Active LEGs
Over the last year, we have been really active as a community and we have plenty more activities planned for the next few months so in this edition of the newsletter we want to focus on what we have been up to, what we have planned for the coming months and how you might want to get involved.
Saturday Socials and Active Sundays
Connecting as a community to discuss and work on green projects lies at the heart of who we are. We have been meeting each month on a Saturday for an informal catch-up and coffee, usually at Little Town Dairy. It is a chance to get to know one another and explore potential projects in and around Longridge.
Next - 11th November at the Station Cafe (and then walk into the Rec to plan for tree planting on the 26th)
Recognising that great work doesn’t get done by just talking about it we’ve introduced Active Sundays, when we work on one of our current projects: greening Berry Lane, revamping the garden at Barnacre School or tending to the orchard. Watch out for news on the LEG Facebook.
Growing Together: Join Our Community Tree Planting Day
Join us in making a positive impact on our environment by participating in our upcoming tree planting day on the 26th of November.
We have 120 trees to plant out (hawthorn, cherry, birch, rowan, dogwood, dog rose, hazel and crab apple) Planting these trees offers a host of benefits, from carbon capture and improved air quality to creating vital habitats for wildlife, promoting biodiversity, and enriching our soil. Moreover, these trees hold cultural significance and add to the beauty of our parks, making our community more vibrant and resilient.
Don't miss this opportunity to be a part of something meaningful and green. Come along and do your bit for Longridge, for biodiversity and the planet. And of course that feel good wellbeing from being outside with great friendly chats. There may be tea.
Each tree we plant could offset approximately 5-15kg of carbon per year when grown. (Roughly equivalent of driving 100 miles in a small diesel car)
Longridge Does Christmas - Thursday 30th November
After a successful stall at Longridge Does Christmas last year we will be back again. This year we want to focus again on our ‘Green Christmas’ theme by offering pre-loved and natural Christmas decorations.
How can you support us?
Donations of unwanted Christmas decorations or homemade decorations such as holly wreaths and natural Christmas tree decorations.
Help on the day to set up and run the stall
Please contact us if you can help
LEG Christmas Meal - Thursday 14th December
We are having our first LEG Christmas meal at the Derby Arms starting at 6.30 pm. Come and join in the festive fun over some lovely food and a glass of wine. For full details and to reserve your place please contact Louise Yates. Whether you are an established member, new or just curious about what we do we’d love you to join us.
Let’s Talk About Longridge - having our say on Town Council matters
As the ‘green voice’ of the we believe it is important that we have our say and some influence in Longridge Town Council Planning. A number of our members attended the LTC open meeting last month with a small opportunity to say who we are and what we do. However, we would like to do more and would like to engage the wider community in exploring what a greener Longridge might look like and how we might make this happen. We will therefore be holding an open meeting early next year where we hope to bring together a diverse range of people from our community to have their say and create a plan to present to LTC for the purpose of future planning.
Ribchester Ecology and Flood Group
Ribchester Ecology & Flood Group initially started work to look at NFM (natural flood management) techniques and how they might be applied to reduce the incidence and impact of flooding in Ribchester. While progress has been slow, our membership has steadily grown to 32, we have learned a lot about the catchment area and worked hard to connect with other organisations. It’s clear that in isolation achieving any NFM interventions is going to be challenging but just by virtue of the existence and focus of a flood group in Ribchester, it’s amazing how many more organisations such as the Environment Agency, Ribble Valley Borough Council (RVBC), Ribble Rivers Trust have started to sit up and take notice of us.
Over the last year, we had some ups and downs:
Working with RVBC and Ribchester Parish Council we’ve helped tackle and protect the public from the Giant Hogweed infestation along the Ribble river bank in the village. The battle will however recommence next Spring.
The Environment Agency has removed the temporary flood defence system from our village leaving the properties on Greenside, particularly vulnerable.
We have successfully campaigned for RVBC to allow us to use some vacant village land to create a community orchard.
A number of our members attended a very interesting day with Ribble Rivers Trust for their River Blitz to analyse the current biodiversity of the Duddel Brook which leads into the River Ribble.
Next year will see us create the community orchard and further develop NFM projects with Ribble Rivers Trust. Our group meets monthly in one of the local hostelries and is open to all who have an interest / would like to get involved in natural flood management and our community gardening projects. For more information please email Paul Yates with the subject: Rib Ecology & Flood Group
Inglewhite Green Fungi
Daphne and Martin, Inglewhite residents, report that a recent ecologist survey of fungi on the Inglewhite Green identified a range of WaxCaps and a possible rare fungi species, which, if confirmed in the awaited report could enable the green to be a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). We can share more when the report is received by the Inglewhite community.
The ecologist mentioned that the waxcaps only survive on grassland that has not been fertilised for up to 500 years. (Roughly the time of Henry 8th and the Spanish Armada)
Waxcap fungi are commonly found in grasslands and meadows, but they do need very specific conditions to thrive. Known for their ecological importance, they are sadly becoming rare. They form partnerships with plants, where they exchange nutrients with the roots of host plants, benefiting both the fungi and other plants. This only happens in habitats with a high level of biodiversity with well-drained soil, on land that has not been disturbed by farming equipment, not been fertilised for a very long time, is low in soil nutrients, with short grass and plenty of mosses.
Waxcap fungi are fascinating not only for their vibrant colours but also for their significance as indicators of healthy, biodiverse environments.1
Getting Involved with LEG
Are you inspired to get involved? Here are just some of the things you can do:
Try out our Social Saturdays (second Saturday of month) or Active Sundays (4th Sunday in month) … or both!
Visit our stall at Longridge Does Christmas
Join us at our Christmas Meal
Contribute your ideas for a greener Longridge and surrounding area
Come and have a chat at any of our events - they are all informal!
Make a donation
For time and other reasons, we are aware that not all can join our activities, so we have made it easier to support us with a donation. Simply use the QR code below and you will be taken to our Stripe page where you can donate. All gratefully received, no matter how small.
Thank You.
Keeping in Touch
A reminder that you can …