Saturday 9th September: Bird and Bat Box Making

The Bird and Bat Box making, where children can assemble the boxes, is held in the Chapel (or outside if fine) on Saturday 9th September from 1.30pm until 4pm. The cost is £6. No need to book, just drop in.

All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. All the necessary materials are provided but please bring a hammer if you have one.

Our activities are listed in the Stockport Museums Exhibitions and Events Guide – available at all their Museums including Chadkirk Chapel and, of course, Staircase House.

Back in the year 2000…

I lived and worked in Greater Manchester 20 years ago. During that time, the peace and spiritual essence in Chadkirk estate, together with the company of the garden team, really helped me through difficult times.

I worked hard with Pat and Mary and remember John for his enthusiasm, knowledge of the natural history, birds etc. and his wonderful estate work.

We were a small group: myself, Pat, Mary, Sheila and her husband Peter, and John plus another couple. Pat and I went on an apple tree / orchard course over two weekends and I remember the seeds she and Mary grew.

Awaiting funding for the restoration of the walled garden, we had numerous meetings at Pat’s home during which we studied maps and plans. Renovators of the chapel in previous years had discarded material into the walled garden seemingly using it as a junk heap. So then there were weeks of weeding out bricks, stones and glass from the garden beds which had been constructed by Stockport council, following Pat’s design. Eventually we started the planting. I remember the joy of watching plants growing, and the satisfaction working on maintenance in the garden we had helped to create.

I had five happy years working at Chadkirk and seeing the walled garden transformed for all to enjoy.

Thank you for a most informative and fun blog.

Warm regards
Janice.

Dressing up

Well dressing : the work of the design team

St Chad’s Well is still looking good down at Chadkirk.

2017 Well Dressing: St Chad’s Well

Map of Chadkirk

Local landscape (in petals and bark). A map of Chadkirk Country Park and Estate.

Chadkirk mapped.

And for Well Dressings in previous years see https://www.flickr.com/photos/hjggreen/albums

A big thank you

…to everyone who joined us at Chadkirk on Saturday. There were over 500 visitors, who all played their part in creating such an enjoyable and successful event.

2017 Chadkirk Well Dressing Blessing and Celebrations

For many years, many people have reserved the last weekend in July for our annual Chadkirk Festival.Then in 2016, the re-opening of Bramhall Hall meant that the Festival couldn’t happen as in previous years. Instead Friend of Chadkirk organised a smaller event while we all hoped for a return to the full festival.However, this year I understand that funding/staffing issues have meant that Stockport MBC is unable to offer the support to enable the kind of Festival we have come to know and love. Nevertheless the Friends of Chadkirk are an adaptable bunch and they have a different kind of day for your delectation!

Yes, it’s on a smaller scale, though now there’s free admissions as well as free car parking. It will have some of the hallmarks of the bigger festival: music and stalls, refreshments and games, crafts and treats. As usual, it offers an afternoon in a delightful space, milling and chatting with other fine folk in a friendly setting.

Proceeds from the Friends stalls will add to their funds and so help Chadkirk Chapel and Country Park thrive and continue to offer a place for all to enjoy. We look forward to seeing you on Saturday 29th July 1-4pm.

It’s on Saturday 29th July 2017 from 12 noon onwards, presented and organised by the Friends of Chadkirk.

The Well Dressing Blessing will take place at 1pm.

Stockport Silver Band will be giving performances at 2pm and 3pm.

Delicious and tasty light refreshments will be available.

The plant stalls will offer healthy plants at bargain prices. As these sell out fast, keen gardeners get there early.

Friends of Chadkirk stalls with items for sale including cards, & 2nd hand books.

There will be a chance to have a go on our Tombola.

Other stalls of local interest will include The Organic Food Store.

ADMISSION – FREE

A message from Cape Town…

Having returned to Cape Town in 2005 I have just discovered your blog and am so enjoying maintaining my connection with Chadkirk and learning of improvements.

Changing the chapel window is a project I am delighted to read about and the bridge is a wonderful idea. It was a long walk from Marple, where I previously lived. I was a Friend of Chadkirk and a member of the initial gardening team, restoring the herb and walled garden.

