Reports on Branch Activities
Membership figures currently stand at 392, which is down slightly compared to this time last year. In some cases however Nottinghamshire’s losses are another county’s gain as people move to different areas and are not lost to CPRE nationally.
There has been a welcome increase in the number of new members living in urban areas, with the event held in Nottingham’s Market Square being a particular success in this regard.
There has also been an increase in the number of new members recruited via the CPRE website which gives us a clue as to the way forward in our Branch’s recruitment methods. Encouraging friends and family to join in our events and/or become members is vital and it may also be time to “think outside the box” and approach local Green Belt users such as cyclists, fishermen and walking groups. Let’s get out there!
Ros Tomlinson
Lecture, by Derek Clarke on The Environment
1 February, 2007 at the Minster Great Hall
Another in the series of lectures sponsored by the Branch was held at the Minster Great Hall on Thursday, 1st February 2007 to some eighty members and non-members. It was given by Mr Derek Clarke on the topic of The Environment.
Mr Clarke gave a wide ranging assessment of human life-style factors adversely influencing the environment that surrounds us. He dealt at length on the effects of man’s activities on wildlife and habitats, such as the loss of land for building, mineral extraction, and road building, and the damage to sea life.
Mr Clarke linked many of these together in applying them to the causes and effects of global warming and gave examples of how devastating this could be on the parts of the planets inhabited by humans and by other living creatures. He dealt at length with the effect of transport for people, and for food and other goods and questioned the neccessity for much of this movement.
Finally, he showed the range of predictions made by scientists, from those that might be said to be just ‘inconveniences’ to those that would have truly catastrophic effects, such as a massive reduction in the world population.
Mr Clarke did not directly deal with possible solutions, but in identifying the causes of the deprivations he pointed to the life-style areas that need to be changed in order to mitigate their effects.
The lecture raised over £400 for branch funds.
Leslie Teasdale
Annual General Meeting 2007
Our AGM was attended by over 40 people and was held in the august surroundings of Thrumpton Hall, hosted by its owner Miranda Seymour, author of “In my Father’s House”, that is so popular it has already been reprinted three times. Our speaker, the nationally known artist from Southwell, David Measures, gave us a fascinating insight into the nature to be found on our doorsteps, if only we take time to stand and stare, and closely observe. His message was to choose an area local to you and get to know it meticulously, and in all seasons. The meeting was chaired by Sir Andrew, and passed without controversy, unanimously agreeing that John Gillespie should oppose the proposal of the Department of Transport to trial even longer articulated lorries (over 25 metres long) on Britain’s roads. We also agreed to support John Kerry’s objections to the invasion of the “Silver Pole”, a new Bus Stop infrastructure that is being erected all over Nottinghamshire, with no consideration of their setting.
Rosamund Macfarlane
A Wet Summer Picnic
Those who were brave enough to come to our picnic, held in late June during that bout of torrential rain and floods, were rewarded with a real treat – to have a picnic in the most superior cricket pavilion you’ll ever see, adorned with 12 sets of antlers, and with a wonderful view of the magnificent Welbeck Abbey. Twenty-five stalwarts enjoyed each other’s company and our cake and plant stall raised just over £52 for our funds. Thank you to them and to the Parentes for allowing us access to their superb parklands, where the trees in the parkland have room to grow to great heights and their natural width.
Rosamund Macfarlane
Spreading The Word
Displays have been held in the Sherwood, Arnold and Central Libraries over the winter period as it has become apparent that town-dwellers are unfamiliar with our activities.
A stand was manned by Rosamund Macfarlane, Ruth Robinson, Stuart Byfield, and John and Felicity Crofts for the Climate Change event held in the Old Market Square, Nottingham in June. Visitors were invited to identify their favourite part of the Nottinghamshire countryside and many had difficulty. The most popular places were managed open spaces such as Wollaton Park and Clumber Park but few ventured on to footpaths in the countryside. Some were unsure of the difference between Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The overall purpose of the event was to show how climate change was affecting our locality and to highlight green issues.
We also put up displays at the Newark and Notts. Show and the Southwell Ploughing Match, which rotates around farms and this year was held at Kirklington. Many brochures were dispensed and some members recruited. We hope that the time taken to raise our profile at these is justified! If you can recommend a venue to us, or are prepared to put in a couple of hours helping to man a display, please let us know.
Felicity Crofts and Ruth Robinson
