Over 70% of homes here are owner-occupied. The Council ran well-publicised schemes to encourage owners to take up renewable energy through the Solar Together scheme. My daughter recently installed solar panels and a heat pump, part-funded with a government grant. Her energy bills are now virtually zero, and on sunny days, even recently, she earns money contributing to the national grid. If you’re an owner-occupier, you can probably do this too.

My daughter is lucky. What about tenants? The Council secured £7.9 million funding for insulation and renewables for vulnerable residents – under £2 million a year. Equally poor has been the performance of our housing associations. Guinness – who at least provide the information, trumpet that 1800 houses have renewable and low carbon systems and 52 homes in Crewe got external wall insulation. Excuse me for failing to be impressed by this, they own and manage around 70,000 properties so this is a drop in the ocean. Other councils have driven improvements – Regenda Homes’ work for Wirral for example – so it’s (at best) lack of will leaving our population behind.

In so many ways we continue to make life harder for those with the least. Renewable energy would reduce the bills for so many. Yes, there are upfront costs, but let’s stop funding fossil fuels entirely, and fund an effective domestic renewables programme now!

Do you want to know more about switching to renewables? Macctastic Eco Network are hosting an event on Tuesday 25^th March at 7pm in St Michael’s Church called “A beginner’s guide to Retrofit”. Tickets available now. Can’t wait? Or want to know more about Green Party policies more generally, get in touch:

email welcome@cheshireeast.greenparty.org.uk.

Best regards, Amanda Iremonger.

The post Amanda Iremonger writes for Talking Politics appeared first on Cheshire East Green Party.

The following is a statement from LBGTIQA+ Greens that sums up the situation clearly. We have chosen to share this with you rather than a Cheshire East specific statement as we endorse it wholeheartedly. You can find their original post here. 

Given the current climate, and the recent deregulation of fact checking on social media please be wary of any non official information on the Green Party, especially if it does not come from a Green Party account. 

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in Knutsford we have set up a Plastic Free Stall on a Friday at the Indoor market, and many, many of us are engaged with local and global environmental concerns: Save Danes Moss and Scoop and Scales of course, but also organisations like Global Justice Now. If you’re a volunteer, maybe the person you’re working with is a Green Party activist, we don’t shout about it!

You can find out what events you could join to support Cheshire East Green party here, or you can drop us a line at welcome@cheshireeast.greenparty.org.uk to let us know how we can get involved with yours!

Published in the Macclesfield Express on 1st Jan 2025

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There are several ways to support women and girls in Afghanistan. One option is to donate to the Voices of Resilience Crowdfunder: https://gofund.me/52f821d4 An Audiobook Initiative “Give Afghan Women a Voice”, which empowers these brave girls by creating audiobooks that advocate for their rights.

Sara, who spoke at a recent Afghan webinar, has reached out to Green Party Women about the urgent need for someone to volunteer and provide mental health consultation training for women in Afghanistan, as the harsh Taliban restrictions have severely affected their mental well-being. Sara emphasises the urgency of the situation, stating,

“The situation is harsh; we need to take action earlier than later.”

If you have the relevant skills or know someone who does, please contact The Green Party Women Committee: https://women.greenparty.org.uk/.

A local group will be holding a silent vigil for Afghan Women at the Market House, Taunton at 4pm on 7th December. All welcome.

The post How to support Afghan women appeared first on Cheshire East Green Party.

Every country signed the Montreal Protocol, banned the manufacture and use of CFCs and, as a result, the hole is much reduced in size.

In 2015, the UK was one of 195 countries signing the Paris Agreement at COP21 committing us to limiting global warming to 1.5°C by ensuring that greenhouse gas emissions peak by 2025 and decline 43% by 2030.

Cheshire East Council declared a Climate Emergency in 2019. But they, we and leaders around the world have not acted with equal urgency to deliver. For example, why does the Council not definitively protect Danes Moss, right now? This year is expected to be the hottest on record, again. Unless we act now, our lives, here, in Macclesfield, will change. Famine, floods, unrest are already becoming more frequent in neighbouring countries and will reach us.

So, what is stopping you, personally, from taking action today?

Do you believe that climate change is real and caused by human action, given the evidence from 99% of climate scientists? Is it too terrifying to think that our children and grandchildren may die on a planet which can no longer sustain life? Is the cost of change “too high”, the problem “too difficult”?

The good news is that we caused the climate emergency and we can address it. The sooner we act, the lower the cost.

Amanda Iremonger

The post We in Macclesfield can and should act on the Climate Emergency appeared first on Cheshire East Green Party.

What is the point of setting up yet another party of the left when one already exists demanding all that is wanted by the progressives quoted by Andy Beckett (Journal, 15 Nov.) and more, which gained over 1.8 million votes in the general election and already has four MPs? What prevents them from simply moving to the Green Party (or rather parties, depending on where they live)? Why should they be in rivalry with the Greens, as Beckett suggests? A strengthened Green Party would be perfectly placed to challenge Labour from the left and fight at once for social justice and climate action.

Walter Houston

The post We need a stronger Green Party, not just more leftist ideas. appeared first on Cheshire East Green Party.

