Brockholes Wetland - URGENT Wildlife Trust APPEAL!

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire have launched an URGENT APPEAL to try to SAVE BROCKHOLES WETLAND FROM DEVELOPMENT.

They need to raise £50,000 in the next four weeks to secure the future of Higher Brockholes for wildlife and local people for ever!



The Higher Brockholes site, encircled by the River Ribble, has been quarried for gravel for several years, and the older pits have filled with water and become one of the finest sites for birdwatching in the North West.
Numerous bird species which live or over-winter on the Ribble have established a fantastic habitat in the Brockholes quarries over recent years, and this area is already home to a fantastic variety of wildlife including Lapwing, Sand Martin, and Kingfisher, as well as more vulnerable species such as Whimbrel, Skylark, and Reed Bunting. There are also newts, bats, dragonflies and damselflies, and Otters are now returning to the Ribble in this area.

The Wildlife Trust hope to purchase the site and turn this fantastic area into a nature reserve of open water, reedbeds, flower-rich grassland and woodland. Brockholes adjoins the largest ancient woodland in Lancashire, a site already in the care of the Wildlife Trust, and it would be a tragedy to lose Brockholes Wetland forever under new development.

This site also adjoins Lower Brockholes (see July 6th article) farm which local people tried to save from also being quarried as this is ancient farmland - we were unsuccessful as Planning Permission has been given to quarry Lower Brockholes, but by helping the Wildlife Trust to purchase the much bigger Higher Brockholes site, we can help to protect this beautiful area from development.
As a wetland area, Brockholes contributes enormously to the Ribble ecosystem and to the quality of life of local people, able to enjoy the peace and tranquility of these beautiful remaining areas of the Ribble's floodplain and Green Belt.

Help the Wildlife Trust to raise the £50,000 they need to release further funding of £1.5 million already secured. They need to receive all donations by Friday 15th December, so waste no time!!

If successful, the Wildlife Trust will be able to protect Brockholes Wetland from development, and will improve this important habitat further with restoration of the wetlands and further habitat improvements such as planting new hedgerows and trees, and seed the meadows. Brockholes Wetland will become a great place to visit, to walk or cycle, watch the wildlife from the new hides which will be constructed and find out about the wildlife which lives there in the new visitor centre which will also be built.

Everyone who makes a donation to the Brockholes Wetland appeal will be recorded on a Roll of Honour.

If you give £100 you will be invited to join the Wildlife Trust for a celebration event at Brockholes.

A gift of £10,000 will enable you to name a birdwatching hide after yourself or a loved one.

But you can give ANY AMOUNT you wish - no matter how small it WILL ALL COUNT so please send the Wildlife Trust a donation today.

Click here for a copy of the Brockholes Wetland Appeal Donation Form.
Please complete this and send with your cheque to:
BROCKHOLES APPEAL,
FREEPOST PR983,
PRESTON
PR5 6BR

but if you put on your own stamp, this will save the Wildlife Trust money!

Please note that cheques should be made payable to "Birchall Blackburn Escrow Account (Brockholes)" as this is the special account set up to allow the Wildlife Trust to match fund our donations to help them release the £1.5 million they need to SAVE BROCKHOLES WETLAND from development.

If you wish, you could write Save The Ribble on the form to help the Wildlife Trust see where their donations are coming from.

You can find out more about the enormous numbers of bird and dragonfly species already inhabiting the Brockholes Wetland.

or read details of the Wildlife Trust's Brockholes Vision

or you can find out about the Brockholes Biodiversity Targets and other information about Brockholes by visiting the Wildlife Trust website.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Lucky 13 - Ribble Blog Recognized

The Save The Ribble Blog has been given national recognition: In a list of the Top 100 'Green Blogs' we come in at number 13.


