Welcome to the Virtual-Lancaster listings for local groups engaged in activities related to environmental sustainability

ANIMAL CARE
Blea Tarn Road, Scotforth, Lancaster, LA2 0RD
(Between 11am-3pm)
Animal Care takes in, cares for, and finds new homes for a large number of dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals, large and small, as well as undertaking a conservation programme with their land involving tree planting and care. The organisation promotes respect for all forms of life.
The Blea Tarn Kennels are usually open 365 days each year from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, focussing on finding new homes for stray dogs and cats and miscellaneous small animals. They are always looking to recruit dog walkers and volunteers - get fit and make some four legged friends who will never laugh at your clothes or chat up your best friend (unless your best friend is an attractive Labrador)

ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP (LANCASTER & SOUTH LAKES)
Email: lancasteranimalrights[at]hotmail.co.uk
Postal address: c/o Larc, The Basement, 78a Penny Street
Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 1XN
Tel: 07928488610
LARG are a group of concerned people who are campaigning towards a better world for animals. They argue that animal exploitation is unecessary for sustainable human existance, and are taking a pro-active approach to creating a society where cruelty is no longer commonplace. They do this through peaceful activities such as letter writing, educating, signature collecting and attending demonstrations. They meet informally once a month to plan activities, contemplate the state of the world and socialise with like-minded people. Newcomers are always welcome!

ASSOCIATION OF LANCASTER & MORECAMBE ALLOTMENTS
Contact: : Mr John Lambert, 6 Carr House Lane, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 1SW. Tel: 01524 849371
Fairfield Allotments

BEACHCARE (MORECAMBE BAY PARTNERSHIP)
Tel: 01539 740430
Email: beach@morecambebay.org.uk
Web: www.morecambebay.org.uk
BeachCare aims to improve the appearance, access and amenity of our coast and beaches.  Much of our work involves encouraging people to take part in litter picks.  We are also involved in raising awareness of marine litter issues, lobbying to improve the condition of the coast and campaigns to reduce the amount of litter at source

BIRDWATCHING SOCIETY (LANCASTER & DISTRICT)
The prevalence of wild birds and other wildlife is a key indicator of environmental sustainability. The society rganises indoor meetings and field trips, collecting records of birds seen, and organising surveys with the BTO and others.

BUSINESSES
see the Virtual-Lancaster Business Directory

CAMPAIGN FOR BETTER TRANSPORT
Used to be called Transport 2000
The independent national body concerned with sustainable transport. It looks for answers to transport problems and aims to reduce the environmental and social impact of transport by encouraging less use of cars and more use of public transport, walking and cycling.

THE CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT RURAL ENGLAND (LANCASTER)
c/o CPRE Lancashire, Hazelwell House, Bamber Bridge
Lancashire PR5 6TT
Tel: 01524 849055
Email: ruralengland[AT]btconnect.com for

CONSERVATION VOLUNTEERS (LANCASTER & DISTRICT)
Contact: Mr David A Alexander, 54 Michaelson Avenue, Torrisholme, Morecambe, LA4 6SE
Tel: 01524 412938

CYCLING IN LANCASTER
Lancaster being a National Cycling Demonstration Town, there are so many cycling groups and organisations that they have their own section! Go to the cycling page

THE FAIRFIELD ASSOCIATION
A Local organisation dedicated to the protection and improvement of local green spaces, particularly (but not exclusively) around the Fairfield area of Lancaster.

FAIRTRADE GROUP (LANCASTER & MORECAMBE DISTRICT
With nearby Garstang having the honour of being the words, yes the world’s first Fairtrade town and Lancaster University being recently awarded a Fairtrade status, Lancaster is proving how people power can prevail.
The Lancaster and Morecambe District Fairtrade Group has an exhaustive directory listing cafés and retail outlets supplying Fairtrade products in Lancaster, Morecambe and District.
With increasingly more horrific stories about the abuse, penury and even danger suffered by farmers and labourers in other parts of the world to produce cheap foods, drinks and flowers, think before you bite into that surprisingly cheap banana-and learn what the real cost is.
For more details about Fairtrade and national Fairtrade suppliers, see the Fairtrade Foundation website.
Contact: Ruth Self
tel: +44 (0)1524 36201
email: info[at]globallink.org.uk
As the Archbishop of Canterbury said (presumably thinking about the enslaved child workers on the Ivory Coast), 'If the chocolate isn't Fairtrade, don't buy it.'

