019 saw the start of PROSPECTS renewed partnership with the Canal & River Trust (C&RT). We achieved a lot but Covid-19 has slowed things down and there will be a lot to do when we start volunteering again.
The Canal & River Trust are managing a phased return to volunteering. In July, the volunteer lockkeepers returned to allow the movement of traffic along the canals.
The volunteer taskforces and work-parties have not yet returned, and this is not likely to happen before August.
If you wish to return to or to start volunteering on the Leeds-Liverpool canal there will be strict controls in place. You need to make a start now. Firstly, read the Volunteer information. Then register to MyTrust. You will then be able to LogIn. This will give you access to MyVolunteeering. Here you will find information specifically for Trust volunteers including health& safety, training, claiming expenses and more.
In preparation for returning or to start volunteering you will need to visit the Training Courses page and watch the Toolbox Talk on coronavirus. You will not be able to volunteer until you have watched and claimed this training session. There are a lot more training courses you can work through to prepare for volunteering with the Hyndburn volunteer work-party and this will also help you understand more about the C&RT.
Peel Bank March 2020
Do you know about INNS – no not places to eat and drink – Invasive Non-Native Species?
The plants we are most likely to encounter in Hyndburn are: –
What can you do?
Make a record of the location and take photos when you are out walking. Then you can join INNS Mapper and record all your sitings. https://ywt-data.org/inns-mapper/.
You will be contributing to a huge UK database and this helps organisations such as the Ribble Rivers Trust that works to improve, protect and promote the River Ribble and its catchment area for both people and wildlife. As well as the Ribble they look after the Calder, Hodder, Darwen, and Douglas sub-catchment.
This means that they not only look after all these rivers, but all the rivers, streams, and becks that flow into them which includes the Hyndburn. They are able to apply for funding to deal with invasive species if they have enough evidence of problems in the catchment area. Your recorded evidence counts!
In spring 2021 a new project ‘INNS Free Rivers’ will be launched!
This project aims to tackle invasive species, including Giant Hogweed to make our rivers safer and more natural spaces for everyone. INNS Free Rivers will bring together landowners (who are responsible for controlling invasive species), local councils, supporters, and the public.
Himalayan Balsam – Giant Hogweed & Warning. All images – Japanese Knotweed – “Crown Copyright 2009” GBNNSS
Discover Hyndburn Walks
We are not currently running a programme of Discover Hyndburn guided walks due to Covid-19. These are normally held every two weeks (March to September) and we visit different places around the Borough. We have hosted walks around Woodlands, Stanhill Village, Jackhouse Nature Reserve, Woodnook Vale & Rothwell Heights and to other places of interest across the Hyndburn townships.
During Covid-19 we have been developing our led walks into guided walk leaflets so that friends and family can experience the walks. We urge all walkers to follow social distancing guidance and walk safely, responsibly and considerately.
We aim to launch our first batch of Discover Hyndburn self-guided walk leaflets at the start of the local summer school holidays on Saturday, 17th July 2020.
Please visit the Home page of the website and sign up to receive the PROSPECTS News so that you have up-to-date information.
The easing of lockdown measures allows more freedom for walkers. However, the advice remains to limit your contact with others. From 4th July, people in England can exercise alone, with members of your household (or support bubble), or with up to 5 other people from outside your household. Two households can also meet. You should maintain a distance of 2m between people from different households, or 1m plus mitigations (such as face coverings or avoiding face-to-face contact) where 2m is not possible. We advise that you always refer to the latest government guidance regarding restrictions that may apply in your local area. UK Government
Our Theme of ‘Sustainable Transport’ is all about encouraging walking and cycling and recognising the additional health benefits of increased physical activity.
Cycling UK are asking people to use the new interactive map: show your council where pop-up lanes are needed. Click on the link below.
Show your council where you need safe space for social distancing in ACCRINGTON and Hyndburn
Since March, over 11,000 people have written to their council to ask for pop up cycle lanes and widened pavements: and now at least 60 councils have begun installing or planning these measures.
But with the roads and public transport getting busier again, much more must be done to ensure we lock in the boost in cycling we’ve seen throughout lockdown.
There are three simple things you can do to help turn this great start into a nationwide transformation, and to make sure change happens in the Hyndburn area.
Once you’ve added your ideas, share the map amongst your local community, social media – not everyone will agree with every suggestion, but the greater the engagement, the stronger impression the most popular suggestions will have on our council.
Go to our Cycling section to find out more…
As of today, over 70 Growing Together sowing packs have been distributed by volunteers from the Hyndburn Hub to people requesting them from Prospects. This is in addition to the hundreds that have also been delivered through Growing Together partners St. Christopher’s School and Idle Women.
Anyone living in Hyndburn (as they are being delivered via the Hyndburn Hub) can request either a Windowsill Pack or a Gardener’s / Allotment Pack. Each pack consists of a bag (to be decorated) plus seeds, pots, compost and growing instructions.
The aim of Growing Together is for people to be able to grow some healthy vegetables for themselves in this difficult period, whilst also hopefully learning new skills, including your children and generally having a bit of fun!
There’s still time to take part. If you would like a pack then please e-mail info@prospectsfoundation.org.uk and let us know:
All packs are being kindly delivered by volunteers from the Hyndburn Hub.
Click HERE for details of the what seeds are in each pack.
We are sad to report that Gwyn Robinson, former chair of the Oswaldtwistle Prospects Panel, passed away in May.
Gwyn was one of the founding directors & trustees of the charity back in 1998 and remained on our Management Committee for 15 years, until 2013, when Gwyn and Val moved from Foxhill Bank House in Oswaldtwistle to Read.
Gwyn was heavily involved in many of the Panel’s key projects which including the Tinker Brook Tree Nursery, Coach Road Meadows and the Millennium Baby Woodland, amongst others.
There is an obituary with more about Gwyn’s life on the Champ Funerals website.
Prospects will be arranging a fitting commemoration to Gwyn in the near future.
PROSPECTS is committed to supporting walking in Hyndburn and the adjacent local authority areas. There are several walking routes on the PROSPECTS website. PROSPECTS staff and some volunteers will be checking several of these routes out to make sure there are no hazards and we will be adding some new walks of three to eight miles, on different terrains and suitable for people with different walking ability.
The easing of lockdown measures allows more freedom for walkers but we will continue to limit our contact with others. Please follow the up-to-date guidance from the UK Government if you decide to go out walking and we hope you will.
We are reviewing the situation at PROSPECTS regularly in response to the latest government advice. Our priority is to protect the health of our members, volunteers and staff and to help suppress the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
At this stage, all PROSPECTS led group walks and activities remain suspended. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will reintroduce these activities only when we feel confident it is safe to do so.