For BEAT news, events etc please check out Local environment groups news
Contact details, membership and aims
Address: Warcock Hill Barn, Long Causeway, Blackshaw Head, Hebden Bridge, HX77JB.
Website: www.blackshaw.net/BEAT (please note, this website was down when we uploaded this info)
Chair: Tim Cole, tel 07786831962, email: dargancole@btinternet.com
Secretary: Ash Sharp, tel. 07855 746295 email: ashleysharp@sustainablesources.co.uk
Treasurer: Finn Jensen, tel 01422 846863, email: finn.jensen@rocketmail.com
Membership – 61 (in March 2012)
How to join: Membership is open to everyone. It costs £1. A membership form is available on our website for you to save, complete and return to finn.jensen@rocketmail.com or sign up at our monthly public meetings.
Started in: 1998
Aims:
a. To protect nature, wildlife and the general environment in Blackshaw.
b. To ensure that local and national authorities and organisations act to conserve the area, involving local people in the process.
c. To monitor and oppose any activity detrimental to nature, wildlife and the general environment in the area.
d. To assist and/or develop any plan which enhances nature, wildlife and the general environment in the area.
e. To encourage, promote and assist the introduction of domestic renewable energy technologies and similar sustainable initiatives, sympathetic to the general environment in the area.
f. To promote, develop and sustain measures for the benefit of the environment in the area.
Current activities
Producing a Blackshawhead Parish Sustainability Plan
Creating two community orchards- we have planted over 1000 trees so far for wind breaks and grafted over 100 fruit trees. We are also working on some community allotments.
BEAT Tree planting_photo Finn Jensen
We have set up a community enterprise called Pennine Community Power which now operates a community wind turbine. Through Feed in Tariff payments, this will generate a guaranteed income for the community for over 20 years that will be reinvested into new projects.
BEAT has a longstanding partnership with Green Energy UK which provides 100% electricity from renewable sources. People who sign up through BEAT get a 10% discount on their bills – an easy way to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. We have changed our arrangements with Green Energy UK so BEAT now receives £25 for each customer that signs up through BEAT before 30-4-2012.
You can sign up to Green Energy UK through BEAT. Or, for more information speak to Liz Bell at Green Energy UK on: Telephone: 01920 483 431 Fax: 01920 484268. (Remember to say you want to sign up through BEAT.)
We hold public meetings on the second Wednesday of every month (except August), at 7.45PM at the Methodist Church in Blackshaw Head, where we have speakers on a variety of topics.
BEAT produces a newsletter called UpBEAT which you can find on our website www.blackshaw.net/BEAT.
LInks with national environmental action groups
BEAT is a member of Low Carbon Communities Network (LCCN), dCarb Upper Calder Valley and is in the process of becoming a member of Transition Network
Links with local community and environmental groups
Our local church, Blackshawhead Chapel, also acts as a community centre. We are helping them apply for grants towards insulation and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof, as all heating is done by electricity.
Our six-monthly village clean-up is popular among the local residents as it stops litter building up.
BEAT is working with Hebden Bridge Transition Town to set up a hydro project in Hebden Bridge
How non-members can help
We raise money through www.LocalGiving.com/BEAT. If you do not want to donate via the website please contact BEAT the treasurer of BEAT on 01422 846863 or finn.jensen@brocketmail.com.
What BEAT thinks about climate change
BEAT has developed a sustainability plan for our Parish because we want to reduce our collective carbon footprint. In our Vision document (six pages – available on our website) we explain we are not only doing this because of climate change but also because we want to reduce the depletion of rare resources.
We see community involvement as a way of achieving this goal, which will also put pressure on the politicians, increase awareness and behavioral change. We are happy to help other communities doing similar things.