THE FARMERS' MARKET
Lancaster Farmers' Market is an outdoor market held on the second Wednesday of every month. Located within the pedestrianised City centre, it runs in conjunction with the twice weekly street market (every Wednesday and Saturday) and sells a wide variety of locally produced goods. Products available include locally reared meats, freshly baked bread, pies & puddings, marinated olives, dairy produce, pickles & preserves, seasonal fruit & vegetables and much more.
Farmers' Markets are an opportunity for shoppers to support the local producers, buy fresh produce and have a good day out into the bargain.

FREECYCLE (LANCASTER)
The Lancaster UK Freecycle group website is open to all who want to "recycle" that special something rather than throw it away. Whether it's a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to post it. Or maybe you're looking to acquire something yourself! Nonprofit groups are also welcome to participate too!
One main rule: everything posted must be free. This group is part of The Freecycle Network, a nonprofit organization and a movement of people interested in keeping good stuff out of landfills.

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH (NORTH LANCASHIRE)
Contact: Paul Martyn, 4 Sylvester Street,
Lancaster, LA1 5DG
Tel: 01524 62146
Friends Of The Earth are very active locally are well as internationally, being called ‘the world’s most effective environmental group’ by The Guardian. With their ambitious main focuses being biodiversity, climate, corporate,
Real Food, trade, transport and waste, Friends Of The Earth claim to stand for three big ideas:
1. There is a tomorrow
We need to use the planet like there is a tomorrow. This means living within the limits of the natural world.
2. Everyone gets a fair share
Everyone, everywhere, now and tomorrow, deserves to have a good life.
3. Change the rules
They state that ‘we need to change the rules so that the economy works for people and the environment, not pit one against the other’
They seek people to help fund their group, come along to meetings and support their campaigns
There are three regular meetings every month:
- The pub night on the first Thursday of every month at the Golden Lion, Moor Lane, Lancaster, at 9pm (contact Steve on 01524 844776)
- The Food and Climate Change Group meeting, on the third Wednesday of every month at 56a Regent Street, Lancaster at 7.45pm (tel: 01524 811066)
Funding: 90% is donations from public, the remaining from grants and trading

FURNITURE MATTERS
Includes 'Bulky Matters'
Old Grand Garage, Thornton Road, Morecambe, LA4 5PB
Tel: 01524 426622
Email: enquiries@furniturematters.org.uk
Recycling, Re-Use and Training Projects
In an increasingly more disposable society, where thousand pound kitchens are chucked out for the crime of being last season it’s both refreshing and scary to see how many perfectly salvageable goods have been recycled and redistributed by this Morecambe based group.
Furniture Matters states that their work is driven by three main aims - firstly to reduce the amount of furniture, electrical and other household goods that unnecessarily end up in landfill, secondly to improve the quality and quantity of used and reconditioned furniture, electrical items and other household goods available at low cost to disadvantaged local people and third, to provide quality training and volunteering opportunities for local people thus increasing their employment prospects.
Their statistics are impressive - from their foundation in 1999 up to September 2007 they had collected over 40,000 donated items of furniture and white goods from over 38,000 households and delivered these to over 25,000 families in need, saving over 3000 tonnes from being buried in the ground at local landfill sites. In conjunction with their offshoot, Pedal Power (see also cycling section) they had also saved over 3,000 bicycles from landfill by repairing, re-using and recycling. They also had the brainwave of redistributing over 25,000 litres of unwanted paint to householders and community groups in need of some ‘Rose Blush’ to brighten their living conditions.
They recruited over 500 local volunteers by offering practical training opportunities in Domestic Appliance Repair, Warehousing and Distribution, First Aid, Health and Safety, Electrical Appliance Repair, Cycle Maintenance & Repair and Furniture Restoration & Repair and DIY. They have taken over 150 trainees on New Deal placements and offered placements for over 120 people completing Community Punishment Orders, delivered safe cycling and cycle maintenance training to over 1000 young people and to date over 100 people have left Furniture Matters to go into full or part-time work and many more into higher education.
Funding: A registered charity; Lancaster Council, the Heritage fund and National lottery amongst others sponsor them.