A question: When did the Friends start motivation for and the process of the walled garden restoration? Was it 2000 or later?

My regards to those who may remember me. Keep up the great work.
Janice.

Lovely to hear from you, Janice. And interesting to read your comments.
There are people from all over the world who visit the blog, and as you say it’s a great way to keep the connections going across the miles and down the years.

I have only been involved with the Friends of Chadkirk since 2012. While we haven’t had a chance to meet, some of the people who were in the team when you were an active member of the Friends of Chadkirk continue to spend time in the gardens at Chadkirk, helping the gardens to thrive.

Now that your message is on the blog, I hope they’ll be able to get in touch. I’m sure that they will want to send their greeting to a fellow Friend!

Pat leads the gardening team. Her enthusiasm and skills are an inspiration. She has been a driving force in the garden and knows the full story of how the transformation of the walled garden was initiated and completed.

I wonder if you have read the earlier post about the history of the garden? I have often thought about writing another post filling in some of the gaps. Perhaps your message will inspire me to do that.
Thank you, Janice!

Well dressing

This year, for one year only, there’ll be Well Dressing Blessing on Saturday 30th July.

With the Blessing at 1pm, an opportunity for refreshments in Chadkirk Chapel, and the plant stalls and Friends of Chadkirk stall with a range of small treats on offer. Outside the Stockport Silver Band will play.

We’ve had some beautiful designs in the past on a range of interesting themes.
What will this year’s design be?

The preparations can be viewed in the Chapel
from Tuesday 26th to Thursday 28th.
Modest refreshments will be
available on these days from 11am till 4pm.

Drawing the design on the clay block

Preparing the clay blocks

We are already looking ahead to a full festival in 2017. As part of the celebrations there’ll be a special publication. Chadkirk High Teas.

This special recipe book will be for sale at our 20th Chadkirk Festival.

We are looking for contributions from cooks and budding Masterchefs out there. Please give your recipes to Lesley at any of our friendly gatherings. Alternatively you can email…

Well dressing for beginners

Preparations for this summer’s Chadkirk Festival are well in hand. There are opportunities for people to get involved…

Each year the Festival begins with a ceremonial unveiling of St Chad’s Well. Our well is dressed each year by a team of enthusiasts. Members of the team include those with years of experience, real skill and artistic flair. They develop a unique design, reflecting current themes and then explore ways of realising the image.

In addition to the more experienced members of the team, there is always an opportunity for others to take part in the process of creation.

On Wednesday 1st July at 7pm there will be a chance to gather in Chadkirk Chapel and learn more about this year’s design and be part of it’s assembly.

Then later in the month in the days before the festival, you are welcome to join us to complete the process.

On Wednesday 22 July and Thursday 23 Chadkirk Chapel will be open between 10 am and 4pm. Join us for an hour or for a morning or afternoon. Or spend a day or two. Then enjoy seeing the fruits of your labours ceremonially unveiled on Sunday 26th July at the start of Chadkirk Festival 2015.

The design for the well dressing for 2013 was based on the newly installed East window

The team of craftsmen towards the end of a long day’s work. Photo: Artemisia

Easter Bank Holiday Weekend at Chadkirk

Yesterday’s vernal equinox marks a change. From now, until September, days will be longer than nights. At first, by minutes and then by hours. As we move into spring and look towards summer, there are more daylight hours to spend out and about.

This coming weekend, there’s even more to celebrate. Our clocks spring forward by an hour at midnight on Saturday 26th March, so there’ll be an extra hour of light in the evening.

Plants affected by the lengthening daylight add new growth, or open into flower. A recent spell of dry weather, some blue skies, sunshine and warmth, all encourage growth and blossom in the woodland, meadows and hedgerows of Chadkirk.

By the time the weekend arrives, there’ll be newly invigorated bees and butterflies visiting the flowers in the garden, searching for food. A little something to energise them for their spring activities.

Bees and butterflies will feed off the nectar of the spring flowers. Meanwhile, there’ll be something sweet on offer for the young of our own species on Bank Holiday Monday.

