THREE (VERY QUICK) THINGS :

Please sign up to be included in the proposed Developer’s consultation (scroll to bottom of the linked page) https://ryebankfieldsconsultation.co.uk/

Sign our Petition: click here

Contribute to our Fundraiser

WRITE TO YOUR COUNCILLORS, MP, AND THE GM MAYOR

Addresses are listed further down the page, or find your Councillors and MP here

Click here to open a Template Letter to Your Councillor/MP/Mayor

SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT RYEBANK FIELDS

Follow, like and share our Socials and add content like lovely photos, relevant comments or articles. This will help you stay up to date, spread the word and show the proposed developers the level and breadth of community interest in Ryebank Fields.

You can see twitter handles below for people to lobby, and popular hashtags to consider using.

Contact the Manchester Evening News (MEN) and other press/radio/TV to ask if they’re covering the campaign.

Put a poster in your window – contact us for one or print your own

Help us share our leaflets – contact us or print your own

OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

We are always happy to welcome people to join us for, or take the lead on organizing:

  • Leaflet drops
  • Outreach stalls – at local events
  • Organising events and activities for families
  • Be a street or community group Whatsapp champion and share very occasional updates re the campaign and key planning dates/deadlines

email us ryebankfieldsfriends@gmail.com if you can help.

VOICE YOUR CONCERNS TO THE DECISION MAKERS

Lobby the decision makers by sending an email/tweeting them – read our FAQs first and use hashtags to draw others in such as #SaveRyebankFields #ClimateEmergency #Nature #rewilding #biodiversity :

The Development Team

Landowner: Manchester Metropolitan University @ManMetUni:

Developers:

Tweet them at Step Places (private developer) and Southway Housing (social housing)

Planning Authority

Executive Member for Housing and Development: tweet @gavinwhite76

Greater Manchester Combined Authority – strategic responsibility for housing strategy @greatermcr

Manchester City Council: @ManCityCouncil

Leader of the Council: mailto:cllr.bev.craig@manchester.gov.uk tweet @bevcraig

Executive Member for Environment and Transport:  cllr.tracey.rawlins@manchester.gov.uk  tweet @CllrTR

Deputy member for Environment and Transport cllr.linda.foley@manchester.gov.uk  tweet @LindaFLabour

Chair of Environment & Climate Change Scrutiny Committee cllr.mandie.shiltongodwin@manchester.gov.uk tweet @MShiltonGodwin

Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods cllr.lee-ann.igbon@manchester.gov.uk tweet @AnnIgbon

Executive Member for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care: tweet @TomFredRob

If you’re not sure what to say, you could ask them:

More than ever we need neighbourhood access to green spaces, for physical, mental, and climate health and urban biodiversity; will you protect #RyebankFields, one of the last remaining rewilded places in Manchester, and designate it a #LocalGreenSpace?

Ask your own political representatives to represent your wishes:

save-ryebank_councillor_letterOpen or Download Example Letter Here

GM Mayor Andy Burnham: email andy.burnham.mp@parliament.uk tweet @AndyBurnhamGM

Your Political representatives – Manchester

Chorlton Ward Councillors

Tina Kirwin-McGinley: email cllr.tina.kirwin-mcginley@manchester.gov.uk

John Hacking: email cllr.j.hacking@manchester.gov.uk tweet @hacking4chorltz  

Mat Benham – cllr.mathew.benham@manchester.gov.uk

Chorlton MP:

Jeff Smith – jeff.smith.mp@parliament.uk  tweet @JeffSmithetc

Your Political representatives – Trafford

Longford Ward Councillors

Sarah Haughey – sarah.haughey@trafford.gov.uk tweet @LongfordSarah1

Dave Jarman – david.jarman@trafford.gov.uk

Judith Anne Lloyd – judith.lloyd@trafford.gov.uk

Stretford & Urmston MP – Andrew Western – andrew.western.mp@parliament.uk

Other twitter accounts to consider tagging:

@MCCChorlton @Chorltonvision @ChorltonPost @chorltonlabour

@loveoldtrafford @LongfordCommnty @LongfordRes @firswood

@MMU_NATSCI @MMUEcolEnv @McrMetSustain

CITIZEN SCIENCE

From time to time we will do surveys relating to building our case to save the Fields and also just getting to know them better, because it’s fun as well as useful!

Look out for our next bat walk, moth night, bioblitz, tree survey or traffic survey, or similar activities. In the meantime if you are a naturalist and already use nature apps, you could do a self guided survey – especially useful if you have a specialist interest eg in insects, birds, grasses or fungi for example. Contact us by email or social media to ask more info on this.

If you want to have a go yourself and know enough to get started, the apps / sites we’d suggest are:

  • iNaturalist – for all species of flora and fauna
  • ebird – for birders
  • Treezilla which can work out the ecosystem services of each tree and a collection of trees!
  • Ancient Tree Inventory which records ancient and veteran trees in the UK landscape

YOUR SPECIALIST KNOWLEDGE, CONNECTIONS OR SKILLS

We need everyone, and can find you something to do whatever your interests, passions and skills, so if you feel you have any time to offer, and are wondering how you can help, drop us an email and we’ll arrange a chat. Specific roles we can always use more input with:

  • PR / Comms / social media strategy
  • Website expertise
  • Ecology, archeology, climate science
  • Earth sciences and land remediation
  • Press and media experience and contacts
  • Educators at all levels, from Primary education through to Higher Education and research
  • Links to Community Groups, schools, neighbourhoods
  • Community Engagement
  • Legal planning and construction experts
  • Experienced campaigners
  • Creatives – art / music / design / written and spoken word / film / broadcast

TALK TO US

Keep sharing your ideas with us, about what we could be doing to Save Ryebank Fields.