GLOBAL LINK
24a New Street, Lancaster, LA1 1EG
Tel (typetalk): +44 (0)1524 36201
Fax: +44 (0)1524 36201
Email: info[AT]globallink.org.uk
Open to the public from 12:00 until 17:30 every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday by appointment.
Global Link is a Development Education Centre (DEC) based in Lancaster in the UK. They run workshops, exhibitions, training, a resource centre and library and organise events in schools, colleges and the wider community on global citizenship issues such as human rights, diversity, refugees, fair trade and sustainable development. The website has a vast range of resources on subjects such as the slave trade in Lancaster and a fair trade directory.
They accept volunteers who assist in many ways, including the running of their many projects and exhibitions. Their most recent (Nov 2007) being 'Trucking with Climate Change'. They are famous for their in-truck exhibition experiences, this last also incorporating an interactive 'Climate Change Game'. They have a new Climate Change game apparently that fills a room and can be played by 30 people!

GREEN LANCASTER
GreenLancaster is currently made up of a partnership arrangement primarily between the Lancaster University Students Union and the University estates team. However, it is open to working with additional partners. The initiative was launched in the autumn of 2006 to better streamline environmental initiatives and actions across the university and the wider community.
Aims:
To help the university reduce its carbon footprint by encouraging a range of strategic and best practice measures.
To help staff and students to improve their energy literacy by raising the profile of how to make a difference on campus.
To help the university sign up to the Go Green campaign.
To foster greater cohesion and information flow between academic areas of expertise on the environment, operational actions and decisions taken at the university, and student concerns and campaigns on the environment.
Contact: Tom Roberts, Environmental Co-ordinator
t.roberts1[at]lancaster.ac.uk

THE GREEN PARTY (LANCASTER & DISTRICT)
Telephone: 01524 380169
Email: info@lancastergreenparty.org.uk
Address: 4 Rossmoyne Road, Lancaster LA1 4SN
Lancaster and District Green Party is one of the most successful local Green Party groups in England with a total of 12 councillors. They have been very influential, succeeding in getting many new initiatives debated and implemented, and in blocking decisions which they believe would be harmful to the community and are currently actively opposed to the controversial Centros Miller development along the canal and the proposed supermarket in Scotforth amongst others.
Their website is filled to the brim with local issues and campaigns from endangered otters to environmental theatre performances.
They want people from all walks of life to join and to give a little or a lot from delivering their newsletters to becoming a Green councillor.
On a national basis the Green Party's main policies revolve around publicly funded education, free healthcare at the point of use, cheaper more accessible public transport, healthy local food resulting in stronger rural economies, clean green energy and a society that cares about animal rights and considers real progress being government as the servant, not the master.

HEDGELAYING ASSOCIATION (LANCASHIRE & WESTMORELAND)
Contact: David Whitaker, Stirzakers Farm, Bayhorse
Lancaster LA2 0HS
Tel: 01524 751276
Mob: 07734134919
Hedgerows help to define the uniqueness of the British countryside and are an important wildlife habitat.
They require sympathetic management if we are to preserve them for future generations

Bill Hogarth MBE Memorial Apprenticeship Trust
Contact: Ms Rebecca Oaks, 93 Silverdale Road, Redmayne, Carnforth, LA5 9TD
Tel: 01524 781375
Aims:
To set up and run an apprenticeship in coppice skills (currently runs 2 places and plans to increase).
To promote the management of broadleaved woodland using environmentally sustainable methods which encourage bio-diversity.
To support the coppice industry in its endeavour to provide an economically viable use for our native woodland resource.
To raise public awareness of the coppice industry and provide enhanced opportunities for people to get involved.

