2020 Diary Dates

Our next event is the celebration of St Chad’s Day.
This will take place on Sunday 1st March.

Tai Chi is held at the Chapel on Mondays (except Bank Holidays and August) 10am to 11am. Cost £3.50p per session. Tea/coffee after session.

In the Chadkirk Garden:

Our team of volunteers enjoy some fresh air, occasional rays of sunshine, movement and the delights of earth and tending the garden. Often too, cuppa and a chat, many times accompanied by cake.

You are very welcome to join us.
We meet by Chadkirk Chapel.
Every little helps so join us for minutes and moments or a longer spell.

Gardening Team Days are on two days each month.
On the first Saturday in the afternoon between 2.00pm – 4.00pm

and each third Thursday of a month in the morning 10.00 am – 12.00pm

January gardening days: Saturday 4th and Thursday 16th

February gardening days: Saturday 1st and Thursday 20th

March gardening days: Saturday 7th and Thursday 19th

April gardening days: Saturday 7th and Thursday 16th

May gardening days: Saturday 2 and Thursday 21th

June gardening days: Saturday 6 th and Thursday 18th

July gardening days: Saturday 4th and Thursday 16th

August gardening days: Saturday 1st and Thursday 20th

September gardening days: Saturday 5th and Thursday 17th

October gardening days: Saturday 3 and Thursday 15th

November gardening days: Saturday 7th and Thursday 19th

December gardening days: Saturday 5th and Thursday 17th

Meetings of Friends of Chadkirk

Meetings take place on the second Thursday of every other month.

Time:10-00 hrs
Place: Chadkirk Chapel

First meeting of 2020 : 9th January 2020

March Meeting (AGM) Thursday March 12th 2020 at 10-00 am

May Meeting Thursday 14th May 2020 at 10-00am

July Meeting Thursday 9th July at 10-00am

September Meeting Thursday 10th September at 10-00am

November Meeting Thursday 12th November at 10-00am

Events at Chadkirk

MARCH

ST. CHAD’S DAY CELEBRATION 2pm 1st

APRIL

EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE 3pm 12th

EASTER MONDAY CHILDREN’S EASTER TRAIL 2 -4pm 13th
(Open to children under 10 yrs – charge: 50p)

JUNE

PLANT SALE on lawn 2.30pm – 4pm 13th

JULY

WELL DRESSING in the making 21st – 24th
11am – 3pm refreshments available

BLESSING OF WELL 1pm 25th
& then into the gardens until 4pm for Stockport
Silver Band, stalls & refreshments.

SEPTEMBER

BIRD & BAT BOX MAKING 2pm – 4pm 5th
£6 per box, please bring a hammer if
possible.

OCTOBER

HARVEST SUPPER & QUIZ 9th
7.30pm – 10 pm (approx.)
£6.50p per person – BOOKING ESSENTIAL
To obtain tickets contact Stockport Tourist Information
Office at Staircase House, Tel: 0161 474 4444.
Please check times of opening at Staircase House

HARVEST FESTIVAL SERVICE 3pm 11th

DECEMBER

CAROL SERVICES 2.30pm and 4pm 6th
(BOOKING ESSENTIAL)
Information on how to book tickets will be advertised at the Chapel later in the year.

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Tai Chi is held at the Chapel on Mondays (except Bank Holidays and August) 10am to 11am. Cost £3.50p per session. Tea/coffee after session.

St Chad’s Day Celebration on 1st March 2020

2020 monthly meetings

The time of future bi-monthly meetings.
In future Friends of Chadkirk bi-monthly meetings will be held at 10am on the 2nd Thursday of the month at the Chapel, commencing 9th January 2020.

Continuing consultation

During Thursday’s meeting of the Friends of Chadkirk we continued to work to find a way forward. In this we were helped by the attendance at the meeting of a number of representatives from SMBC. Present at the meeting were four people from SMBC ( including two from Events, one from Museums and one from the Neighbourhood team).

At the meeting:

*the background and reasons for retaining council presence at Chadkirk were discussed.

*It was agreed that The Chair of the Friends of Chadkirk is to send a response on behalf of the group summarising the main concerns.

We thanked the 4 representatives for their input and attendance.
As a Friends group we appreciated the professionalism they showed in the way they approached the meeting.