Interview article:

Q1: Hi Carol, it’s great to be in touch with you today! I truly value the time you’re spending to talk with me. I’ve learned that you’ve been working hard to establish pop-up stalls aimed at encouraging a lifestyle that avoids purchasing and using plastic. I’m curious to know who you’ve partnered with for this initiative and which places you’ve chosen to focus on for your campaign promoting a plastic-free life?

A1: Hi Rachael, I’m glad you’re interested in this topic. Recently, Knutsford Town Council granted us a table at the Picnic in the Park event to encourage the people of Knutsford to be part of a plastic free community, and they’re also providing us with a pop-up shop every Friday at the Knutsford indoor market, it was our third one this week. I have a small team of friends who help run the stall, but we could really use more volunteers, even if it’s just for a couple of hours in the afternoon. Knutsford is aiming to become a Plastic Free Community, and I’ve shared information with all the local schools, asking them how they’re contributing to this cause. Local shops in Knutsford are also on board with the Plastic Free initiative and are eager to assist. I have a phone call scheduled soon with Williams Hart from PFC’s to brainstorm some ideas.

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With this in mind, I recently joined a discussion about how best to support those recovering, and wanting to recover, from drug and alcohol addiction in Cheshire East. In just the past 12 months I have known three people in our area who have died as a result of addiction. Perhaps the most heartbreaking is where 2 young children have been left fatherless by another needless death. In my voluntary work in this area I hear of violence leading to time in police custody, to injuries costing the NHS or employers, narrow scrapes from drivers losing their licences… so many stories and so much more help needed.

Our discussion looked at the complex web of funding and service provision – NHS, Council, voluntary sector – and envisaged solutions involving a one-stop core for help and comfort. I hope it will lead to improved communication, and better service provision for those in need in time to come, but at the very least we have increased our understanding of what is available, and our commitment to helping to create and provide solutions.

Would that everything the Council does ran as smoothly. You will see I have deliberately avoided wading into any criticism – I look for creative solutions, and to provide assistance. If you do too, of if you’d like to talk about this or anything Green (or green), come and chat at Flour Water Salt (SK10 1EB) on Saturday (12th October) between 9 and 11. Or get in touch anytime: welcome@cheshireeast.greenparty.org.uk

If you or anyone you know might benefit from help regarding alcohol or substance use, there are confidential support organisations available, including Change Grow Live: 01625 464995 or Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/.

The post We can – and should – bring about change locally appeared first on Cheshire East Green Party.

Nigel’s resignation is prompted by a motion passed with a small majority at the Green Party’s Autumn conference which changes the Party’s previous position on HS2. Cheshire East Green Party believe that the conference motion was based on two fundamentally false assertions: that high speed rail would reduce CO2 emissions by diverting traffic from roads and from the air; and that the massive destruction of habitat and biodiversity can be rectified by creating “new” habitat and biodiversity elsewhere.  Meanwhile, the much better rail capacity-building solutions which were also supported in the same motion have been prevented for a decade due to all Government investment money being tied up in HS2. 

The wording of the motion states that any support for HS2 has to be contingent on the use of up-to-date biodiversity metrics (not those presently used by HS2); on limiting biodiversity impact and other criteria. Cheshire East Green Party believe that effectively, this clause would make the implementation of HS2 in anything like its present form impossible, but also makes the Green Party’s published position on HS2 less clear cut than it was. 

Nigel says:

“It is with great sadness that this motion was carried at conference by a small dedicated team of Greens 4 HS2 group that I do not believe reflects the membership more generally.

As a local representative of various parishes (Rudheath, Mere and High Legh) at parliament select committee hearings I gave evidence on various aspects against the design of HS2.

It is clear to anybody looking at what was proposed that it would be greatly damaging for the area of North Cheshire I represent, with no benefits. Much better solutions of capacity can be achieved by improving existing infrastructure.  

However I feel the newly adopted party policy makes my position in the Green Party impossible, and I will continue to oppose any plans to reinstate HS2 design.”

Cheshire East Green Party Chair, Rich McCarthy said: 

“Nigel is a man of strong principles who has fought both truthfully and effectively for several communities against HS2 and before that against Fracking. He has also been a much valued and active member of our local party for the last 10 years. We are extremely sad that Nigel has taken this decision, but the local party will continue to campaign locally for alternative solutions to HS2 that would deliver less destructive, and financially viable improvements in rail and sustainable transport links in the North West and beyond.”

“We also wish to publicly express our sympathy with the feeling of betrayal experienced by those activists who put their lives on hold for many years, suffering assault, arrest and imprisonment. We offer them all our sincerest apologies, and ask them to accept our gratitude, admiration and solidarity.”

Cheshire East Green party are committed to uphold the principles of the Green Party, in relation to the Climate Emergency, the Biodiversity Emergency, the Environment in general and Social Justice. We believe that HS2 as it was proposed at the Autumn Conference, is an anathema to all of those principles. 

For more information contact:

Rich McCarthy – welcome@cheshireeast.greenparty.org.uk

Further information for journalists:

nrhennerley@gmail.com

07802 541936

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