On Monday 28th March between 2pm and 4pm, volunteers from the Friends of Chadkirk offer a bit of fun and a sweet treat for participants in our popular Easter Egg Hunt.

Hidden eggs in the garden and grounds wouldn’t be much fun for anyone – they might melt in the sun, get washed in the rain, eaten by animals. So as an alternative there’s a game of scrambled eggs. Follow the clues and at the end, there’ll be a creme filled egg for each child taking part.

Entry is 50p per child. The game is suitable for children up to 8 years of age, accompanied by adult carers.

In 2015 this was one of our most popular events, organised by volunteers, in a spirit of generosity. They made a choice. The emphasis is on attracting young ‘uns. Time enjoyed here means that they, like us , will have a special connection with this special place. For the Friends of Chadkirk, while this event may not add much to our funds, it spreads the joy… what Easter, holidays, friends and Chadkirk are all about.

There’ll be a different kind of delight for those who join our Easter Sunday service on 27th March at 3pm which will be led by Rev Jon Lyndsey-Scott of St Chad’s Church in Romiley. At this service there will be an opportunity to donate to a local charity. All money collected will contribute to Romiley Arc.

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A is for Access : A tale of two footpaths

Do you remember Autumn 2014? And, among other things, the surprising news that somehow someone had the idea to close one of the most popular footpaths at Chadkirk? The footpath threatened with closure was the one from the main car park, alongside the stream, over the bridge, through Little Wood and out on the lane by St Chad’s Well.

One way it seemed possible to save this footpath was to apply to have it dedicated as a footpath. Any footpath that is dedicated and recorded on the Definitive Map showing public rights of way could not be closed. So Friends of Chadkirk started the ball rolling….

The appropriate forms were filled in and submitted to the appropriate officials. Most of the land is owned by Stockport MBC. A small part of the path is not. Establishing that walkers have used the path as a right of way for many years can be a way to have a footpath dedicated. Setting this process in motion seemed vital, given the proposals to close the footpath. The application has been in the hands of Public Rights of Way officials since June 2015.

In the event, after a series of meetings, the Werneth Area Committee rescinded the plans. The footpath remains open. For now. But what of the future? As an application has been submitted and supporting statements made by regular users, might it be best to continue to see if the footpath can be dedicated and thus protected for future walkers in Chadkirk Country Park?

If you visit Chadkirk and have been walking this path for a period of years, then this experience can be the basis of a brief user statement. This can then form part of the evidence that would be part of the case for footpath dedication.

The link to the form to be filled in is here:

http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/leisureculture/walkinginstockport/publicrightsofway/

Completing a form (under Form tab) and passing it to the Friends of Chadkirk is one way that you can take part in the process of protecting this footpath for future generations.

Issues of Access in Chadkirk Country Park Estate.
Come along to a Friends of Chadkirk meeting.
New friends welcome.

What are friends for?

Resourceful and energetic, friends can help us make the best of life.

At last night’s AGM you’d get a clear sense of the difference that Friends make.

They make a difference through their funding of projects on the Chadkirk Country Park, Farm Estate and in Chadkirk Chapel. In the past that has included the design and installation of the East Window. Later this year, footpaths in the Walled Garden will be repaired and re-surfaced, funded by the Friends of Chadkirk. There are many ways that funds raised and donations are used to benefit the environment and the community here.

While raising funds for Chadkirk is a big part of what we do, Friends of Chadkirk also raise money to make donations to a wide range of other causes. Our treasurer reported back at the AGM about money donated to charities local and global. At the Carol Service in December, the collection raised nearly £300. The collection of £296-64 was donated to the British Red Cross fund, this small contribution to a global fund to take compassionate action within the refugee camps of Syria. In previous years, similar donations have been made to funds to support those affected by the flooding in Cumbria, Guide Dogs for the Blind and other diverse organisations.

