This Is the First Newsletter Produced by the Friends of the Carrs, and It Is Our Intention

F.O.T.C. NEWSLETTER Spring 2007 To all those of you that attended Macclesfield Friends of The Carrs these events, well done! ‘Get Out’ Magazine for 2007. Editorial This is the first Newsletter produced FORTHCOMING EVENTS by the Friends of the Carrs, and it is 1. The Path to St Olaf our intention to produce a Spring and Date: Sunday 4th March, 2007 Autumn edition every year from now Time: 11 am to 3 pm on. Meeting Point: Car Park Parish The Spring Letter will inform you of Hall Wilmslow forthcoming activities planned for the Lend a hand by joining us in this ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING summer, whilst the second will keep practical event to re-establish this you updated of what work has been woodland path, which has got very The First Annual General Meeting carried out during the year and our th overgrown in recent years. was held on 24 September. There future intentions. were 13 members present for the On behalf of the Committee I would 2. River Watch meeting, which unfortunately, had like to take this opportunity of (as part of National Nature Watch Week) been arranged on the same Sunday as thanking you all for your continuing Date: Sunday 10th June, 2007 the PGA Tournament. This we support of the Friends of the Carrs. Time: 10 am to 12.30 pm suspect prevented one or two Ian White - Chairman Meeting Point: Car Park Parish members from attending. Hall, Wilmslow SO! WHAT HAVE WE DONE!! Join Senior Ranger Brian Hallworth The Chairman gave a short account of There were 3 open day events last for a look at just how rivers affect the actions taken by the Interim summer, which were all well our countryside, the way we use our Committee, who had been steering the supported. rivers, their wildlife and just what Friends of the Carrs up to that first things influence them AGM, and a Committee for the year The River Clean-up, in February, 2006/7 was elected (see list of was extremely well attended and 3. The Carrs Balsam Committee Members at bottom of resulted in 2 skip loads of rubbish Bash page 2) being removed from the river. Date: Sunday 17th June, 2007 Amongst the items removed were Time: 10.30 am to 1.00 AUTUMN LITTER CLEAR UP numerous ex-shopping trolleys, 3 pm bicycles and a selection of traffic Meeting Point Car Park Parish After the AGM, there was an Autumn cones. Hall, Wilmslow Litter Clean up at the Carrs. Can we Lend a hand at the Carrs to remove thank the many members of the The Nature Day, in May, was the fast growing, explosive, and general public who were going for a attended by over 800 people, both invasive weed, Himalayan Balsam walk that afternoon, who helped with locals and visitors. from the banks of the river Bollin. that clear up, especially those that All tools provided, but bring your joined the Friends of the Carrs as a wellies result of this event.

4. Annual General The river was too high to allow safe Meeting wading, and as a result, we Date: Sunday 30th September 2007 concentrated on general litter. We Time: 1.30 pm to 2.00 pm filled 30 bin bags as a result of those Location Parish Hall, Wilmslow efforts. Thanks to all. A short meeting to hear the Chairman’s and Treasurer’s report Update on the Parish Hall Car park for the year, followed by election of Making Bird Boxes during Nature Day officers for the coming year. The problems with long term parking at the Carrs was the catalyst which The “Hands-On” approach to the Followed by brought about The Friends of the exhibitions was very successful. We Carrs in the first instance, and this hope to be able to repeat the Nature 5. The Carrs Autumn subject is still important to us. Day on a bi-annual basis. Clean Up Date: Sunday 30th September 2007 There is a proposal from MBC to The Balsam Bash, in June, was also Time: 2.00 pm – 4.00 pm make the car park ‘Pay and Display’ well attended, and proved to be a and there are both advantages and good first effort in this annual event, A chance to carry out a general clear disadvantages to this scheme. which we sincerely hope will control up of litter in the park, before the the Himalayan Balsam and let natural winter. Tools supplied, but bring Nothing is going to happen regarding plant species return the river bank. your wellies. the Car Park in the near future, and MBC are committed to involve The The Events up to September can also Friends of the Carrs in any decisions be found advertised in the Borough of regarding Pay and Display. into the Park from the Parish Hall Little is expected to happen for at Car Park. least 12 to 18 months.

CAR PARK LINE PAINTING BRIDGE OVER THE RIVER Notice Boards for the Park– These DEAN boards are on order and will be The white lines on the Car Park installed at suitable points in the park should have been maintained over This Bridge has recently been in order that you can be kept informed recent years, but were forgotten. This inspected and is considered to be a of useful information regarding both has been brought to MBC attention. hazard. Under the circumstance MBC the park and Friends of the Carrs. have scheduled to replace it in March They propose to survey the car park Dog Bins and Litter Bins – We are regarding its surface and take MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION BY arranging for extra Litter Bins to be remedial action including repainting THE COMMITTEE available in the Summer, and are the white lines. We hope that the attempting to correctly position the work will be carried out in 2007, and The following items are appearing Dog Bin for Hawthorne Lane. FOTC will be keeping this item high regularly on the FOTC Agenda: on the agenda. Car Park Maintenance – We are 1. Maintenance of Dog keeping pressure on MBC to get the What Litter! and General Litter Bins car park refurbished this year. 2. The Tennis Courts and adjacent building NEWSFLASH : Resurfacing is 3. River Bank scheduled to take place in March!! maintenance and bridges Gale Damage - We are liasing with 4. Footpaths and drainage MBC to clean up the park following 5. Youth amenities and the gales in late January. hands-on involvement of the youths in their Youth Involvement - We are in maintenance and contact with the Youth Leader for the upkeep. Wilmslow area, and are in discussions with him regarding the best way to These are all long term issues, which involve the youths of Wilmslow in the Do you remember when the Park have been identified by the upkeep, maintenance and preservation regularly looked like this? It was Committee, but we are sure that you of the Carrs. FOTC who arranged for bigger Litter have your own list of priorities or Bins. We have not been Idle!! concerns, which you would like to CONTACT NAMES AND bring to your attention. COMMUNICATIONS FALLEN TREES Our wish is to act in the best interest Chairman: Ian White As you are aware, a number of trees of the majority of the members, and if (01625 532363) suffered damage during the recent there are any issues you wish to bring ([email protected]) gales. to our attention, please do not hesitate Treasurer: Neil Savage to contact us, by phone, letter or e- Secretary: Ann Brown The Friends of the Carrs immediately mail. (addresses at the bottom). Committee: Richard Doran arranged with the Grounds Pat Head Maintenance Team for the 2 trees that WEB SITE Paul Jabore were blocking the footpath to be cut Tony Mooney in order to regain access to the hard Many thanks to Paul Jabore, who is Colin Shepherd walking surface. (It was amazing working hard on the production of the Chris Tonge how the grass turned it into a mini FOTC web site Jean Webb Somme in the space of 3 days as a Charles Womersley result of people walking around the Our hope is that this site will be up trees!) and running within the next month or two. It is proposed to make this site There are still fallen trees in the park, interactive, to allow members and however, we must all appreciate the residents to inform us of matters substantial damage caused in the gales associated with the Carrs, as well as which is affecting a number of the keeping you informed of forthcoming parks maintained by the MBC events and ongoing issues. Grounds Maintenance Team. The first Web Address is:- As soon as they have the opportunity, [email protected] they assure us that will get on site and remove the remaining branches and MATTERS IN HAND trunks, but this may take a few weeks. The Committee are presently looking May we thank the MBC Grounds at the following issues:- Maintenance Team for taking such prompt action to clear the footpath