Before our meeting a response from SMBC to “the questions” was received.
However it made clear that most of the questions raised could not be answered
until after all the consultation responses had been received and processed.
After that a view would be taken by decision makers at SMBC as to what the appropriate course of action might be.

It seems that due to the General Election “purdah” requirements, no decision from the consultation can be taken until after the 13th December.

Perhaps this means that we can continue to make our case until then?
Certainly those at recent meetings and members of Friends of Chadkirk will continue to do that. And perhaps you will too?

Going forward…

Yesterday’s meeting brought many people together. It was good to see so many folk care about the future of Chadkirk and, in particular, Chadkirk Chapel.

After the meeting it was only possible to talk briefly with some of the many and yet it was encouraging to connect with people who would like to do step up and get involved. It is clear that many of you have expertise that would extend the range of what our little Friends group have been able to do so far.

We meet as a Friends group in different guises for different activities. Sometimes that’s for events, sometimes for gardening, sometimes just for social activities. This week, on Thursday 14th November happens to be the third Thursday of the month, so we will be meeting in Chadkirk Chapel at 1pm. Obviously the future of Chadkirk Chapel will be on the agenda. And there’ll be an opportunity to develop and explore some of the idea that came out of the meeting.

Members new and old, ancient and modern are all invited.
You would be very welcome to join us there.

1pm Chadkirk Chapel
Thursday 14th November
Friends of Chadkirk Meeting

I’ve been ‘doing the blog’ since 2012. I set up a ‘free’ site. At the start there were no adverts. Now there are. So I believe it would be better to change what we do. Maybe stay with wordpress but pay their annual fee for a domain name, so the site is unsullied by ads.

Following on from the great ideas expressed and the enthusiasm shown, new members will be able to offer something that can mean that our future communications and social media connections change for the better.
Let’s find a way to get together.

Perhaps that’s another idea for Thursday’s meeting. Get the ball rolling?

16th October Friends of Chadkirk Meeting at 1-30 pm in Chadkirk Chapel

The future of Chadkirk is being considered in the current round of budget planning and cost savings. 

As a means of making budget savings,  proposals being considering include:

• (b)  Offer local organisations the opportunity to run the visitor and refreshment facility at Chadkirk Chapel and for the Council to cease operating the museum offer at the site.

Removing the chapel from the list of museum sites has many potential implications. 

How then will the fabric of the building be maintained to ensure the chapel’s future use by our community? How will that be taken care of? Funded? Which part of the Council will be responsible for the Chapel?

Will this change of status affect it’s continued use by our community?

Without adequate maintenance will it be available to the community as a safe, beautiful place to meet and celebrate the passing of the seasons? What will happen to it’s key role as a focal point for community use of Chadkirk and Chadkirk Chapel? What of the future of events such as Weekly Tai Chi, annual festivals such as Harvest Supper, Easter and Christmas celebrations? Well Dressing ? Well Dressing Blessing Day? Bat box making?

A consultation process is under way. Now is the time to make your views known about the future of Chadkirk.

https://consultation.stockport.gov.uk/policy-performance-and-reform/museums-consultation-2019/

The public consultation on the proposals runs until 15 ^th November. 

2019 : What’s happening, when …

Gardening Time:
The team will meet by Chadkirk Chapel and in the Walled Garden, on two days each month: on the first Saturday of each month between 2.00pm – 4.00pm
and on the third Thursday in the morning between 10.00 am – 12.00pm

Meetings of Friends of Chadkirk
These take place on the second Thursday of every other month
starting 10th January 2019, 1pm in Chadkirk Chapel.
then 14th March 1pm in Chadkirk Chapel
May
July
September
November

Tai Chi is held at the Chapel on Mondays (except Bank Holidays and August) 10am to 11am. Cost £3.50p per session. Tea/coffee after session.
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JANUARY
Gardening Team Times
Saturday 5th 2-4pm
Thursday 17th 10-12 am

FEBRUARY
Gardening Team Times
Saturday 2nd February 2-4pm
Thursday 21st February 10-12 am
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MARCH

Afternoon Saturday 2nd March 2-4pm Gardening Team Time

Sunday 3rd March St. Chad’s Day Celebrations at 2pm in Chadkirk Chapel.

