About CPRE Cheshire

From the Executive:

Cheshire CPRE is a branch of one of the oldest, most highly respected environmental charities in the country: when we speak, others listen.

We campaign on behalf of rural, semi-rural and urban areas in Cheshire, the Wirral, Warrington, Halton, Trafford and Stockport. You can get an idea from the website of the many issues CPRE is working on in your area. If you think something has been overlooked – please let us know.

We believe that the best way to encourage people to stand up for our countryside is to help them to understand and experience the joys of the countryside, the value of local foods, and the role of the villages and towns in protecting the rural landscape and keeping the countryside alive. The countryside is a living entity not only because is growing but because we are there amongst it. The countryside is forever changing: in our opinion, sometimes for the better but sometimes for the worse.

Our plan over the next few years is to promote local issues, local foods, sustainable farming and affordable houses in appropriate locations. We will seek to influence people by helping them to appreciate the countryside and all its benefits so that when there are threats to places they care about, we will have willing volunteers to help us fight the cause.

We are part of the most effective organisation working to protect the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We are a charity, entirely dependent on members of the public for our financial support, and most of our work is done by volunteers, who give their time and expertise generously.

The last few years have been a difficult time for charities in general, and ours is no different. As a membership-based organization, we rely on income from membership subscriptions to meet the costs of our campaigning work to protect Cheshire’s countryside, but right now, this is under half the sum we need to enable us to move forward. As well as seeking new members to support our work, we need to reduce our overhead costs on administration and increase other income to allow us to develop our valuable projects and campaigns.

One of my first tasks as Branch Chairman is to set up a strategy for CPRE Cheshire, closely aligned with CPRE’s National Office Strategy, to set out our aims and ensure we have the means to achieve them. This strategy is now being developed and agreed between the Branch and our District Groups, and expressed in the Business Plan we are producing.

Our volunteers are essential in the campaign to protect rural Cheshire, and Cheshire Branch is keen to make the best use of their expertise and enthusiasm, and to make sure we create the best possible circumstances for them to work in – which is another good reason for having a clear strategy for the next three years.

We believe that we need to raise awareness of the challenges to the countryside with the people of Cheshire, Trafford, Stockport, Warrington and Halton, and involve them in countryside issues where they have the opportunity to get out and see for themselves how exciting a place it is. In this way when there are issues Cheshire CPRE needs to deal with, there will be a better understanding and a concerted response to them.

It is vital that we have a road map of the way forward to meet all of these needs, and so I look forward to discussing this with the District Groups, and would be very pleased to hear the views of the wider membership as well. Please email me with your comments: info@cprecheshire.org.uk.

If you agree with our aims, please support us by becoming a member of Cheshire CPRE, or taking a more active role as a volunteer. A the Branch level, we are currently looking for an events organiser and a Fundraiser - we also have a number of ways to get involved in your local District Group. If you have time to spare please take a look at our Support Us page, or call the Branch Office.