It is a reflection of the place that Chadkirk occupies in people’s hearts, that along with funds raised at events, we also receive donations and bequests. At the meeting last night, we were moved to learn of a bequest from a special friend of Chadkirk who had travelled by bus to help us get our beehives established and to take good care of them. Although that baton has been passed on, the continuity of his affection for the bees and this place has been movingly expressed. If Wilf’s family read this, we’d like to say a very special thank you. Please get in touch. Together we might be able to tell a little of his story and honour his achievements, the part he played in helping create the Chadkirk we enjoy today. Many visitors would be interested to learn more about our hives and his work with the bees.

Moving through the agenda from the happenings of 2015 there was talk of plans for 2016. The events, which generally have a monthly pattern, start this weekend.

On Saturday 5th March the gardening team will be active in the Walled Garden (as long as today’s snow has melted away).

On Sunday 6th March Friends of Chadkirk will be offering something a little bit different by way of treats, entertainment and convivial chat. For this year we’ll be doing what we can with our existing technology to show our little in-house life story of St Chad, back by popular demand. By next year we hope to be able to use an upgraded system which we are currently checking out and plan to install soon. This upgrade has been made possible by a significant donation from a member of the local community.

No upgrade is required for our popular Easter Egg Hunt. Last year this attracted many youngsters and their carers and at 2pm on Easter Monday – 28th March – there’s another chance to seek out what’s hidden in the gardens of Chadkirk.

A different kind of delight for those who join our Easter Sunday service on 27th March which will be led by Rev Jon Lyndsey-Scott of St Chad’s Church in Romiley. At this service there will be an opportunity to donate to a local charity. All money collected will contribute to Romiley Ark.

For Friends of Chadkirk there’s a familiar seasonal rhythm to the activities, though with a little twist each year. Things change, so there’s also adaptation to make the best of what’s going on here and further afield. As a result there has been a change to the pattern of some of our regular activities.

This year, for one year only, there’ll be Well Dressing Blessing on Saturday 30th July. . With the Blessing at 1pm, an opportunity for refreshments in Chadkirk Chapel, and the plant stalls and Friends of Chadkirk stall with a range of small treats on offer. Outside the Stockport Silver Band will play.

At the AGM, the retiring Chair passed round a letter from the organiser of the Chadkirk Festival which stated that:

The council will be working with the Friends of Chadkirk on the format for the festival for the weekend 29th/30th July 2017.

This means that we’ll be celebrating our 20th Chadkirk Festival in 2017.

Our expanding team of enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to.

Down at Chadkirk, Friends of Chadkirk make a difference to all most every aspect of this special place. It can be life enriching, community enhancing, ecologically sustaining, landscape protecting. Beneficial. Be-friending.

Want to make a difference? Take part. Join in. Be-friend.

Minutes from the meeting: July Werneth area Committee 2015

This is a cut and paste blog post.
Just the minutes from the meeting for those who are following the bridleway/footpath debate.

* * * * * * *
Members of the public were invited to put questions to the Chair of the Area Committee on any matters within the powers and duties of the Area Committee, subject to the exclusions set out in the Code of Practice.
 
Five public questions were submitted as follows:-
 
·         Relating to the proposal to rescind an order for the creation of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate and whether there were plans to canvass the views of users of the current footpath; assess the extent to which pedestrians would be displaced off the footpath should horses be permitted to use it; and how any risks associated with such a proposal would be managed.
 
In response, it was stated that that there had been consultation with the Friends of Chadkirk and the Stockport East Area Bridleways Association.  Although a consultation had not been carried out on the basis suggested by the questioner, members confirmed that they were aware of the potential conflicts between different users of the footpath.
 
·         Relating to the proposal to rescind an order for the creation of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate and why the Stockport East Area Bridleways Association had not been notified that an item had been placed on the agenda for the meeting relating to the proposal.
 
In response it was stated that in accordance with the Code of Practice, the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be requested to respond to the questioner in writing within seven days.
 
·         Relating to the proposal to rescind an order for the creation of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate and why other stakeholders such as the British Horse Society and Natural England had not been consulted on the proposals and that the Area Committee should defer consideration of the proposals pending such a consultation taking place.
 
In response, it was stated that members considered that they were sufficiently aware of the various issues surrounding the proposals and consequently did not consider that it was necessary to defer consideration of the item.
 

Bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate  PDF 73 KB
• View the background to item 5.
To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.
 
The report details a proposal for the Area Committee to give further consideration to the dedication of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate, as marked A to B on the plan attached to the report.
 
The Area Committee is recommended to
 
(1) Reconsider the dedication of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate, marked A to B on the attached plan given the considerations listed.
 
(2) Support the creation of an extension to the existing pedestrian footpath to in improve accessibility (E to F on the plan).
 
(3) Comment on the proposal to permit equestrian access to route (G to H on the plan) or to retain the route for pedestrians only.
 
(4) Acknowledge the need to improve visibility at two points (K and M on the attached plan).
 
Officer contact: Ian Walmsley on 0161 474 4382 or email: ian.walmsley@stockport.gov.uk
Additional documents:
• Enc. 1 for Bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate , item 5.
 PDF 2 MB
• Plan , item 5.
 PDF 326 KB
Minutes:
A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing a proposal for the Area Committee to give further consideration to the dedication of a bridleway at Chadkirk Country Estate, as marked A to B on the plan attached to the report.
 
RESOLVED – (1) That approval be given to the rescission of that part of the resolution made by the Area Committee at its meeting on 10 March 2014 with regard to the ‘Dedication of bridleway and footpaths on land owned by the Council on Chadkirk Estate, Bredbury and Romiley’ and pertaining specifically to the dedication of a bridleway over the route between points A-B as detailed on the plan attached to the report.
 
(2) That the remaining element of that resolution pertaining to the dedication and creation of a footpath between the points E-F as detailed on the plan attached to the report remain extant and the Area Committee’s support and approval for this be reiterated.
 
(3) That the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be recommended to investigate whether it would be feasible to widen the existing footpath, marked G-H on the plan attached to the report, to permit equestrian access.
 
(4) That the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration be recommended to investigate the introduction of measures to improve visibility at the two points marked K and M on the plan attached to the report.

A festival of brollies…

British weather conditions delivered a festival of brollies today at Chadkirk. Visitors came, wearing wellies and waterproofs.

Donkey sanctuary

Keeping dry

In the Walled Garden

Listening to the Silver Band

Young dancers showcase their moves

A ferret (with trainer/handler)…after the race

Local artisans displayed their wares under awnings, gazebos and within Chadkirk Chapel.

Quality creations by local crafter.

Pin cushion teapot anyone?

Master craftsman, fine woodworking….and it’s the folk who did the frame for the East Window too!

Bustling and browsing amongst the stalls in Chadkirk Chapel

Beautiful hand crafted jewellery on sale – and a chance to meet the makers and discuss their craft.

Locally inspired artisan jewellery – with designs linked to local features

Silver rings, crosses and pendants – including a cross inspired by St. Chad’s cross. Beautifully made by a local craftsman.

Cards and comfrey oil for sale on one of the Friends of Chadkirk stalls.

Plenty to do for young children, who were fascinated by the birds of prey, donkeys and ferrets.Some even had the chance to transform their faces into something feline. This year they also had the chance to make their own wizard sticks and fairy wands.

All the fun of the festival. Funny feline face on young fan of the festival.

Lesley and Adam of shapedbynature with their wizard sticks and fairy wands

Gather round, get involved, craft your own…with the help of Lesley and Adam.

Shapedbynature stall attracts plenty of interest.

Mary and family

And then of course, there’s the food. An abundance of choice. Eat now or a treat for later. Local produce or something more exotic.Something for all tastes.

Organic produce from local supplier at Chadkirk

On a cool day, a reminder of sunshine (and the best feta cheese I think I’ve ever tasted).

St. Chad watches, the T’insole Bells sound and festival goers are tempted by the delicious wares for sale.

It’s cream tea weather in the walled garden (whatever the weather!)

Something for everyone

 At the Chadkirk Festival, there’s something for everyone.

Animal lover?

There’s donkeys, birds of prey and …ahem…spiders? In a new twist, the bird of prey display features ferrets. Can I have heard that right?