IT'S OUR CITY
Campaign group formed in response the city council's decision to deal exclusively on the Canal Corridor Development with clone town developers Centros Miller, without any tendering process and in opposition to the results of the consultation by the Real Planning for Lancaster team.

THE LANCASTER CANAL TRUST
The main objective of the Trust is the restoration of the canal back to Kendal. In addition the Trust supports the development of the canal as a public amenity whilst at the same time seeking to protect the essential character of the canal. As a result of the efforts of the Trust many of the original structures have been protected, further losses of cruising waterway have been successfully resisted, notably in Preston, and improvements have been made to the towpath by erecting interpretative panels at various sites along the canal.

LANCASTER CITY COUNCIL
Lancaster City Council is required to focus on a wide area of environmental concerns. On their website can be found links to a range of different forums with tips, resources and links.
These are:
The Lancaster District Sustainability Partnership considers its vision to be for local communities to enjoy a good quality of life, which is in harmony with the world environment, now, and for generations to come.
They state that ‘Sustainable development recognises that our economy, environment and social well being are all connected and interdependent. It means protecting and enhancing the environment both for its own sake and because a damaged environment will sooner or later hold back economic development and affect people's quality of life.’
It brings together local groups and individuals.
There is a Sustainability Partnership Steering Group that meets about 6 times a year and five Sustainability Forums.
The Food Forum was set up in 2002 by The Morecambe Bay Primary Care Trust (which has now been superceded by Cumbria PCT and North Lancashire PCT). It exists to promote access to affordable, nutritious food, and to promote a sustainable food economy that supports locally produced food, ethical trade and respect for the environment. If you want to find out more or get involved in local food projects please show your support.
For more information, contact Diane Watson, Senior Public Health Nutritionist, North Lancashire PCT - Tel: 01524 386128 or e-mail: diane.watson@northlancs.nhs.uk
The Wildlife Forum seeks to protect and enhance local wildlife and landscapes, encourage the participation of conservation volunteers, and develop a directory of wildlife and environmental resources.
The Wildlife Forum holds regular meetings to discuss a variety of issues and the positive actions we can take to help local wildlife. We work to organise talks and events, increase awareness of volunteering opportunities in the district and develop strategies to protect our wildlife and countryside.
To get involved with the Wildlife Forum for the Lancaster district please contact Jill Wesolowski at sustainability@lancaster.gov.uk or on 01524 582061.
The Recycling Forum aims to engage with local residents, organisations, businesses and visitors to promote recycling, re-use and waste minimisation. We are a group of committed individuals who meet on a regular basis in Morecambe and Lancaster to encourage recycling and waste reduction. The forum is open to everyone who agrees with our aims and objectives.
The Recycling Forum is one of the six Topic Groups of the Lancaster District Sustainability Partnership.
If you want to get involved in the Forum, for example, attending meetings, helping at events or assisting in the development of the next Recycling Directory please contact the Secretary of the Recycling Forum, Jill Wesolowski at: jwesolowski@lancaster.gov.uk
(Please note that if you wish to attend a meeting but you are not on the Recycling Forum Committee you are required to join the Forum and advise of your attendance 7 days in advance.)
An online Recycling Directory is also available to help stop you panicking in a sea of different coloured glass and boxes or ring the local recycling helpline on 0800 0929705.
If you would like your recycling project or ideas to be included in it then contact Jill Wesolowski at Lancaster City Council on jwesolowski@lancaster.gov.uk
The Sustainable Transport Forum is currently in abeyance. For more information please contact: engineering@lancaster.gov.uk. Tel: 01524 582636
The Sustainable Energy Forum is the most recently formed group and seeks to promote a cost efficient and environmentally friendly way of life. An active group, responsible for setting up LESS (see above).
For more information please contact Alasdair Monteith
Email: amonteith@lancaster.gov.uk
Tel: 01524582061
The five forums meet regularly in Lancaster and Morecambe. For more info email: sustainability@lancaster.gov.uk.

