Conservation Group

Welcome to the Madeley Conservation Group. 

Village Values

In a Sunday Times article last year it was suggested that the following features in a village would add to the value of property. Read on…

  • Village Shop/Post Office; (Yes and yes, add about £5,000)
  • Population less than 5,000 (Just?),
  • and in Domesday Book (Yes, add £1,000).
  • Public House listed by CAMRA, Good Food or Good Pub Guide, (Not yet? But Betley lost theirs, so add £5,000 anyway.
  • Church, medieval with spire in historic setting, and Chapel, (Almost yes, yes, add £10,000 -.and donate it to them?…..)
  • Schools, good primary with small class sizes, (Yes, add up to 10% premium, and more for the other good schools here)
  • Community Groups (Yes, good)..but these have no financial influence, (bad)….but do have a feelgood factor, (good)..and friendliness can sway buyer’s decision…(assuming you want to sell, but good anyway).

Add all this up, plus

  • Car accessory shop
  • Newsagents
  • Off-licence
  • Butchers
  • Indian Restaurant/Takeaway
  • Chinese Takeaway
  • Italian Takeaway
  • Fish and Chip Shop
  • Doctors’ Surgery
  • Dentists
  • Pharmacy
  • Bus service in two directions
  • Access to Wales
  • Peak District
  • Lake District
  • Moorlands
  • Big Pool with free fishing
  • Lovely surroundings
…(Hey, stop this, we don’t want everyone finding out. Ed.) 

Tidy Group 2015 AGM:

MADELEY TIDY GROUP 2015 AGM

Present:
Annie Shaw; Andy Capewell; Phil Shaw; John Berrington; Lynda Berrington; Chris Machin; Chris Wright; Roy Dutton; Helen Dutton.

Apologies:
Alan Woodhouse; Anne Nicholson; Sue Machin; Maria Tomlinson; Terry Edmond; Mary Edmond.

Minutes of 2013/2014 AGM
Accepted as a true record.
Proposed by John Berrington; Seconded by Lynda Berrington.

Matters Arising
No matters arising.

Chairman’s Report:
The Tidy Group continues with our gardening and litter picking activities with a very small group of volunteers. Despite ongoing recruitment campaigns, we have only one new member, Anne Nicholson, this year. Even so, the flower beds, planters and troughs have all been very colourful.
We were awarded Level Four ‘thriving’ in the Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood awards. We were also nominated for a community group award for the third year running, although this time we were unsuccessful.
Part of our ‘Areas for Development’ are to liaise and engage with local schools and schoolchildren and this will be a priority for next year. Anne has agreed to be the School Liaison Officer.
Maria joined us in March as part of her Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme and has been involved in litter picks and has attended several of our committee meetings. We have completed her Duke of Edinburgh report for her bronze level certificate.
So far this year we have undertaken 138 hours litter picking as a group and on Communities Day in June, seven members from the Tidy Group joined a group of children and their teachers from The Meadows School, members of the Angling Club and Community Wardens from Newcastle under Lyme Council in a ‘Big Litter Pick’ and then all enjoyed refreshments at The Old Hall Country House and thanks to Simon for organising all this.
Renewal of The Long Trough has been on the agenda for some considerable time. In order to keep costs down, we agreed that repair was a better option as a substantial portion of the trough was in reasonable condition. We have engaged the services of Pete Wells and his volunteers from the Newcastle Countryside Project based at Apedale, following a recommendation from Ann Spilsbury. Members of the Tidy Group will also be involved on Saturday, November 14th.
Early next year we will be planting a tree in memory of Ricki, a very much respected and hardworking member of The Tidy Group, who sadly passed way in October. We will liaise with her family, The Parish Council and The Madeley Centre.
Once again can I thank all the committee members and volunteers for their hard work and commitment during the year and The Parish and Borough Councils for their support.
Sue Machin
Chairman
16.11.15

