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Does your countryside project deserve an Award? Enter now for the CPRE Norfolk Awards 2012.
Landscape, restoration, conservation or education projects that enhance the countryside, or people’s knowledge of and access to it, are being sought as potential winners of this year’s CPRE Norfolk Awards. These prestigious awards are presented annually to recognise and encourage projects and activities that are beneficial to the Norfolk countryside. Applications are welcomed from all sources and a great variety of projects are considered. Given the range of current threats to the Norfolk countryside we would be particularly pleased to receive applications relating to landscape improvement, habitat restoration and to projects which support access to and understanding of the countryside. Visit the Awards page of our website for more information and for an application form.
Free community planning workshops
CPRE Norfolk, in partnership with Norfolk Association of Local Councils, are organising a series of free planning workshops in February and March 2012. Neighbourhood Planning - How we can make it work, is open to anyone interested in influencing planning policy in their local area. Expert planners will be on hand to explain how to get involved in community planning and there will be ample time for sharing ideas and experiences. Each workshop takes place from 10am - 3pm and lunch and light refreshments are provided. The seminars take place on 29 Feb at Swaffham Assembly Rooms, 7 March at Aylsham Town Hall and 13 March at Poringland Community Centre. To book your free place call 01603 761660.
New photography exhibition of Norfolk landscapes, seen though the eyes of local schoolchildren
The winners and shortlisted entries for the inaugural Nicolas Corbin Memorial Prize will be on view at an exhibition at the Fairhurst Gallery, Bedford Street, Norwich, NR2 1AR from Friday February 10th to Friday February 17th. The photography competition was launched to help raise awareness, understanding and appreciation of the Norfolk countryside and is run in conjunction with Norfolk County Council, with generous prizes donated by WexPhotographic. It is in memory of Nicolas Corbin, one of the founders of the Norfolk branch of CPRE. The winners will be announced at a Private View and Prize Giving ceremony at the Gallery on Thursday February 9th.
Bill Bryson thanks Norfolk's 'inspiring' Litter Wardens
A new report on the Litter Warden campaign released today by CPRE Norfolk has been described by renowned author Bill Bryson as ‘very inspiring.’ Mr Bryson, Norfolk resident and national president of CPRE, is a big supporter of the organisation’s ‘Stop the Drop’ campaign. Talking of the dedicated volunteers who go out regularly to clear up their local areas across the country he said: “I raise my litter-picking stick to them in gratitude and humble recognition of their commitment and tenacity.” The CPRE Norfolk report on litter brings together information gathered by each of the 30 plus volunteers who have been carrying out regular litter picks in their parishes for the past year as part of the ‘Stop the Drop’ campaign. They have spent over 3000 hours picking up rubbish and have filled over 1280 bags. Additional community events produced a further 300 bags. The full report is available here.
CPRE Norfolk gives backing to Brecks Partnership Bid
CPRE Norfolk is giving its backing to a funding bid which could help conserve some of the most iconic landscapes in Norfolk. The Brecks Partnership bid could bring in up to £2million to the area via a whole range of projects and will encourage residents and visitors alike to engage in the conservation of the Brecks environment. The project manager of the bid Anne Mason is keen to hear the views of those who work and live in the Brecks area, and is encouraging people to complete this questionnaire.
CPRE Norfolk Awards 2011 - Winners praised by Bill Bryson
18 outstanding projects across Norfolk were recognised at this year's CPRE Norfolk Awards ceremony in November. CPRE president , Bill Bryson, who gave the closing address of the night praised the Awards saying "They are a wonderful demonstration of they ways that all types of groups - churches, private individuals, business and schools - can add real value to the countryside." A full list of award winners is available below. Application forms for the 2012 Awards will be available in January. If you know of, or are involved in, a landscape, education, restoration or architectural project that you think enhances the Norfolk countryside and deserves recognition, please contact CPRE Norfolk on 01603 761660.
CPRE launches photography competition for Norfolk schoolchildren
A new photographic competition for Norfolk schoolchildren has been launched to help raise awareness, understanding and appreciation of the Norfolk countryside. The Nicolas Corbin Memorial prize is run in conjunction with Norfolk County Council and with generous prizes donated by WexPhotographic. It is in memory of Nicolas Corbin, one of the founders of the Norfolk branch of CPRE. The closing date for entries this year has now passed and winners will be announced in early 2012.
Green Buildings in Norfolk - Open Days 2011
Hundreds of people attended this year’s Green Buildings in Norfolk - Open Days event on the 17th/18th and 24th/25th September. 24 energy-efficient homes and public buildings were open for guided tours with owners, architects and installers. The event brochure is still available here. If you missed out and would like to go on the mailing list for future events, please contact the CPRE Norfolk office.
CPRE Norfolk write to Norfolk County Council on West Norfolk Incinerator
CPRE Norfolk have written to Norfolk County Council expressing concerns over the proposed Energy-from-Waste plant on the Saddlebow Industrial Estate in King's Lynn. CPRE believes that any new proposals for incinerators or landfill sites should only follow after waste minimisation, recycling and composting options have been fully exploited. And while CPRE is not in the position to pass judgement on health and safety issues, the results of the public referendum in West Norfolk, where 65,000 people voted against the proposals, show that considerable public anxiety remains. Read our formal response to the planning application and an open letter to Derrick Murphy, Leader of Norfolk County Council below.
15,000 election campaigning leaflets distributed in Greater Norwich
Local campaigning organisations CPRE Norfolk, Stop Norwich Urbanisation and NNTAG, with the support of over 3,000 local people who signed a local petition, joined forces last November to call for the Joint Core Strategy for the Greater Norwich area to be declared ‘unsound’ at its Examination-in-Public (EiP). Ambitions to swell Norwich to the size of Nottingham in the next 15 years by building 32,000 houses for 100,000 extra people in the area, were set before a Government Inspector to decide whether they were ‘sound’ or not. CPRE Norfolk spoke at the public hearing to challenge the proposals, along with local communities and other environmental organisations. Subsequently, CPRE Norfolk distributed 15,000 leaflets to the communities most affected (Wymondham, Hethersett, Long Stratton, Salhouse, Rackheath) and have written to all local MPs on the issue of local democracy. View the letter below.
Gaywood River Valley Project
CPRE Norfolk has given public support for the Gaywood River Valley Project in King’s Lynn, a pilot project to explore whether enhancement of urban fringe areas improves the social, economic and environmental quality of the area. The £500,000 project will take place over 2 and a half years and will comprise practical work including improving access to green open spaces, creation of habitats for the enhancement of biodiversity, linking urban areas to the wider open countryside around King’s Lynn, and the development of outdoor classrooms for community and school use. DEFRA is using the project as one of 4 national case studies on urban fringe enhancement. Project Director Gemma Cousins, gave a presentation at CPRE West Norfolk’s AGM in April.
Links and Further Information
Download <CPRE Norfolk Litter Warden report 2011>
Download <CPRE Norfolk Award Winners 2011>
Download <CPRE Norfolk Response to the Energy-from-Waste Plant Planning Application July 11>
Download <Letter to Norfolk County Council on proposed Energy-from-Waste Plant Mar 11>
Download <Letter to Norfolk MPs on Local Democracy Mar 11>
Stop Norwich Urbanisation (SNUB)
Green Buildings in Norfolk - Open Days