LANCASTER CLIMATE ACTION
Lancaster Climate Action are a group of local people concerned about the effects climate change will have on our lives and whose aims are to raise awareness of the affects of climate changes and its causes, to help people make positive changes to their lifestyle to reduce climate change, to support other local groups and to campaign locally and nationally for businesses to reduce emissions and support local communities.
The group meets regularly and organises activities, talks, displays and more.
See their website to sign a flight pledge, find out more information or to join their mailing list.

LANCASTER CO-HOUSING
info[AT]lancastercohousing.org.uk
Tel: Sue 01524 845448 / Pete 07922035170
An intriguing and exciting concept, Lancaster-Co-Housing plan to build an ecological co-housing community in central Lancaster consisting of 15-24 homes with community facilities and workhouse/office space and appealing to a variety of household sizes and incomes. There is currently a waiting list but you can still become a member as they anticipate a turn-over or more houses being built so to find out more look on the website to see how you can become a part of this scheme.

LANCASTER ENVIRONMENT CENTRE
Part of Lancaster University.

LaRC
Lancaster Resource Centre aka The Basement
78a Penny Street, LA1 1XN
Open every Wednesday from 4-7pm.

LESS
“Local and Effective Sustainable Solutions”)
F16, St Leonard’s House, St Leonardgate, Lancaster LA1 1NN.
Tel: 01524 66100
A project set up in 2007 to help people in Lancaster, Morecambe and surrounding areas live both more cheaply and in a more sustainable manner.
Their staff can give you jargon-free help and advice tailored to your needs in things such as ways to reduce energy use in the home by insulating, draught proofing and using heating appliances more efficiently. Not only can you save the environment but save enough money to go on that long haul flight!
It states that it is not a campaigning organisation but an informative one with its aim being to ensure that everyone in the district is able to ’do their bit’ to achieve a richer and more sustainable society.
LESS Project worker and adviser Jane Fletcher said: “We can advise people on cost-effective steps to save energy in the home, taking account of their budget and other circumstances. We can also provide information about renewable technologies such as domestic solar and wind power; and to help people start making changes we are also giving away free low energy light bulbs.”
LESS is a voluntary organisation and entirely grant funded by the Lancaster Local Strategic Partnership, the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the Forest of Bowland AONB.

THE MARINE CONSERVATION SOCIETY (LANCASHIRE AREA GROUP)

Middlewood Centre Ecological Trust
Middle Wood, Backsbotton Farm, Roeburndale West, Lancaster, LA2 9LL.
Tel: 015242 21880
Middle Wood Trust runs a study centre established to run environmental courses that would address the growing concern about long term damage to the environment.
Ecological buildings, low impact dwellings, alternative energy systems, and woodland crafts provide the basis for human and environmentally friendly living systems which form the main core of the courses. The residents and Middle Wood Charitable Trust use these resources as a focus for sustainable development and through education help to create a future with a future. Permaculture principles and ethics act as the background for this project.
Middlewood Trust is located at Backsbottom Farm, a beautiful valley following the River Roeburn. It is a small organic hill farm, with species rich meadows, moorland, and an extensive area of native woodland and is privately owned by Dr. Rod Everett who founded this charity.

THE NORTH WEST DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Has a Climate Change Action Plan – in that plan Action 13 is to encourage Sub-Regional Partnerships to develop their own climate change action plans. The climate change action plan for Lancashire is being administered by the Lancashire Economic Partnership which means that any funding is most likely to get chanelled into consultancy fees. Trebles all round! Reflecting their priorities, you won't find any mention of any such plan on their website.

THE ONE PLANET FESTIVAL
There is an application to the City Council for a ‘One Planet Festival’ for October 2008 based in Lancaster (switching between Lancaster and Morecambe hopefully) that will champion eco-groups, local food, ales, music, art, architecture, eco-build (plans for a straw bale house), sustainable technology and research (where uni comes in) etc, etc, etc! More info as we get it.

THE REAL FOOD GROUP (NORTH LANCASHIRE)
Contact: Cherith Adams, 12 New Street, Halton, Lancaster LA2 6PR. Tel: Tel: 01524 811066
A Friends of the Earth campaign group.
Everyone should have access to real food that is - Fresh,
Affordable, Locally produced, Free from pesticide residues, Provides a fair income to farmers and is Free from genetically modified ingredients.