Thursday 14th March Annual General Meeting in Chadkirk Chapel starting at 1pm. All welcome.

Thursday 21st March Morning 10-12 am Gardening Team Time

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APRIL

Gardening Team Times
Saturday 6th April 2-4pm
Thursday 18th April 10-12 am

Sunday 21st April
EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE 3pm in Chadkirk Chapel

Monday 22nd April
EASTER MONDAY CHILDREN’S EASTER TRAIL 2 -4pm
(Open to children under 10 yrs – charge: 50p)

MAY

Saturday 4th May 2-4pm Gardening Team Time

Thursday 9th May Meeting of Friends of Chadkirk in Chadkirk Chapel at 1pm.

Thursday 16th May 10-12am Gardening Team Time

JUNE

Afternoon Saturday 1st June 2-4pm Gardening Team Time

Our Annual Plant Sale takes place on Saturday 15th June 2.30pm – 4pm
on the lawn just inside the gardens.

Morning Thursday 20th June 10-12 am Gardening Team Time

Task Days 1st & 20th

PLANT SALE on lawn 2.30pm – 4pm 15th
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JULY

Afternoon Saturday 6th July 2-4pm Gardening Team Time

Thursday 11th July Meeting of the Friends of Chadkirk in Chadkirk Chapel 1pm

Morning Thursday 18th 10-12am Gardening Team Time

Tuesday 23rd July – Friday 26th July 11am – 3pm
WELL DRESSING in the making…come along and join us in Chadkirk Chapel.
11am – 3pm refreshments available.

Saturday 27th July
Blessing of St Chad’s Well at 1pm
Followed by Stockport Silver Band, stalls and refreshments.
Join us in the gardens and Chadkirk Chapel until 4pm.

Sunday 28th July
“PETERLOO PICNIC” – 3pm

AUGUST

Morning Saturday 3rd 2-4pm Gardening Team Time
Afternoon Thursday 15th 10-12 am Gardening Team Time

SEPTEMBER

Saturday 7th 2-4pm Gardening Team Time
Thursday 19th 10-12 am Gardening Team Time

Afternoon Saturday 7th September 2-4pm
BIRD and BAT BOX MAKING
£6 per box, please bring a hammer if possible.

Thursday 12th September Friends of Chadkirk Meeting in Chadkirk Chapel 1pm.

OCTOBER

Afternoon Saturday 5th October 2-4pm Gardening Team Time

HARVEST SUPPER & QUIZ 11th
7.30pm – 10 pm (approx.)
£6.50p per person – BOOKING ESSENTIAL
To obtain tickets contact Stockport Tourist Information
Office at Staircase House, Tel: 0161 474 4444.

HARVEST FESTIVAL SERVICE 3.30pm 13th

Morning Thursday 17th 10-12 am Gardening Team Time

NOVEMBER

Saturday 2nd 2-4pm Gardening Team Time
Thursday 21st 10-12am Gardening Team Time

Thursday 14th November Friends of Chadkirk Meeting in Chadkirk Chapel 1pm.

DECEMBER

Saturday 7th 2-4pm Gardening Team Time

Sunday 8th December
CAROL SERVICES 2.30pm and 4pm
(FREE BUT BOOKING ESSENTIAL)
To book tickets go to the following website :
https://carolsatchadkirk2019.eventbrite.co.uk
This website will be available from 1st November 2019

Thursday 19th 10-12 am Gardening Team Time

CAROL SERVICES 2.30pm and 4pm 8th
(FREE BUT BOOKING ESSENTIAL)
To book tickets go to the following website :
https://carolsatchadkirk2019.eventbrite.co.uk
This website will be available from 1st November 2019
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Tai Chi is held at the Chapel on Mondays (except Bank Holidays and August) 10am to 11am. Cost £3.50p per session. Tea/coffee after session.

A is for Access : A tale of two footpaths

Do you remember Autumn 2014? And, among other things, the surprising news that somehow someone had the idea to close one of the most popular footpaths at Chadkirk? The footpath threatened with closure was the one from the main car park, alongside the stream, over the bridge, through Little Wood and out on the lane by St Chad’s Well.