This is an incredible achievement given the high quality of some of the blogs and bloggers lower down the list, the short time that we have been blogging (only for the last 9 months) and the local focus of our blog in what is a list featuring bloggers from all over the UK. It feels amazing to be ranked alongside the likes of Peter Tatchell and George Monbiot

Judges from the 'Daily (Maybe) Blog marked each blog out of ten on the following 10 areas: design; frequency of posting; writing ability; personality; comment; humour; range; interaction; popularity and independence of thought, we don't yet know what scores we got in each area, and we think we dropped a couple of points on design by using the rather ubiquitous 'Son of Moto' blog template, but we definitely must be doing something right!

What The Judges Thought

Here is what JimJay of the Daily Maybe said about our blog:

Jim Jay said...
What I liked about the save the ribble blog that it was a genuinely group effort, and connected directly to action - but more than that as a formally single issue blog it still had variety and range, which is why it is (I think) the highest ranked single issue blog.

I think it might also be the highest blog using "Son of Moto" - make of that what you will

Reigh Belisama's Reaction

"Yaaaaaayyyh!!!!"




Over 90 Save The Ribble Campaigners in a walk beside the Ribble to celebrate the launch of our blog and protest against the Riverworks proposals, nearly 9 months ago

This accolade will strengthen our resolve to keep blogging, to continue resisting irresponsible and dangerous council proposals that aim to barrage the River Ribble and build a massive housing estate in its' floodplain, and to continue to give a voice to all those people who love their local river. With more readers and people posting comments every day, we know our blog and our campaign will go from strength to strength (and we are sticking with 'Son Of Moto' - it works for us).

Views from the Riverbank

Thanks to everyone who sends in their comments, pictures and stories, more of which are here... the photos were taken over a short few weeks this Autumn, showing the Ribble in all her glorious variety!
And we heard a very interesting story the other day about a popular local past-time in the 1920s or 30s of people jumping in the Ribble in their swimming costumes at the Docks on the out-going tide, and swimming to Lytham! If anyone has any stories about this or any other Tales from the Riverbank, we'd love to hear from you!

This is a splendid view of the Ribble, from Ian, during an autumnal sunset...



Redshank have returned to the mudflats in Broadgate and Penwortham - as have Teal, Shelduck, and Knot, amongst a number of other over-wintering species. JB.

"We have lived by the river for 17 years now. We and all our neighbours love it here, largely due to the wildlife, smells of the river, the beautiful views from our living room windows and changing seasons. Not many people have such a peaceful setting less than a mile from the town centre. We have also been lucky enough to acquire an allotment at Penwortham, but all this is going to be taken away from us. The Council want to turn the river into a canal and they want to build on all the green belt of the River Ribble.

The paths surrounding the river are often full of people walking their dogs, parents cycling with their children, having nature walks in the nature reserve.
I have cycled to work for 10 years from The Boulevard through to the two parks to where I work on the docks, and I see the same people commuting through the parks to get to work and school. What a lovely way to start and end the day.

The Council really do need to get the rest of Preston sorted before they spoil the idyllic oasis of the river side. The town itself is a scruffy dump and the money the council have been allocated really could a lot more good making the town a pleasant one to be in!

But there is really only one reason why the Council want to do this and that is to generate more money for them by bringing in more people to live and visit.

But for the people of Preston it will mean more traffic, more crime, more rubbish, and higher council taxes. There will be nowhere pleasant for people to walk or cycle; local residents will be disturbed by the noise of water sports instead of the wildlife, no beautiful views across or up and down the river.

So I want to know, does anyone know, how can we stop the council destroying something that belongs to the people?"

NM



"I" has sent in another lovely drawing, and this one is his idea that the cormorants might like to dry their wings by riding on the cows opposite Avenham and Miller Parks! Thanks I & R!!


