Welcome to the November/December edition of the SENS newsletter!
As the leaves have turned vibrant shades of orange and brown and we pull out our trusty bobble hats ready to move into the colder season, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the past few months.
In this issue, we’re excited to share updates on the launch of the CRKC 2025 calendar, news about a special journey to London (and no, it wasn’t just Paddington who went!), and much more.
Catch up on the latest developments in our Staveley – Clean River & Clean Streets campaign, including an upcoming community meeting announced by United Utilities—details below. We’ll also share highlights from our CRKC Autumn Open Event in October, along with updates, events, and insights across all our projects.
Stay tuned for everything we’ve been working on and what’s ahead!
If you have something interesting to share or would like to get more involved with our work, we’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at senstaveley@gmail.com
Warm regards,
The SENS Team
Upcoming events
Visit our ‘Events’ page
We now have the addition of an ‘Events’ page to our Website.
Come along to an event to take positive action, meet new people and make Staveley a better place!
To view & get involved Click here
Staveley & Ings Youth Drop-in
Are you in school years 6 to 11? Join us at the Staveley Youth Drop-in every Friday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the Staveley Pavilion, located next to the playground.
Come grab a snack and hang out! This is a safe and fun space for young people aged 11 to 16.
For more information on each upcoming Staving & Ings Youth drop-in event – Click here
Join us for our CRKC Steering Group Meeting.We invite you to attend our next CRKC Steering Group Meeting on Monday, December 4th, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at the Staveley Institute.
This is a great opportunity to connect with members, share your thoughts, and help shape the future of our initiatives. Whether you’re new to CRKC or a regular attendee, we value your input and look forward to welcoming everyone.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust Conservation Day Staveley Woodlands 13/12/2024
Join Cumbria Wildlife Trust (CWT) for one of their conservation days in Staveley Woodlands Nature Reserve. Craggy Wood, Staveley LA8 9QT.
Activities are often dependent on group size and weather so it could be path maintenance, coppicing, walling, installing new features or tree planting.
For more information – Click here
Staveley Warm Spaces
Come along every Tuesday and Thursday at Staveley Institute 12pm-2pm.
Warm Spaces needs more volunteers to survive! 2 hours a month? A fun way to meet friends. staveleytogether@gmail.com
News
Clean River Kent Campaign 2025 Calendar
The Clean River Kent Campaign (CRKC) is excited to announce the launch of our 2025, beautifully curated calendar! It showcases the stunning beauty of the River Kent alongside the challenges it faces. What a fabulous Christmas gift idea!
All photographs were taken by Nicola Fearnley Photography ARPS. To preview this stunning calendar – Click here
To reserve a CRKC Calendar – Click here, or you can just turn up and purchase on the day – cash only. Collection points: Kendal Waterside Cafe, Staveley Wilfs Cafe. Dates / times on order form.
You can also purchase a calendar direct from The Big Onion Community Shop in Staveley Mill Yard – cash or card accepted.
I Get Around Survey – Staveley & Ings
The I Get Around study is a Westmorland & Furness Council funded sustainability initiative, as part of our Staveley with Ings Community Plan development.
It is asking: “Are there things that you would like to do, or places you would like to go around Staveley, Ings & Kentmere, but there are reasons that you can’t?”
There are 13 questions which should take no more than 5-10 minutes to complete. And all completed entries (by midnight 1st December 2024) will be entered into a PRIZE DRAW (optional) to win a £50 voucher to spend in local businesses.
To complete the survey Click here
CRKC Autumn Open Day – 12th October
Many thanks to those of you who were able to join us for the CRKC Open Event. We hope you found it both useful and enjoyable.
For those who couldn’t attend, you can view a copy of the slides which Isobel ran through to summarise progress during 2024. Click Here
CRKC presented with a cheque
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GREAT NEWS! Following the meeting of the Culture and Communities Committee on 16th September, CRKC were presented with a cheque by the Mayor of Kendal from Kendal Town Council to support our 2024/25 programme. Many thanks! It will be put to good use. |
Amazing effort by Sue one of CRKC’s founder members – who travelled to London to take part in March for Clean Water event . Our CRKC banner joined the colourful crowd of homemade signs! At least 15,000 people from across the UK joined campaigners led by Chris Packham in the March for Clean Water. Coordinated by River Action and supported by over 130 organisations—including the National Trust, RSPB, GMB Trade Union and Surfers Against Sewage, collectively representing more than 10 million supporters—protesters urged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to take immediate action to end pollution in Britain’s rivers, lakes, and seas, or risk the consequences of unmet promises. |
Things are heating up with Staveley Primary School Hotbin
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Uniting for a Cleaner River at the 2024 KMT River bank clean up
As part of the Kendal Mountain Festival, we joined forces with Trash Free Trails on Sunday, November 24th, to tackle single-use pollution in a River Kent clean-up event. Despite the challenge of very high river levels, volunteers focused their efforts on litter-picking along the riverbanks between Gooseholme and Lound Bridge.