Treasurer’s Report:
In keeping with our policy of ‘’investment planting’’ throughout the village there has been an emphasis on planting Perennials. To give a general idea of costings :- the planting of the Crewe Arms bed and Miners bed, Leycett Lane cost the group £65.94.
Expenditure at the Greyhound Court (Long Trough), Izaac Walton (2 beds) and Vicarage Lane involved plants to the value of £403.20. Additional plants were purchased to use in a variety of locations totalling £49.48. Thus total plant expenditure has been £518.62.
There are a number of miscellaneous purchases to a total of £335.42. Major items involved expenditure on the groups insurance (£79.50) (This is liable to increase during October 2015/September 2016 year because of additional PRT tax).
The rotten, wooden barrel opposite the Methodist Chapel has been replaced with a plastic barrel to the cost of £51.99 (Including bags of compost used here and elsewhere).
Tidy group leaflet promotion including printing and leaflet dispensers involved an expenditure of £141.80. Other lesser expenditure included a) postcrete for memorial plaques, b) Cuprinol treatment for the long trough, c) Osmacote balls and slug pellets together with, d) tool hire for strimmer.
The major planned expenditure for the year is replacement of the long trough.
Free bulbs, grass seed and recycled compost were gratefully received from Simon Long, NULBC. Many of these were used in the Plantation, Madeley Heath between the A525 and Heath Row.
We have also received free gifts of some plants provided by villagers.
Please see a copy of our balance sheet (Oct 14 – Sept 15) on a separate sheet.
It is with grateful thanks that we acknowledge the continuing financial support from Madeley Parish Council, Councillor W Welsh, various award schemes administered by Newcastle Borough Council and Marley Eternit.
John Berrington
Treasurer Madeley Tidy Group.

PR & Sponsorship Report:

There has been much work in highlighting the Tidy Group activities to try and attract more volunteers which again have been by and largely unsuccessful:
• New and impressive leaflets were designed by Andy Capewell and leaflet holders to display them purchased. Sue, Phil Shaw and I then distributed them to various shops and outlets around the village. Unfortunately, the one in The Madeley Centre has already disappeared.
• The Tidy Group started a Facebook page and has attracted some attention but unfortunately not enough to garner any volunteers so far.
• We have obtained the keys to the old Parish Council noticeboard and will display the activities of the Tidy Group and like-minded groups in it.
• Chris Wright provided a Tidy Group article in The Conservation Group newsletter in March with details of our work.
• Some of the Tidy Group signs in the flower beds have been removed and so replacements were ordered and resited.
The aim of increasing our green footprint in the flower beds, with for example, bug houses, so as to engage with other sections of the community, has not been achieved, but hopefully that will be a priority for next year.

Chris Machin

Gardening Report:
The group have undertaken 191 (recorded) hours of gardening this year incorporating both maintenance and new planting. We are trying to move towards implementing a policy of sustainable planting which is also eco- friendly and encouraging to wildlife. Financial assistance from both the Parish and Borough Councils has enabled us to replace plants that have gone past their best and also to purchase additional plants that will reduce both the need for and expense of bedding plants. Bedding plants are expensive to produce with a high “carbon footprint” and are labour intensive to plant, dead-head and ultimately remove/replace.
In addition to routine maintenance the following areas have had particular improvements made to them:

Isaak Walton – clearance of invasive perennials and groundcover. New planting
Vicarage Lane – new planting
Greyhound – new planting especially for winter interest
Springs and Moss Side troughs – completely replanted giving all year interest (Hopefully!)
Holm Oak Pool – major clearance of undergrowth and new planting of bulbs
Long trough – repairs to be made in November which will allow re- planting in the Spring
Particular thanks are due to those members who look after the Miners’ Memorial and Crewe Arms beds.
Schedule of planned activity;
Repair of the Long Trough.
Review the planting of the Isaak Walton bed.
Review the planting in the New Road bed. Requires low maintenance plants that are drought tolerant as the soil is fairly poor.
Use bedding plants (geraniums) only in the Vicarage Lane bed.
The Chair has already reported on our success in the “It’s Your Neighbourhood” awards and I would like to add my thanks to everyone who contributes to our efforts to improve the appearance of our village.