"Like you I am appalled to learn of the plans of PCC to totally vandalise the River Ribble. Having read a number of blogs on your site I concur with what they say. I remember in the 50's and 70's the river totally flooding that area. I recall in the mid 50's going to play rugby on the PGS playing fields down past the Shawes Arms and being unable to do so because the river had flooded some days previously and then had frozen. I recall when working at the Royal Mail mechanised sorting office then in West Cliff going down through Avenham Park and counting the species of birds I saw. These were well in excess of the 17 birds in total which some so called "expert" claims."

Yours Sincerely
James B


Autumnal Ribble at low tide from Old Penwortham Bridge...


Teal feeding on the Broadgate mudflats...


Mud, mud, glorious mud!! Mudflats on the Penwortham side are just as popular!

"hi I Live right next to the ribble and I really liked your blog about save the ribble.
i especially liked the bit about the atlantic salmon. Very funny!"
yours sincerely,
Eleanor B aged 11 and a half.



High tide in November...


Ribble during heavy rain... the brown colour of the water from the high levels of nutrient-rich silts washing down to replenish those glorious mudflats!


A frosty morning in Penwortham.

Click here and here and here for more Tales from the Riverbank and here for more of your Ribble photographs, and see loads more fabulous Ribble photos on the side-bar links.

Keep sending in your photos and stories!
email savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Is Preston Council Backing Off from Barrage And Housing Ideas?

Two members of 'Save The Ribble' attended the 'Central Area Forum' held at the Gujurati Centre on South Meadow Lane on Thursday night (16th November).


Gujurat Hindu Society, South Meadow Lane

One of them gave us this report of the evening:

"The meeting was attended by a lot of high ranking councillors and council officials as they wanted to promote the idea of Preston and South Ribble Councils going unitary.

Among all the local people attending the meeting, there was a deep mood of hostility and worry about the ideas contained in the Council's 'Riverworks' proposals. One person spoke about how much she enjoyed the rural character of the land on the southern bank of the Ribble, and how she did not want to see that destroyed by Riverworks.

We asked whether the real reason that Preston wanted to go unitary with South Ribble was to make it easier for them to proceed with their ideas of building housing in the Ribble Floodplain - the greenbelt land that divides Preston from South Ribble next to the River Ribble.

All the councillors and officials started saying that the locals were all making far to much fuss about the barrage and housing ideas - they said that they would not be surprised if 95% of what is in the proposals would never happen - it was all just 'blue sky thinking', and although they had spent lots of time and money on putting together these ideas, and publishing press releases and expensive glossy brochures, that didn't really mean anything, and that locals really had nothing to worry about.

We found this a little puzzling - why are they spending so much money and time doing 'blue sky thinking' about this part of Preston, on things they now say they don't even expect to happen, when other parts of Preston with much deeper social problems could really benefit from that kind of investment of thought and money - though perhaps the results would be less headline grabbing than the kind of grandiose schemes that Preston seems to favour at the moment?

We asked Jack Davenport and Bhikhu Patel, councillors for the Riversway ward that borders a long stretch of the River whether they would represent the views of local people by making a commitment to do everything they can to oppose any proposal for a barrage, or for housing in the Ribble floodplain; things that are so clearly not in the interests of their constituents.

They both said they would NOT give such a commitment. This is because, they said, sitting on council committees is a quasi-judicial process, and they could not say anything in advance that might prejudice what happens at such committees. They said that eventually, they will consult local people about the Riverworks proposals, and that they would listen to this consultation.

This disappointed us, as our idea of democracy is that councillors should tell people what their policies and beliefs are, and then stand up for them on the council - we can then decide whether or not to vote for them on the basis of how well they have kept their promises - this does not seem to be the way that Preston's council works - here it seems politic for councillors to avoid giving any kind of definite commitment to their constituents, and to just ask them, in the words of Jack Davenport to 'Trust Us'.

Residents who can remember the scandals of the 1980s may feel less willing to extend their trust to Preston Council when it comes to such major development ideas.

