2018 was a busy year for everyone involved in the campaign to save Rimrose Valley. From public events to fundraising parties, here’s just a selection of what has happened in the last 12 months:
Public Events and Activities
Feb to April – Ranger-led Nature Walks through the valley.
April – The annual Easter Egg Hunt.
April – The launch of the “Rimrose Runners” running club, which continues to go from strength to strength.
April – Display stands at supermarkets, including Asda in Bootle and the Co-Op
August – Charity Fundraising Evening, St William of York
August – Liverpool Independents Biennial – Art trail at various locations across Rimrose Valley, plus an interactive display in St John’s Shopping Centre
August – Display at Waterloo Ukulele Festival
August – Display at Bootle Music Festival
December – Display at St Faith’s Christmas Tree Festival
Protests and Demonstrations
May – Our first demonstration and ‘people’s walk’ across Rimrose Valley
July - Hands Across the Valley for local Primary Schools to make a stand against the road. Including Our Lady Star of the Sea and Rimrose Hope Schools.
July/August – Protests at the SING Centre against Highways England’s decision on CPOs September - Hands Across the Valley Public Demonstration. With around 700 participants, including speeches from environmental groups and politicians with great media coverage.
October – Demonstration at the Judicial Review, High Court Manchester.
Online
January – The launch of “Save Rimrose Valley” Campaign pages on Facebook and Twitter.
August - A brand new, campaign-specific website is launched – home to all our news and campaign materials
September - Launched ‘Blog’ feature on website, inviting the community to tell us their own Rimrose Stories.
January to December - Created 11 short films (some shorter than others!) which have been viewed a total of over 29,000 times on Facebook alone. Generating awareness, spreading our message.
In the Media
January - Appeared on the Jeremy Vine show, taking the story to a national audience and helping to grow interest in our local and regional media.
January to December – Numerous interviews with BBC Radio Merseyside, Radio City, Capital
September – BBC North West Tonight & Granada Reports both covered Hands Across the Valley, which featured some amazing footage.
October - BBC North West Tonight & Granada Reports cover the protest outside the High Court in Manchester. January to December - 19 Press Releases issued to local, regional and national media in response to developments on the story.
Politics
January – Attended Transport for the North presentation – a key organisation in today’s infrastructure planning with links to central Government
January/February – Attended Metro Mayor’s Question Time sessions in City Centre to raise the question of Rimrose Valley
March – Meeting with Highways England
April – Meeting with Peel Ports
May – Attended another of the Metro Mayor’s Q&As
June – Meeting with Sefton Council and Peter Dowd MP
September – The World Transformed – Display at Labour Party Conference fringe event.
October – Meeting with Peter Dowd MP, Clive Lewis MP & Sefton Council
January to December – Ongoing attempts to engage with politicians regionally and nationally and to obtain cross-party support in opposing this scheme.
Networking and Partnerships
January to December – Links made with various environmental organisations and charities.
May – Attended Friends of the Earth Training sessions on the Planning Application process.
Those are just a few of the events, updates and activities that went on throughout 2018. There's more to do in 2019 and, with your help, more to achieve. Thanks for all your support so far, on both a national and a local level. Everything you do makes a difference.
Thank you.
Save Rimrose Valley