Annie Shaw
Vice- Chair, Madeley Tidy Group

8.11.15

Election of Officers:
Chairman; Vice Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer; PR & Sponsorship.
The existing officers were proposed by Andy Capewell and seconded by Phil Shaw to serve for 2015/2016.
Dates of Group Litter Picks:
[Meet at The Greyhound at 10.00 unless otherwise agreed]
January 30
February 27
March 26
April 30
May 28
June 25
July 30
August 27
September 24
October 29
November 26
NO LITTER PICK IN DECEMBER
Future Plans:
From the It’s Your Neighbourhood areas for development:
• Liaise with local schools; consider bug house and hedgehog hotel workshops/kits.
• A planting theme for the beds. Aim to achiever all year colour and wildlife friendly habitat.
The memorial tree for Ricki.
The New Road / Holm Oak Pool Strip Bed. The soil is dry; Plant plants that will thrive in this environment.
Notice Board. We have the keys to the old Parish Council Noticeboard on The Greyhound. A Tidy Group display is required there.
There is a lack of grants and donations from local businesses. Consider a mailshot to local businesses and request a donation. Include our leaflet which shows the work we do. A draft letter is required. Consider hand delivery to achieve face to face contact.
Any Other Business:
The Christmas Meal at The Old Swan Madeley Heath was confirmed on 9/12/15.
Some Tidy Group litter pickers do not have bag-o’s; agreed to try to obtain some from NUL BC and, if not, to buy some.
The free bulbs from NUL BC Planting Assistance Scheme are due in the next week or so. Half for Madeley and half for Madeley Heath.
It is 25 years since the start of Newcastle in Bloom. Madeley is one of the 25 areas that has been chosen to plant a celebration Silver Birch tree. NUL BC would like it in the Pool area and we thought The Springs area, by the Pool, may be suitable.
Re the balance at the bank, need to bear in mind, there are three cheques outstanding totalling £286.22 and we are waiting for an invoice from Pete Wells and his Newcastle Countryside Project volunteers for the work on the long trough repair.
Dates of 2015 Committee meetings:
January 11
March 14
May 9
July 11
September 12
October 10
November 14 (This will be our AGM)

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Madeley Walk Number Six (amended):

Madeley: One Way or Another:
Walk Six: Broken Heart (Oh Lord I Never Felt So Low): Leycett & Bates Wood.

There are two walks: a red walk (3½ miles) & a purple walk (4 miles); do them separately for two half day walks or combine them to make a full day walk. All distances are approximate. Start at The Madeley Centre, New Road, Madeley CW3 9DN (Grid Ref: 773451). Tel: 01782-751808.www.madeleycentre.co.uk. The Madeley Centre has car parking, catering & toilet facilities. Please enjoy a walk in the country, but if you can, support our local businesses, Listed under The Adverts – but check opening times beforehand! Explorer Map 257: Crewe & Nantwich.

THE ADVERTS:

• Just Jane, catering, at The Madeley Centre: 01782-751808.
• One Stop, Grocery & Convenience Store Greyhound Corner: 01782-750373.
• Shepley Butchers, Greyhound Corner: 01782-751775.
• Tang Dynasty Chinese Takeaway, Greyhound Court: 01782-752288.
• Village Shop & Newsagent, Greyhound Court: 01782-750525.
• In 2 Wine, Off Licence, Greyhound Court: 01782-751708.
• Raj Indian Takeaway, Greyhound Corner: 01782-752000.
• Homers Cafe, Greyhound Corner: 01782-751800.
• Poolside Tandoori, Restaurant & Take Away. Greyhound Corner: 01782-750088.
• Poolside Fish Bar: 01782-752546
• The Offley Arms, Poolside. 01782-750242.
• Halmerend Fish Bar: 01782-723751.
• Gresley Arms, Alsagers Bank: 01782-722469.
• The Old Swan, Madeley Heath: 01782- 751199.
• Crewe Arms, Madeley Heath: 01782-750392.

Legend:

CP = Car Park
FB = Foot Bridge
FP = Footpath
KG = Kissing Gate
L = Left
MC = Madeley Centre
R = Right
TP = Telegraph Pole

Stile Counsel:

Red Walk: 7 stiles.
Purple Walk: 4 stiles

Red Walk:

[1] Turn L out of MC & walk under arches at side of MC & down to the Police point. Walk across, slightly L, to go down alley between houses & into Greenmeadows Road, turn R, then L into New Road. Pass Holm Oak Drive on R; 100 yds past Woodside, turn R thru’ squeezer stile by lamp post & follow well-trod path thru’ woodland.

[2] Emerge thru’ laurel hedge on to a road, turn L, cross Heighley Castle Way with care & turn R uphill, passing College Close. 50 yds past Park Close, turn R into the drive way for Madeley Manor Care Home.
[3] After 50 yds take tarmac track to L, another 50 yds take path to L passing sign for Private Road; further 50 yds go R thru gateways & go down path with cottages & the Care Home on R. Just past fire escape on R, veer L thru bushes & down to a gate & into a field.