One way it seemed possible to save this footpath was to apply to have it dedicated as a footpath. Any footpath that is dedicated and recorded on the Definitive Map showing public rights of way could not be closed. So Friends of Chadkirk started the ball rolling….

The appropriate forms were filled in and submitted to the appropriate officials. Most of the land is owned by Stockport MBC. A small part of the path is not. Establishing that walkers have used the path as a right of way for many years can be a way to have a footpath dedicated. Setting this process in motion seemed vital, given the proposals to close the footpath. The application has been in the hands of Public Rights of Way officials since June 2015.

In the event, after a series of meetings, the Werneth Area Committee rescinded the plans. The footpath remains open. For now. But what of the future? As an application has been submitted and supporting statements made by regular users, might it be best to continue to see if the footpath can be dedicated and thus protected for future walkers in Chadkirk Country Park?

If you visit Chadkirk and have been walking this path for a period of years, then this experience can be the basis of a brief user statement. This can then form part of the evidence that would be part of the case for footpath dedication.

The link to the form to be filled in is here:

http://www.stockport.gov.uk/services/leisureculture/walkinginstockport/publicrightsofway/

Completing a form (under Form tab) and passing it to the Friends of Chadkirk is one way that you can take part in the process of protecting this footpath for future generations.

Issues of Access in Chadkirk Country Park Estate.
Come along to a Friends of Chadkirk meeting.
New friends welcome.

What are friends for?

Resourceful and energetic, friends can help us make the best of life.
At last night’s AGM you’d get a clear sense of the difference that Friends make.

They make a difference through their funding of projects on the Chadkirk Country Park, Farm Estate and in Chadkirk Chapel. In the past that has included the design and installation of the East Window. Later this year, footpaths in the Walled Garden will be repaired and re-surfaced, funded by the Friends of Chadkirk. There are many ways that funds raised and donations are used to benefit the environment and the community here.

While raising funds for Chadkirk is a big part of what we do, Friends of Chadkirk also raise money to make donations to a wide range of other causes. Our treasurer reported back at the AGM about money donated to charities local and global. At the Carol Service in December, the collection raised nearly £300. The collection of £296-64 was donated to the British Red Cross fund, this small contribution to a global fund to take compassionate action within the refugee camps of Syria. In previous years, similar donations have been made to funds to support those affected by the flooding in Cumbria, Guide Dogs for the Blind and other diverse organisations.

It is a reflection of the place that Chadkirk occupies in people’s hearts, that along with funds raised at events, we also receive donations and bequests. At the meeting last night, we were moved to learn of a bequest from a special friend of Chadkirk who had travelled by bus to help us get our beehives established and to take good care of them. Although that baton has been passed on, the continuity of his affection for the bees and this place has been movingly expressed. If Wilf’s family read this, we’d like to say a very special thank you. Please get in touch. Together we might be able to tell a little of his story and honour his achievements, the part he played in helping create the Chadkirk we enjoy today. Many visitors would be interested to learn more about our hives and his work with the bees.

Moving through the agenda from the happenings of 2015 there was talk of plans for 2016. The events, which generally have a monthly pattern, start this weekend.

On Saturday 5th March the gardening team will be active in the Walled Garden (as long as today’s snow has melted away).

On Sunday 6th March Friends of Chadkirk will be offering something a little bit different by way of treats, entertainment and convivial chat. For this year we’ll be doing what we can with our existing technology to show our little in-house life story of St Chad, back by popular demand. By next year we hope to be able to use an upgraded system which we are currently checking out and plan to install soon. This upgrade has been made possible by a significant donation from a member of the local community.

No upgrade is required for our popular Easter Egg Hunt. Last year this attracted many youngsters and their carers and at 2pm on Easter Monday – 28th March – there’s another chance to seek out what’s hidden in the gardens of Chadkirk.

A different kind of delight for those who join our Easter Sunday service on 27th March which will be led by Rev Jon Lyndsey-Scott of St Chad’s Church in Romiley. At this service there will be an opportunity to donate to a local charity. All money collected will contribute to Romiley Ark.

For Friends of Chadkirk there’s a familiar seasonal rhythm to the activities, though with a little twist each year. Things change, so there’s also adaptation to make the best of what’s going on here and further afield. As a result there has been a change to the pattern of some of our regular activities.