It’s always exciting to see these birds. This year the handlers have decided that it is unwise to fly the birds. Apparently, there are concerns that the birds were likely to fly off, given the tasty morsels – smaller birds and voles – that are part of the local wildlife. Their appeal might be stronger than the trainer’s lure.

There is a small charge for handling the birds and having your photo taken. This will be donated to help with the costs of the festival.

Music lover?

There’ll be the Stockport Silver Band outside Chadkirk Chapel and T’insle Bells performing inside. A new feature this year, in the performance arena (the lawned area) a folk singing duo will do a couple of sets. When the competition was held, the sound of George Borowski singing drew office workers to their windows. On Sunday he will sing with Gaynor Wilson. Their final set will close the festival.

Looking for local produce? There’s the honey from Arnie’s hives and Comfrey Oil from the gardens of Chadkirk.

Want to have a go at crafts? There’s willow weaving and craft work with Chantal, where you might make your own mini well dressing display. Looking or buying? There are plenty of options in Chadkirk Chapel, where there are craft stalls and food stands.

Sunday is also a chance to pick up a copy of the guide to our local Heritage Walk.

Walk 23 Stockport Heritage Trust

Plenty of stalls to browse, food to enjoy and games to play. Talk to producers and learn about what they do. Watch the dancers and martial artists demonstrate and perhaps find a new interest.

All the fun of the festival…at Chadkirk. Starting at midday on Sunday 26 July.

Chadkirk in July

There’s plenty happening at Chadkirk this month. The month starts with our Friends of Chadkirk meeting in Chadkirk Chapel; a relaxed meeting to discuss, among other things, the 2015 Chadkirk Festival. This is our 19th Festival here at Chadkirk, and we know from the visitors who come that, for many, it has turned into one of their favourite summer days out and become something of a tradition. The last Sunday in July? Oh yes! That’s the Chadkirk Festival.

During our meeting there was a chance just to refresh our plans. The Festival will be a blend of all those traditions that regular visitors enjoy so much, together with a few new features that will add a touch of novelty and some small surprises. More of which later…

Before then, there’s time to spend in the gardens. Here volunteers in our gardening team will be doing some weeding, and making the odd nip and tuck, to make sure the garden is at it’s glorious best for the Festival. Today it is radiant and full of blossom in the summer sunshine. From the paths, approaching the garden, the scents of summer fill the air. In the Walled Garden, there are some fine specimen roses, with a stunning cascade of Rambling Rector transforming one of the apple trees.

This week’s combination of warmth and wet has provided ideal growing conditions. It may have brought out blossom; it has also nourished weeds. Whereas once, the weeding and maintenance of these gardens was shared between local authority workers and unpaid volunteers, now Stockport MBC pays to mow the lawn. Virtually everything else is being done by local people.

The gardening team includes people with a life time of gardening experience and folk who just enjoy being in the garden doing a little gentle activity with a friendly bunch. The expertise of the the gardening team leader provides inspiration and focus for the rest of the team. This means there’s a great opportunity for people to come along, be in the fresh air, do a little stretching and moving and feel that they are making a difference, enabling others to enjoy this special place.

The Friends of Chadkirk gardening team will be in the garden on Saturday 4th July, whatever the weather. Please join us. We are there between 2-4 approximately. Chadkirk Chapel will be open, serving ice cream, tea and coffee. During our break, the gardeners chat and share refreshments. Always a cuppa for each member of the team. Often some home baked cake, biscuits or flapjack brought along by one of the friends as a thank you and a treat. One of the many rewards of being part of the Friends of Chadkirk.

All the fun of the Festival

Chadkirk Festival – the last Sunday in July – is one of those relatively rare days in the year. It’s a day when there’s an opportunity to relax and mingle, in a lovely space, with other folk, smiling, laughing, enjoying themselves.

While the Chadkirk Festival is not free, it is priced so that it is excellent value, and many of the pleasures have a very affordable price tag.

Once you’ve paid the small admission charge, there’s the beautiful Walled Garden and Chadkirk Chapel to enjoy and a flow of entertainments. On the lawned area: a performance space where visitors are entertained by a range of local groups – dancers, martial arts, birds of prey. In Chadkirk Chapel: many and varied craft stalls which are a delight to see and the Tin’stle bells, a delight to hear.

