Published: 09 November 2023

It was great to be able to share a stall with Staffordshire Climate Matters, North Staffs Friends of the Earth and West Midlands FoE at the Staffordshire Climate Expo and Sustainability Conference held at Keele Hall in September. 

Lots to see and learn, interesting people to meet and many old and new friends.

Huge credit to the Globe Group for organising such a tremendous event.

Published: 09 November 2023

You'll be pleased to hear that Mike did get over the shock in time to talk about what MCA stands for - Making a Difference, clearly, and in our case on climate action.

It was thrilling to get this award against very strong competition and towards the end of a very busy year.

Watch out for the award's appearances in future issues and on FaceBook.

Published: 07 August 2023

Despite the PM’s supposed enthusiasm for the beautiful game, he seems to have scored an own goal in deciding to approve 100 new North Sea oil and gas licences, claiming that this action is still “entirely consistent with our plan to get to net zero” and inspiring a deluge of both national and international criticism, not least from experts in his own party. MCA was encouraged to hear the response of Chris Skidmore, author of the Net Zero Review, who asserted that the move would put the UK “on the wrong side of history” and push voters at the next election to favour “parties that protect, and not threaten, our environment”. Polling data certainly seem to support this assertion.

Closer to home, the new administration at Moorlands House seems keen to be on the right side of history, particularly in the context of climate action. They are currently updating the Climate Change plan and will publish in September a short list of immediate actions, alongside the separate Plan for Nature.

It looks like SMDC will strengthen the push to reduce the council’s own energy consumption, e.g. Biddulph leisure centre solar panels and heat pump, plus solar panels for Brough Park leisure centre in Leek, but we hope they don’t lose focus on the wider energy usage of the district. Net Zero is ultimately all about energy and NOT using fossil fuels to generate it.

In that respect it’s good for the council to act as a flagship but more needs to be done to tackle fuel poverty and climate emissions in existing homes. To its credit, SMDC, working with the Staffordshire Warmer Homes partnership and also under pressure from MCA and the former opposition, has produced a baseline that provides detail and targeted actions on the district as a whole. Another aim is to improve the existing liaison with Your Housing, who we understand have already begun to take energy efficiency much more seriously but are battling with the inadequacies of government funding and legislation, as well as the complicated nature of their housing stock. We're glad they've made a start and look forward to seeing the promised deeper cooperation with SMDC.

Read more: Spotlight Summer 2023 - Fiddling the Figures while the...

Published: 07 August 2023

On not quite Midsummer’s Day, but Wednesday 12 July, we were delighted to host Mark Cocker, discussing his new book One Midsummer’s Day: Swifts and the Story of Life on Earth with our own Mark Johnson. It was a hotly anticipated free event with more than 100 people enjoying a lively, entertaining, and wide-ranging discussion about swifts, the interconnectedness of all life on earth, our place in it, sheep farming, William Wordsworth vs John Clare - and oatcakes (Derbys/Staffs/Cheshire) with crunchy peanut butter, blackcurrant compôte and crème fraîche!

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology (using mobile phones and tripods), we were able to record the evening, so those who weren’t able to come can see what they missed and those who were can relive the experience! 

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Mark was very appreciative of the recording, which he said “revealed to me how warm the atmosphere was again. Lots and lots of good will. Go MCA!” 

Published: 07 August 2023

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has just created the Staffordshire Moorlands Community Lottery. Set up to support community projects in the local area, it operates on the principle of raising money within the community for the community, empowering local good causes to raise money in a fun and effective way.

In a time of shrinking budgets and increased community need, Staffordshire Moorlands Community Lottery enables people to support the causes they care most about, helping good causes to connect with their supporters. A ticket for Staffordshire Moorlands Community Lottery costs £1 a week and 60p will go directly to good causes. And MCA is one of them! Do support us if you can. You can find out more here:

https://www.staffsmoorlandscommunitylottery.co.uk/support/moorlands-climate-action  

Published: 06 August 2023

The sun was shining and bees were buzzing for our third HuG Moorlands Green Arts Festival on Saturday 24 June at the Foxlowe Arts Centre. Visitors young and older swarmed from as far afield as Chesterfield, Cambridge and Kent to join the many Moorlanders enjoying a full day of music, poetry, arts and crafts.

MCA’s Events Coordinator Lindsay Trevarthen said, “We were delighted with the turn out for our annual fundraiser for the Foxlowe’s ongoing energy efficiency programme. The sun shone upon us, and everyone commented on the wonderful atmosphere. Many thanks to all who took part — stallholders, councillors, artists, musicians and volunteers and a special shout out for town crier Bill Lomas, who opened this wonderful day. Young people were such a central part of the event, and the Young Phoenix Singers stole the show. The central theme of this year was the importance of bees and other pollinators for our environment. The amazing Pif-Paf Bee Cart – brought to Leek by the OUTSIDE arts project — provided a buzz throughout the day. Here’s to 2024!”

Save the date for next year – Saturday 22 June – when the theme will be trees!