Together, they collected around 700 discarded items, including the usual offenders: plastic bottles, beer and wine bottles, drinks cans, general plastics, sweet wrappers, and fast-food containers. Alarmingly, one discarded beer bottle contained a trapped, deceased mouse or vole.
Approximately 90% of the rubbish collected was single-use items. A huge thank you to the volunteers who dedicated a couple of hours to help make a difference!
Staveley with Ings Youth ProjectThe Staveley with Ings Youth Project officially launched on September 22nd at Staveley Pavilion, providing an exciting new space for local young people aged 10 to 16, with a particular emphasis on encouraging engagement with nature and the environment. This autumn, the project has hosted 10 weekly drop-in sessions led by U4X. Each session included food highlights like toast and Nutella, DIY pizza, and Staveley Chippy chips (thank you, Elliott and the team at Staveley Chippy!). Click here to find out about our plans and the young peoples’ views. A big thank you to the young leaders and volunteers who’ve helped make this initiative a success and continue to support its growth. If you haven’t joined us yet, drop by and see what makes this project so special! |
Update on Staveley Clean River Clean Streets
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After sustained pressure from the Parish Council and the Clean River Kent Campaign, together with a petition signed by almost 300 local people, Lousie Beardmore (CEO of United Utilities) came to Staveley on 31 January 2024. She gave her commitment to invest in Staveley village and at Staveley Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) to tackle the serious problems of sewage in our streets and sewage in the river Kent by 2030. Since then there have been extensive investigations of the sewage system and at the WwTW using both CCTV and flow meters. Plans are now being drawn up to tackle the problems identified including reducing the ingress of clean water into the combined sewage system; increase the rate of flow to the WwTW; increase the treatment rate at the WwTW; and increase storage capacity at the WwTW. There is also the possibility of adding a natural treatment process such as a reed bed. There will be a Community Drop In on Wednesday 15 (changed from the 14th) January between 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm in Staveley Village Hall, where UU will explain the plans which are emerging, and will answer any questions. All welcome. |
Fix and Stitch Staveley Pop-up and Skills Repair Cafe
Sticking to our regular schedule on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, we’ve settled into the Staveley Institute, which has become a great space for sharing skills, fixing items, and enjoying a bowl or two of lentil dhal.
This year, we’ve continued helping the community by repairing items and passing on practical skills, all while reducing waste and keeping items out of landfill. Popular repairs have included a variety of household items, with our ever-reliable question, “Have you checked the batteries?” featuring in more than a few success stories.
Our work is powered by a dedicated team of fixers who generously give their time and expertise to make the café run smoothly. We extend our thanks to everyone who has supported the café by attending, bringing items for repair, or volunteering their skills.
Looking ahead to 2025, we’re eager to continue providing this valuable service. Keep an eye on our Facebook page – Sustainable Staveley, for upcoming dates and details. If you’re interested in joining our team of repair volunteers, please reach out via email at senstaveley@gmail.com.
Thank you for being part of another productive year at the Staveley Pop-Up and Skills Repair Café. We look forward to seeing you in 2025!
CRKC and Surfers Against Sewage Meet with Defra
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On 18th November, CRKC representatives and Surfers against Sewage had a constructive meeting with the Defra team responsible for pulling together new guidelines for Bathing Water Applications. We gave a presentation about the river Kent, and its unique qualities as a protected upland river, how different recreational users engage with the water, and discussed how new guidelines/regulations needs to take into account the differences between beaches, lowland waterways and upland rivers. CRKC will be submitting a response to Defra’s current consultation by end December. |
Staveley Ebikes
Leave the car at home and take an Ebike for a week. |
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Local residents and businesses are being offered the chance to take home one of the Staveley Community Ebikes for a week over the winter, up to the end of February. This will give you a good idea of how you might use an ebike for work, leisure, travel, shopping or other purposes you will discover. If you are interest in loaning of the Ebikes for a week, it’s a suggested flat rate of £25. To discuss your requirements please email: hello@communityebikes.org To join Staveley Community Ebikes visit the website – Click here |
Special Thanks!
As 2024 draws to a close, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported and been part of our journey this year. None of our projects would have been possible without the dedication of our incredible volunteers and the support of our partners and funders.
We wish you all a joyful Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
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Thanks for reading!