We hope that Jack Davenport's promised consultation will be real, and not done when any proposals are already a foregone conclusion - but really the consultation should have happened a long time ago - before the council spent so much money with consultants coming up with such loopy ideas, local people would easily have come up with much more realistic and responsible ideas.

We think the council seem rattled by the breadth and depth of the opposition that their ideas for a barrage and a major housing development on the banks of the Ribble have already provoked (though what has happened up to now would be totally dwarfed by the explosion of local and national opposition that would be unleashed should these socially and environmentally damaging proposals ever reach planning stage)

They are trying to reassure local people that what they are not going to do what they said they were thinking of doing - but at the same time, the housing and barrage ideas have not been removed from the Riverworks proposals.

We feel that if the council are telling the truth, that they do not expect a barrage or a housing development to happen, and not just trying to mollify us with a few calming words while at the same time steaming ahead with the plans, then they should immediately remove these ideas from the set of proposals they are investigating - why waste any more of our cash on such unpopular and patently stupid ideas?

As long as they remain in the proposals, any developer could come along with their own proposals for building on our greenbelt, and be able to claim that they are in line with City Council policies.

The only way that the council could truly put the minds of local people at rest is by making a clear and unequivocal statement that they now have no intention of barraging the Ribble or of building any housing in it's floodplain.

As long as they refuse to give such an assurance, the suspicion will remain that the council is still pushing for a barrage and housing development behind the backs of local people.."

Save The Ribble Says;

Preston City Council must come clean, and give local people a clear answer to these questions:

* Does the Council Want to build a barrage across the Ribble or not?
* Does the council want to build 4000 houses in the Ribble floodplain or not?

Without a clear unequivocal statement from the council on these two key issues, we can only conclude that despite all their placatory comments to local people, their true intention is to continue with these environmentally and socially irresponsible ideas, and the only course of action open to us is to continue to build the campaign to oppose the Council's Riverworks proposals.

The Loss Adjustor - Radio 4

Did anyone listen to this play tonight on Radio 4?

Here is how it is described on the BBC Radio 4 website:

Friday Play – The Loss Adjuster
Friday 17 November
9.00-10.00pm BBC RADIO 4



Tragedy hits one family when the local river floods and their daughter is killed, in this afternoon's play, The Loss Adjuster. Neil Dudgeon (Sorted, The Street, Messiah) stars as the loss adjuster who attempts to put a value upon their possessions and discovers that corruption and cynicism lie behind the building of houses upon a floodplain.



When Gemma is killed in a flood, her parents, Susan and Paul, find different ways to cope with their grief. Susan gradually takes up a fight against the local council, whilst Paul tries to rebuild their ruined home.



Martin Reece is a loss adjuster who is dealing with the damage to their property, but he is facing his own problems. Separated from his wife, he has decided to fight for custody of their son Jo but, in order to win, he needs a job located permanently in one area. When the insurance company renege on their deal for a job, he finds himself increasingly on the side of the victims of the flood. He begins to help Susan in her campaign and, eventually, they begin an affair. But can any form of compensation make up for such terrible loss?



Claire Rushbrook (Secrets And Lies, Linda Green) stars as Susan and Shaun Dooley (Shackleton, The Street) stars as Paul.



Producer/Sally Avens



BBC Radio 4 Publicity

We would be very interested in your comments

Floodplain Housing Put On Hold

This recent BBC Report shows how one council - Reading, has seen sense and decided not to continue with a proposal for housing in the floodplain of their local river in the Kennet Valley Park.

We hope Preston Councillors have seen this report too, and will now think seriously about dropping their ideas for over 4000 houses in the floodplain of the River Ribble, contained as part of their 'Riverworks' proposals, along with the crazy idea of putting a barrage across the Ribble, which would starve the Estuary of nutrient rich silts, on which the birdlife of the Estuary depends.

Appeal for Autumn Ribble Photos

The River Ribble is looking more beautiful than ever at the moment.

The trees that line the river are every shade of golden brown, from auburn, deep reds and fantastic golds, oranges and yellows.

