National Future Friendly Award Winner 2008 for Community Action

Contribution to sustainable development and people’s quality of life: 

Sustainable Youlgrave is a valley–wide project (River Bradford, Derbyshire), designed to generate and capture renewable energy from all 5 natural sources; improve domestic energy efficiency; retain and enhance general communal self sufficiency. Our community consists of 3 villages, 4 parishes, 1,548 people in 573 homes and 26 livestock farm businesses.

Organisation:

Sustainable Youlgrave is a voluntary association with(currently) about 50 households. It first met in February 2006, adopted a constitution in September and elected a committee of 10 in October. All workers are local and voluntary. We have announced our projects in successive issues of the community newspaper, the Bugle.

We held a public launch in November 2006 that was attended by over 50 people. There have been several reports in the local press and one lifestyle magazines. We have launched a door to door survey of the entire village to gague energy use and needs as a precursor to community energy-saving initiatives. We also have screened 'An Inconvieninet Truth' and held our first AGM in June 2007.

We were awarded grants by the Peak District National Park's Sustainable Development Fund and the Community Renewables Initiative to look into the possibilities of setting up an anaerobic digestion facility and capturing wind power in and around our valley. Both studies are now complete and we are examining their very positive finindgs before deciding on our next move. We are also looking into more efficient local woodland management and developing biomass options, together with local landowners including the National Park and Forestry Commission. We have also recently won an award in the Community Action Section of the National Future Friendly Awards.

Our next moive is likely to be establihsing our own energy company in the form of a Community Interest Company or an Industrial and Provident Society, as well as a community trust. If profits can be generated, a percentage would be offered to the trust.

Sector: Voluntary to begin with

Location: The civil parishes of Gratton, Middleton and Smerrill, Youlgrave (with Alport) and Harthill in Derbyshire Dales District in Derbyshire.

Start Date: February 2006

Duration: For the foreseeable future.

Summary:

The main purposes of the process described above are to commission technical, financial and administrative studies with the following hopes;-

• To encourage by education and direct action the best practicable energy efficiencies in home heating and transport.

• To generate sufficient energy from renewable sources to take us beyond carbon neutral. Main sources are solar (ground heat, hot water tubes and PV); biomass; anaerobic digestion; water power and wind energy.

• To retain and enhance local services and institutions in order to promote a truly sustainable rural community.

Background:

Sustainable Youlgrave’s ‘patch’ is an evenly mixed community of 1,600 people:- the indigenous community (farming, mining, manufacturing, services); commuters; retirees; and staying holidaymakers. We live in the heart of the Peak District National Park; three villages are conservation areas; and there are many listed buildings. Our popularity is a very mixed blessing – high property values and living expenses; full employment - but low wages for the less skilled. We are also at risk of the locally-born leaving, and a takeover by the very rich, including the growing prevalence of holiday and second homes. This puts communal effort at risk. Any improvement of the economy and of joint working is essential.

Project Results:

We stress these are early days to write up ‘successes’. So far they are in developing structures and carrying out the feasibility studies (see above); the community’s commitment (or, at least, the absence of opposition); and funds and advisers to implement the projects.

We have cautiously moved towards a project plan that we hope others will find encouraging and instructive, and hovering on the brink of sub regional recognition. We’ve identified the frustrations of working entirely with volunteers, most of them full time workers with other commitments and busy lives. We have had help from the SDF and CRI and are now contacting other agencies, including DCC and DDDC. We’re jealous of the East Regions’ ‘Renewables East’ organisation!

Keywords:

Community renewable energy; energy efficiency; self sufficiency; perseverance.

Contact Details:

1. Andrew McCloy, secretary and publicity

Englemere

Youlgrave

DE45 1UT

Tel: 01629 636 125

2. John Youatt, chairman

17New Road

Youlgrave

DE45 1WP

Tel: 01629 636 241

Website: www.sustainableyoulgrave.org

Email :sustainableyoulgrave@sustainableyoulgrave.org