For many of the attractions, fees are kept to the minimum, so that as many visitors as possible have the chance to enjoy them – whether this involves making your own balloon sculpture or holding a bird of prey. Donkeys, spiders and ferrets will all be there to get to know a little better!

At Chadkirk, a little spending money goes a long way. There will be many delicious treats, though can there be a better bargain than the cream scones at the Friends of Chadkirk tent?

Service with a smile by volunteers. £1-50 for a delicious freshly baked scone, strawberries and a generous portion of cream. Only while stocks last! And, by the way, all proceeds from this stall go into the Friends of Chadkirk fund to develop and enhance Chadkirk, the gardens, chapel and country park. So by making any extra donations when you buy your cream tea, you can rest assured that every penny will be spent on this beautiful place.

A thumbs up from some of last year’s visitors!

Democracy and change at Chadkirk

Apologies… date of next Werneth Area Committee Meeting in earlier post was incorrect.

Look out for information about any new proposals in the week beginning 6th July.

The information about the meeting on the Stockport website is:

Werneth Area Committee
Monday, 13th July, 2015 6.00 pm

The agenda will be displayed in the week before the meeting

Proposed venue: Dining Room – Woodley Civic Hall

Contact: Damian Eaton (0161 474 3207)

So… what’s new?

We have all been watching to see how any changes to recent proposals are progressing. Local councillors have visited Chadkirk. Any amendments to previous plans are not yet public.

It is unclear when these plans will be announced. However it is clear that locals, visitors and residents will want to study and reflect on the proposals so that they might see how they could affect their use of the area and the unique conservation status of Chadkirk.

It would seem that the best we can do is keep a look out on the Stockport website which notifies us about future meetings. If the itention is to discuss and vote on any proposals at the July meeting, then the plans may be published on the site one week before that.

For those wishing to attend the Werneth Area Committee meeting, the date for your diary is Monday 6th July.

Green Gym…

This afternoon the volunteer gardeners were at work in The Walled Garden at Chadkirk. Out in the fresh air of a June day, in an idyllic setting, a gentle pleasure, in fine company. And the added satisfaction of helping to create a little bit of beauty and harmony in this quiet corner of Stockport.

This is a busy time in the garden. In a space like this one, at this time of the year, some of the plants that we don’t want are growing faster than the ones we do, so the team have plenty to do pulling up weeds from the beds and tidying around the edges. Each volunteer does their bit. Each person comes to garden when they can and as a result the garden is there for all to enjoy.

Before the restoration project and the gardening of the Friends of Chadkirk, this place was dishevelled and forlorn, overrun with brambles, nettles and weeds. Without the team of volunteers, the weeds would win and the garden would be lost again.

A little bit of moving around in the open air, stretching, hoeing, weeding, planting. Good for the heart and lungs, connecting with community and landscape, with friends and with green. Movement and growth. In a peaceful setting. Uplifting. Benefits for mind and body. And after the team head off home, the tranquility and beauty remain…

Local democracy

Recent elections have seen a change in the political landscape both locally and nationally. Locally that means that the individual members of the Werneth Area Committee have changed.

For the recently elected councillors, they will be required to make decisions on a range of issues – including the future of Chadkirk Country Park.

The council officer responsible for gathering information and views about recent proposals is in the midst of a consultation process.

It has been decided that given the change in personnel on the committee, there is a need to ensure that councillors learn something of the landscape and views of different user groups so that they can evaluate the plans to rescind the proposal for a bridleway at Chadkirk.

As a result, I understand that the matter is unlikely to come before the first meeting of the Werneth Area Committee since the elections. This means that the matter will not be on the agenda for the meeting on Monday 8th June.

The Chair of the Friends of Chadkirk was informed of this in the last few days. At the time of going to press with this item, there is no information about a new date for the proposal to come before the committee. However, it remains true that elected representatives will be called upon to make a balanced decision in the interests of all local people and users of the Country Park and Estate, as well as the clearly defined conservation goals of Chadkirk.