We know that there are many photographers out there who have taken fantastic images of our river and the green cathedral of natural beauty amid which it nestles.

If you want to see your images posted online, in defence of one of England's most magnificent rivers, and most environmentally significant estuaries, please send us your photographs.

We will publish the best online, on this blog, as a way of showing the world just how beautiful and unspoiled our river is - and exactly what we could lose, should the council continue down the line indicated in its initial Riverworks proposals, where they suggest barraging the Ribble, and building thousands of houses and businesses in the Ribble floodplain/Greenbelt.

Send your photos to: savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

We will publish the most outstanding pictures as soon as we can...




watch this space!

Canterbury Hall Squatters - Highlighting Community Facilities Under Threat

The news today is that the Canterbury Hall Squatters, a group called 'Viva Six Fingers' after a heroic fighter in the Spanish Civil War have been ordered to quit the Community Center they are occupying on Garstang Road within 24 hours.

It seems the church is selling the building to private developers, who will replace the community centre with housing and business accomodation.

Jonathan Cottam complained that the occupiers voice had not been heard during the court procedings, and that they had only been given a day to prepare their defence.

The squatters are highlighting a set of very similar issues to those that 'Save The Ribble' are protesting about - in particular a cavalier and irresponsible attitude among the 'powers that be' to our valued community facilities.

In the case of Canterbury Hall, it is a much-needed local facility for young people and the community as a whole. In the case of the 'Riverworks' proposals for the River Ribble, which include a barrage across the river and over 4000 houses in the rivers floodplain, it is a much loved river, beautiful green fields, allotments, football pitches and the wildlife of the Ribble Estuary that are under threat.

Some may question the tactics of the squatters - but up to now they have been absolutely peaceful, and the Hall itself is probably in better nick now than on the day they found the back door so conveniently open, and certainly in much better condition than it would have been if it had been left as an unoccupied target for vandalism.

Were any locals from the Deepdale area of Preston ever consulted on this change of use for Canterbury Hall? How else can they register their opposition to this loss of facilities, except through the use of direct action to try to hold on to what the Church has so easily given away?

Perhaps through their stand, the Canterbury Hall people will win recognition of the need for better facilities for communities like Deepdale in Preston - like so many areas of Preston, the council has neglected it, preferring to think about grandiose development plans for the City Centre and the area around the river rather than the needs of ordinary Preston residents.

There is little doubt, as previous protests have shown, that determined peaceful opposition such as that shown by road protesters, people like 'Swampy' and groups like 'Viva Six Fingers' can find many different ways to cause seriously lengthy delays to unpopular socially or environmentally unsound development plans, and enormously increase their costs.

This is why it is so important that Preston City Council should start consulting local people about it's ideas for the Ribble, and carry out an environmental impact assessment of the Riverworks barrage and housing proposals BEFORE spending any more public money on them.


Swampy

Save The Ribble members will be watching developments at Canterbury Hall with interest - we hope for a peaceful solution, and that the council will recognise the need for community facilities in the area that the squatters have highlighted so clearly.

Wildlife Trust Aiming for a Herbal Haven in Preston - and news about a film on Climate Change

The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire is through to the final stage of the Big Lottery Peoples Millions and have a five out of eight chance of securing £50,000 towards their Herbal Haven project in Deepdale in Preston.

There is a lack of good quality open space in this area of back to back terraced housing, and good quality open space will provide an important place for local people to socialise, get physical exercise, relax and enjoy the natural world. This project provides a focal area where people are encourage to meet and appreciate the environment, whereas general open space in the area does not provide a reason for people to enjoy it.

The Herbal Haven is a plan to turn derelict allotment plots into a productive community resource where local people can come along and plant herbs, fruit and vegetables. This facility will give people the opportunity to learn about the variety of herbs first hand and the multipurpose of herbs through healthy eating, holistic therapy and herbal workshops.

