Blackshaw Environmental Action Team (BEAT) was formed in 1998 as a result of a successful local campaign against off road motorcycle racing on Dukes Cut. The campaign was launched to stop environmental damage and hundreds of local people signed a petition and sent letters of objection.
BEAT has the following 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.
Membership is open to anyone agreeing with the Aims of BEAT. BEAT currently meets every quarter (January, April, July and October) on the second Wednesday of the month at either The New Delight or The Sportsman at 7.45 PM. An AGM is held at least every 15 months, usually at the October meeting, where a Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer are elected. A copy of BEAT’s constitution is available to view/download HERE.
BEAT has a variety of activities to get involved in: -
- Twice a year (in April and October) BEAT organises a village clean up, where rubbish is collected from roads, verges, footpaths and bridleways.
- Bird watching walks and photography sessions.
- Promotion of renewable energies.
- Public meetings with speakers.
- Himalayan Balsam control.
- Encouraging local supermarkets to use fewer plastics in packaging and to allow customers to recycle their plastic at the store. Lidl in Todmorden has taken up this BEAT initiative.
- Opposing planning applications that could have a detrimental effect on the Blackshaw environment.
Where the need arises BEAT will set up working groups to deal with specific issues.
As a result of the changes made to the BEAT constitution people now have to pay £1 per year to become a member of BEAT if they want to be able to vote at BEAT meetings. All BEAT meetings are still open to the public, including non-members. In order to keep a record of who is a member we have made a form for you to complete when you become a member for the first time. You can print out the form HERE, complete it and bring it to one of the BEAT meetings along with your £1 – or you can get the form at the BEAT meeting.
You can download the latest edition of ‘UpBeat’, the BEAT newsletter, by clicking the button below:-
Older editions of ‘UpBeat’ and other BEAT reports and documents are available in the BEAT ARCHIVE AREA
You can visit BEAT’s new PENNINE COMMUNITY POWER LIMITED page by clicking HERE
