September and October 2009
Bats were the subject of our June meeting, which certainly raised the curiosity of our members about these mysterious creatures and prompted us to hold a ‘Bat Walk' later in the year. This was organised by the residents association in conjunction with Ged Ryan from the Cheshire Bat Society and took place on an evening early in September. Eighteen keen members met in Bathpool Park and prior to the walk a short talk was given by Ged, explaining the different bats we would probably see and how to recognise them .. in the dark !
All members were provided with monitors which picked up signals given out by bats in close proximity and with the aid of torch beams were clearly able to see many of the bats previously described. Our thanks to Ged for what was a very enjoyable and interesting experience. We intend to organise similar events next year, details of which will be published in advance.
Bat walk led by Ged Ryan, Cheshire Bat Society.
Following on from the AGM, reported last month, we have now planned our meeting dates for next year (see our WEB site). Finding speakers for associations like ours can sometimes be a real problem but we are pleased to be able to report that the ongoing success of the Clough Hall Residents Association is resulting in a number of organisations contacting us to ask if they can come along and speak at our future meetings. We welcome these requests and are already in the process of making the necessary arrangements; many organisations realise that the type of forum we organise is an ideal opportunity for them to talk directly to residents in our area.
Our guest speaker at the last meeting, held in July, was Gavin Web - Beat the Cold - who explained that they work in conjunction with NHS North Staffordshire to offer independent energy advice for improving the warmth of our homes and reducing energy costs. He covered what grants were available, through Warm Zone, to replace a central heating boiler with the latest energy efficient condensing models. Beat the Cold can be contacted on a free-phone number 0800 3892258.
Free TV Power Down Plugs for members.
Our chairman and several committee members will again be attending the annual Neighbourhood Watch Conference, being held at Staffordshire University in October. This is always a very informative day and does provide us with many ideas of subjects for our future meetings. The theme for this year's conference is ‘Communities Taking Control'.