However, the only way their project will secure this funding is by people voting for the project TODAY!!!! the 14th November by either texting GRANADA 1 to 63330 or phoning 0870 2433801.



Herbal Haven is up against another project today and will be promoted on Granada News where viewers will be given an opportunity to vote on the project that they feel most deserves funding.

So this is where the Wildlife Trust need your help!

You can help by:
· Voting yourself
· Passing on this information to friends and colleagues and encouraging them to vote

The telephone line will be open from 9am to midnight ONLY TODAY, 14th November SO SEND YOUR TEXT OR MAKE YOUR CALL NOW!
You can also find the numbers to text and call here on:
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/peoplesmillions

Or in the Mirror

Please help the Wildlife Trust to secure this funding for a wonderful project. VOTE NOW – TOMORROW WILL BE TOO LATE!!!

A synopsis of what the wildlife Trust plan to do with the money (if they get it!) can be found below:

Objectives
1. To create a safe, clean and accessible environment for people to grow a variety of herbs

2. To liase with a variety of groups in the area and promote opportunities for involvement to everyone in the community

3. To provide workshops and activities that complement and link to existing activities in the area

4. To provide practical sessions for people to learn how to grow herbs in back gardens

5. To encourage groups and individual to take ownership of parts of the facility so that it is looked after in to the future

6. To develop the skills within the community to grow herbs and make productive use out of what can be grown locally.

The Wildlife Trust hope to achieve:

· Improved image of the local environment, providing a focal open space that is space, clean and accessible to everyone living in the area
· Skills within the local community to look after their local environment in to the future
· Strengthened community spirit by bringing people together from different backgrounds and providing opportunities for social interaction
· Increased awareness of the importance of wildlife, organically grown local food and healthy eating
· Activities that encourage people to enjoy physical activity
· The opportunity for people to enjoy and appreciate our natural environment
· Meeting the needs of local people

However, the only way this project will secure funding from People’s Millions is by people voting for the project TODAY !!!
VOTE FOR 'HERBAL HAVEN' NOW!!

Text GRANADA 1 to 63330 or call 0870 2433801

VOTE NOW and pass the news on to your colleagues and friends!!

Thanks!

you can contact Save The Ribble Campaign at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

CLIMATE CHANGE FILM

Climate Change

How serious is climate change - for whom? And what can we do about it?
We'll have a choice of activist films and clips on climate change, like Green Gold and footage from the climate camp...
hope to see some of this and have a good discussion!

WHEN: tues 14th nov 7pm

WHERE: The Basement, under Single Step Wholefoods, Lancaster

come with questions and ideas and spread the word.....

Save The Ribble at Preston FM's "I Care Day"

Save the Ribble campaigners braved the wind and rain to participate in Preston FM's 'I Care' Day today.

Despite the gales and freezing conditions, we enjoyed ourselves and got the message out to lots of new people - we did not meet a single person who was in favour of the Riverworks proposals, instead the mood of passers by and participants was overwhelmingly pro-Ribble - Preston people love their river as it is, without the interference of greedy developers and their friends in the council, without a barrage that would disrupt the river's natural tidal flow and destroy wildlife habitats, and without a huge housing estate instead of beautiful green spaces on the River's banks.

Here are some photos of the day:


A young Prestonian with the right priorities



Preston FM DJs had to hang on to the marquee to stop it from being blown away!



"I'm not cold..."



Next time, we will use permanent marker...



We huddle for shelter from the rain.




Preston's Amnesty International branch were there too.

We want to say hello to everyone we met on the day, especially all those who took leaflets and window posters!

Preston FM is a community radio station - which you can listen to online.

When you listen to Preston FM, you realise the great commitment being put in by all the people involved. They are all real Preston people who care about Preston and represent every part of the community. They do a very professional job, considering they are all volunteers and have only been broadcasting for a short time.