[4] Same direction, between remains of 2 small ponds, towards trees – path snakes L, then round to R & over stile into woods. Follow well-trod path down to Madeley Manor Pool. [The Boat House on the R is a listed building. The white building in the distance is Madeley Rectory.] Keep Pool on R & 50 yds after 2nd footbridge, L down to A531.

[5] Cross with care, and into The Gladings*; follow the well-trod path through. At end of wood go under the Motorway Bridge, then turn R up to Walton’s Wood. Cross the stile and turn L & follow trackway (ie. motorway is now directly behind you) & eventually ascends quite steeply!
[DO NOT ENTER WALTON’S WOOD FROM THE MAIN ROAD AS MENTIONED ON PREVIOUS VERSIONS. WE ARE ADVISED THAT THIS IS PRIVATE PROPERTY & THE PUBLIC FOOTPATH CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED FROM THE FAR SIDE OF THE GLADINGS]

[6] At the top turn R & follow well-trod path for 200 yds & then waymarked L upbank (Care: waymarker is hard to see as hidden in trees), L again at top & on to an arched entrance in hedgerow. Immediate R to Leycett Lane & NOW IT’S MAKE YOUR MIND UP TIME! For longer walk, go to Point 14.

[7] Turn R & walk with care 200 yds to Leycett Cricket Club; look for stile in hedge on R, skirt round cricket pitch, then L into woodland (waymarked The Newcastle Way: follow these back to Madeley). Over a stile, into a ditch, L, over a stile into a field.

[8] Look L & cross stile to R of Dutch Barn, cross field slightly R to next stile, same direction to hedge, then to L of facing hedge & over stile into alley with houses on R & Heath Wood on L. Same direction over road, footpath to another road, same direction & down to A531 passing The Old Swan.

[9] Turn L & where Old Swan CP ends; look for FP opposite & cross road with care, follow alley down to A525 & turn R into Newcastle Road & under Motorway Bridge.

[10] 200 yds after bridge, reach white bungalow ‘East Lodge’ & turn R up a pot holed, sleeping policeman’d tarmac’d road for 400 yds; 100 yds after a path protected by 2 concrete bollards, turn L on to a raised pathway with maintained lawned areas. Walk thru’ residential housing to a T-junction; straight across, child’s play area on L & head across playing fields to R of electricity pylon opposite. Go up bank, keep houses & hedge to L & go thru gap in facing hedge & on to New Road. Turn L & walk back to MC.

Purple Walk:

[11] Take care on lane – turn L & just past entrance to Leycett Waste Tip, turn R, keeping the tip railings to the R & cross a stile. Cross small paddock & stile by TP’s.
[12] Turn half R & head up field keeping remains of a tree / hedge line to L, over stile & turn L into a farm lane for 400 yds to reach Leycett Lane, passing West View Cottages.
[13] Cross Lane with care & turn L for 100 yds & then R onto tarmac road, follow this road for 1 mile – thru’ a barrier, a double set of gates & another single gate. [This is the site of Leycett Colliery. In 1871, 1879 & 1880, explosions here at Fair Lady Pit killed 44, 41 & 62 men & boys respectively]
[14] When reach a footpath crossroads, with a map of Bateswood Nature Reserve on L & picnic bench on R, take the path to R. Aim for gap between 2 lots of woods, with a field rising up behind then, with a TP on the top – use the TP as a waymarker.
[15] When reach hedge, turn L into woodland, follow well-trod path as keeps field to R, up series of 7 steps, round to R, up 3 steps & carry on in same direction. Start to descend & keep to R [fields can soon be seen on R thru’ trees]; ignore a stile to R & steps up to R; pass Podmore Pool on L & reach T-junction.
[16] Turn R, thru wooden KG, then L down alleyway with Podmore Cottage on R & woodland on L. At end turn L into Bateswood CP (this can be used as a base for exploring Bateswood Nature Reserve). (Turn R for HALMEREND FISH BAR & GRESLEY ARMS).
[17] Go thru’ CP & turn R after 100 yds onto gravel FP & follow this for ⅓ mile to Bateswood Pool. Keep Pool to L & follow round [The memorials to the victims of the Minnie Pit Disaster are thru’ a gate on the R & then take the L pathway. 156 men & boys lost their lives from a firedamp explosion & inhaling poisonous carbon monoxide in April 1918].
[18] 100 yds past a Life Belt Position, ignore FB in front & turn R upbank & follow path which comes out at the map of Bateswood Nature Reserve in point 14.
[19] Turn R & follow path for 400 yds & go thru’ KG on R. Follow well-trod path round & up to L & into tree lined clearing. Continue down well-trod path, passing Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Bateswood Nature Reserve sign on L & walking parallel with TP’s on L. Follow path, & TP’s, as clearing ends & enters woodland. Follow thru’ woods, over boardwalks, down 17 steps into a clearing – same direction, straight across.
[20] Down & over a stile, keep a field to L as go round & up to a TP called ‘Walton’s Wood ABI’. The track goes down into a small clearing in the woods, turn L over a small ditch & then R thru’ trees, uphill to reach fields at the top.
[21] Turn R (ie. keep field to L & trees to R), follow down & then L & after 20 yds R into woodland: follow well-trod path for 300 yds to reach point 6 again & follow back to MC.