This year, for one year only, there’ll be Well Dressing Blessing on Saturday 30th July. . With the Blessing at 1pm, an opportunity for refreshments in Chadkirk Chapel, and the plant stalls and Friends of Chadkirk stall with a range of small treats on offer. Outside the Stockport Silver Band will play.

At the AGM, the retiring Chair passed round a letter from the organiser of the Chadkirk Festival which stated that:

The council will be working with the Friends of Chadkirk on the format for the festival for the weekend 29th/30th July 2017.

This means that we’ll be celebrating our 20th Chadkirk Festival in 2017.
Our expanding team of enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to.

Down at Chadkirk, Friends of Chadkirk make a difference to all most every aspect of this special place. It can be life enriching, community enhancing, ecologically sustaining, landscape protecting. Beneficial. Be-friending.

Want to make a difference? Take part. Join in. Be-friend.

Gardening time

The first Saturday in any month is gardening time down by the chapel at Chadkirk. Whatever the weather, there’s pruning and weeding, or planting to be done.

On Saturday 6th February it rained all day. Drenching and dyke filling rain.
And, yes, the gardeners turned up and got stuck in. It can still be fun, working outdoors, even in the pouring rain. And there’s always a sense of achievement. Gentle activity, good company and a part played in creating a beautiful garden which gives pleasure to so many. Well worth it.

‘Not surprisingly just a handful of us were daft enough to brave the wet weather. February Fill-Dyke (an old country saying) certainly lived up to its name. Two of us got busy transferring primulas from their hidden place behind the benches to the bed by the oak tree, where they can be seen and enjoyed by all. Meanwhile, another gardener donned his waders to clean out 2 of the ponds to keep the Great Crested Newts happy.’

To see a world in a grain of sand…

Amongst the works of art and craft in Chadkirk Chapel is a banner with the well known William Blake quote embroidered. Whether you see the world in terms of subjects on the curriculum – economics, politics, sociology, ecology, history, law – or in terms of connection to landscape and community, a Friends of Chadkirk meeting is likely to tick all those boxes, cover many of the bases. If your grain of sand is Chadkirk, there’s plenty to interest an active mind. Plenty going on.

At the first meeting of the year there were discussions about many aspects of the Country Park and estate, the Chapel and the Walled Gardens, social events in the near future and plans for the medium to long term. An interesting mix.

We looked at issues horticultural (how to get our fruit trees pruned and the grazing animals in the meadow), structural (footpath renovations planned) and economic. In one sense the economic aspects affect much of the activity of the Country Park. While the members of this Friends group, as with the other 50 friends groups in Stockport, give their time and skills freely, there are always things that have a price to be considered. For now we are in the fortunate position of having raised enough funds to be able to pay outside experts to prune the fruit trees or rebuild pathways. And 2016 will see the usual range of fund raising activities down at Chadkirk to top up the pot up from time to time.

This range of activities and events will broadly follow our usual pattern, the usual calendar. Broadly. With one obvious exception. This year, there’ll be a change to the pattern of activities at the end of July.

For over a decade, the last weekend has become a regular date in many people’s diaries for the Chadkirk Festival. 2016 will be different. Usually the Chadkirk Festival is made possible, in part, by cooperation between Stockport council – people, stalls, communications, expertise – and volunteers from the Friends of Chadkirk. However 2016 sees the re-opening of the recently renovated Bramall Hall. The last weekend in July is when this event will take place.

As a result things will be different this year down at Chadkirk.
Currently we are looking at our plans. It looks as if the Well Dressing will be able to go ahead at that time. So the usual days in the week for making the decorations for St Chad’s Well and then, during the last weekend in July there will be a Well Dressing dedication. Date and time to be decided.

It might be possible to add other activities to this Well Dressing weekend in July. However it is looking increasingly likely that the 20th Chadkirk Festival will not be in 2016, but in 2017.

Other dates for your diary will be published here when decisions are made and information becomes available.

In the meantime, the Friends of Chadkirk will meet for the AGM on Thursday 3rd March in Chadkirk Chapel at 7-30pm.

Before then we would welcome ideas from visitors about the year ahead. Whatever your interests, there’s something of interest at Chadkirk.