It's also very refreshing to hear music being presented by intelligent local people who are obsessed with music, rather than vacuous airheads who are obsessed with celebrity.

We hope Preston FM will become a permanent fixture on Lancashire's airwaves...

Do You Care About the River Ribble and Our Green Spaces?

If you care about the River Ribble and our green spaces, come along to Preston FM Radio's "I Care" Event on Saturday 11th November on Preston Flag Market!

Preston's local community radio station is organising the "I Care" event to provide a platform for local people to show what they care about.
The whole event starts at 10 am until 5 pm, but whatever time you can make it, try to get there for the mass "I Care" demonstration at 3pm!!
There will be media coverage and stalls, as well as the demonstration at 3pm.

Local people love the Ribble and our green spaces, in all seasons, at all tides, and in all nature's moods...

One of Jon's beautiful pictures of the Ribble at the stillness of high tide...


One of Bob's beautiful photographs showing the Ribble and her mudflats in Broadgate and Penwortham at low tide - Bob has been taking a photo of the Ribble on the first Tuesday of every month for years...


The River Ribble's shining waters from the Old Tram Bridge in Avenham Park...


Old Penwortham Bridge weathering the Ribble in spate...




The River Ribble and Liverpool Road Bridge at low tide from Penwortham Old Bridge...


Redshank in Broadgate at low tide...


our verdant pastures and beckoning horizons minutes from Fishergate...


Common Blue butterflies...


wildflower meadows...


and our many Allotments, these alongside the Ribble near Prior Park in Penwortham, all earmarked for potential development on

Preston City Council's Composite Masterplan.


plus Frenchwood Recreation Ground Sports pitches are also under threat... as is Fishwick Bottoms and the Ribble's banks and meadows all the way to Lower Brockholes.

Our beautiful River Ribble is under threat from the Riverworks Barrage and water sports park, and our green spaces from massive housing and business developments.
Neither of these proposed developments are wanted by local people, and neither are needed for our economic growth or quality of life as these are the wrong developments in the wrong places!!

At Preston FM's "I Care" event on 11th November, Save The Ribble are having a stall and taking part in the demonstration, so come along and make your voices heard:

Tell everyone why you want to SAVE THE RIBBLE AND OUR GREEN BELT FROM RIVERWORKS RIBBLE BARRAGE AND HOUSING AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTS!!!

The day promises to be a momentous event, and will culminate in a mass demonstration at 3pm.
Preston FM will be broadcasting live from the Flag Market and their news team will be out and about interviewing people. They want as many people as possible to join them and declare that they care.

People can bring their own banners and placards along to the mass demonstration or, alternatively, make them on the flag market where Preston fm will supply the materials.

Save The Ribble will also be bringing posters so come and join in!

Throughout the day Preston FM will be building a forest of placards for people to look at.

So come along, make a placard, have some fun
and show why you want to SAVE THE RIBBLE!!!!
You can contact Save The Ribble at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Ribble Way FootBridge

I was delighted to see this example of environmentally friendly development showcased at Gazpachot, where you can see this proposal for a Ribbleway Footbridge.




A great piece of work by Flint & Neill Partnership with Wilkinson Eyre Architects on what will be called the 'Hacking Ferry Bridge' and be placed at the confluence of the Ribble and the Calder.

This idea for a footbridge is respectful to the River, it is respectful to the wildlife and the environment, it would be a wonderful addition to the River, opening up the Ribble Way for walkers who want to enjoy an unspoiled environment. It is a beautiful piece of design, simple, elegant and eminently practical and sensible.

Little surprise then that it is NOT part of Preston City Council's Riverworks Proposals, which are characterised by their total lack of respect for the river, for the environment or for the people that live nearby, and by being expensive, overblown, misconceived and utterly irresponsible due to the threat a barrage and big housing estate would pose to the rich birdlife of the Ribble Estuary and the increased flood risk the proposals would mean for people living in the River's floodplain.