REAL PLANNING FOR LANCASTER
Formed to oppose the building of a supermarket and road through Lancaster's canal corridor by CR Cheverton - a subsidiary of Carillion (was called Tarmac) and to develop a real alternative plan.
email: info@realplanningforlancaster.org.uk

RECYCLING
See our page on recycling services

RSPB (LANCASHIRE LOCAL GROUP)
The group's aim is to support actively the work of the RSPB in the local community and to involve RSPB members and the wider public in the Society's conservation, public affairs, education, fundraising and other activities. Regular field outings are held in a variety of locations in the Lancaster area, some jointly with the Lancaster and District Birdwatching Society. So, if you would like to have fun and meet like minded people contact us and help make a difference for birds and wildlife. tel: Tel: 015395 63280
See also Leighton Moss RSPB Nature Reserve in Silverdale.

SINGLE STEP WHOLEFOODS CO-OPERATIVE
78a Penny Street, Lancaster LA1 4XN
Tel: 01524 63021
"Founded in 1976, Single Step is a non-profit making workers' co-operative. All workers equally responsible for running the shop and all receive the same pay. All the decisions are made by consensus. Single Step tries to follow ethical and environmental principles in the way it runs:
All products are vegetarian and most are vegan
None of the products are tested on animals
We try to keep our prices as low as possible
We stock many fairtrade products
We sell environmentally friendly products
We recycle and re-use as much as possible
We provide a 10% discount for senior citizens
We sell a wide range of organic products and try to keep our shop GM-free
Healthy eating is important to us. We focus on wholefoods and avoid unnecessary additives
We buy local produce and purchase many products in bulk, reducing costs and packaging
None of our fresh fruit or veg is air freighted
We sell tampons & sanitary towels at cost price and condoms at a discounted rate"
Upstairs is the Whale Tail Vegetarian Cafe, and below is the Basement - the Lancaster Resource Centre.

SWAPSHOP (LANCASTER)
Want to get rid of an old blender but don’t want to chuck it away? Need a blender but short of cash / want to help recycle?
Then Lancaster Swapshop is for you. An eclectic and fascinating virtual cash free car boot blend of wants and offers guaranteed to empty / fill your house. And all for free!
‘There’s no such thing as junk, only stuff that hasn't found the right Person’
Such is the philosophy of Lancaster Swapshop, similar to but with more of an exchange philosophy, the exchange nine times out of ten being a bottle of organic red wine or chocolate in exchange for all manner of household objects. Everyone’s a winner!
You get a weekly email with a list of items offered and wanted.
To join, send an e-mail to
Swapshop[AT]pascal-the-rascal.co.uk.

Thwaite Brow Woods Conservation Project
Contact name: Mr M D Harrington, 18 Whin Avenue, Bolton-le-Sands, Carnforth, LA5 8HJ
Tel: 01524 735 587

TRANSPORT ACTIVISTS ROUNDTABLE (NORTH WEST)
NW TAR
Lillian Burns Tel: 01625 829492
Many important transport decisions are made on a regional level. To effect these decisions, lots of different groups concerned with sustainable transport work together through Regional Transport Activists' Roundtables (TARs).
We are members of the Environmental and Sustainable Transport Alliance (ESTA) objecting to the M6-Heysham Link Road, a northern bypass of Lancaster being promoted by Lancashire County Council, which passes almost entirely through Green Belt. The five-week inquiry ended in August 2007.

TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS FOR LANCASTER & MORECAMBE
TSLM, PO Box 146, Morecambe LA4 6WR.
Group set up to campaign against the construction of a Heysham-M6 road link via the Northern route (aka the Northern Bypass) and to seek alternative solutions to transport problems).

THE WILDLIFE TRUST FOR LANCASHIRE, MANCHESTER & NORTH MERSEYSIDE
Local group is the North Lancashire Naturalists' Group. Contact: John Holding (Secretary). Tel: 01524 852482.
Activites include indoor evening meetings at the Unitarian Church Hall, Scotforth, Lancaster and Outdoor Meetings, and Working parties (weather permitting).