http://s387.photobucket.com/user/madeleytidygroup/media/walk%206%20photo.jpg.html

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Tidy Group’s Assessment Report:

RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood
Assessment Form 2015
Entry Name: Madeley Tidy Group, Madeley, Newcastle under Lyme Assessor: Donna Loasby Date: 20th July 2015

50 words of introduction re entry:
Madeley village is very fortunate to have this small group of hard-working and dedicated community volunteers, led by Sue the group’s co-ordinator, to keep it looking very tidy. The tour showed off all the attractive troughs and planters that have been created with mainly sustainable plants. In Vicarage Lane there was a very attractive flower bed with a mixture of colourful perennials and bedding plants. The new ‘Madeley Tidy Group’ planters are a welcome addition under the village entrance signs.

Section A – Community Participation (40% or 40 points)

The group is working towards things such as: Being inclusive of local people Local ownership and direction Making a difference to local people Involving local people with planning, decision-making, communication & implementation Representative of the local community Getting support (e.g. from local council, grant aid, sponsorship, in-kind aid etc.) Planning for the future Working in partnership with other organisations (i.e. police, community support officers, environmental groups etc.)

Total points assessed for Section A 28 (out of 40)

Section B – Environmental Responsibility (30% or 30 points)
The group is engaged in environmental activities such as: Conservation (e.g. resources, heritage, wildlife, built environment) Composting Recycling Creating, maintaining or improving green space Sharing knowledge and skills The group is engaged in addressing environmental issues such as: Fly-tipping Fly-posting Litter Graffiti Dog fouling
Total points assessed for Section B 22 (out of 30)

Section C- Gardening Achievement (30% or 30 points)
The group is employing good gardening practices appropriate to the area, such as: good plant choice Good maintenance, presentation and management Creativity Innovation Overcoming site difficulties Enhancing the area through gardening
Total points assessed for Section C (out of 30) 23
GRAND TOTAL POINTS ASSESSED 73
LEVEL ACHIEVED Level 4 – Thriving
Areas of achievement:
All the daffodil bulbs , bluebells, crocuses and snowdrops that have been planted around the village;
The memorial trees;
The monthly litter picks;
The bird boxes sited around the village;
Your new young volunteer;
Your plans for the “build your own bug hotel” ;
Being awarded Newcastle in Bloom ‘Best Community Group Champions Award’ in 2014.

Results
Level Description Points
Level 1 Establishing 0-35
Level 2 Improving 36-52
Level 3 Developing 53-68
Level 4 Thriving 69-85
Level 5 Outstanding 86-100

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Save The Offley Arms

Our local, historic public house is under threat of being neglected and in the future, could be built on. The Offley Arms has been the at the core of the village for over 300 years; from housing the former servicemen’s club after the First World War to protecting the villagers from air raids during the Second World War. The Offley Arms has seen Madeley go from strength to strength, and it would be a shame for this to end in such circumstances.

Please sign the petition to protect this valued, essential venue in our community and help to get the building listed (on Facebook – The Madeley Centre or Madeley Tidy Group page)

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Perennial Shrubs & Plants Required…

Madeley Tidy Group are looking for any donations of perennial shrubs or plants to help stock the flower beds, troughs and planters around the village.

If you have any surplus plants, please consider donating them to the group and help improve our village.

Contact:
Sue on 751524

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