A network of success

From the Halifax Evening Courier. 4th Oct 2006.

ALTHOUGH its roots are in Todmorden, the Green Business Network has not looked back since it moved into Sowerby Bridge in 1997.
The small operating base belies its outreach activities, now extending beyond the original limits of Calderdale and Kirklees to Wakefield, Rotherham and Sheffield. Despite its very limited resources, the network generates significant financial capital for the area, mainly through partnership working and environmental improvements.

There is evidence of this at its Sowerby Bridge base in the shape of the inaugural Chartered Institution of Wastes Management Innovative Practice in Wastes Management and Resource Recovery Award. This was presented last month for the Network's Able Project in Wakefield. This is a unique fish farm social enterprise with a 34-acre modern and multifunctional greenspace and forestry. Grimshaw, the global architecture practice behind the Eden Project, have even cited Able as one of their inspirations
Through Able (and its forerunner at White Windows, the Heart Project), hundreds of young people have now received an education outside the classroom. This includes groups from Ryburn High School, led by Halifax's award-winning Pit-stop Project, a Duke of York's Community Initiative. It is hoped that in future some of these will graduate from an apprenticeship scheme in practical environmental conservation to meet a national greenspace skills shortage.

The network is now actively seeking brownfield sites much closer to home to replicate these successes.

Sowerby Bridge's Trees of Light are pleased to have been able to supply the first trees for this initiative, which have been grown from seeds and nuts collected around the town. These have all been sown with a rose quartz crystal to the root which, according to Trees of Light, promote the therapeutic potential of trees. Its long-term aim is to supply as many of these specially nurtured trees and shrubs as possible to as wide a range of individuals and organisations.Purpose designed recycled plastic tree planters are available through another network initiative, Intruplas Limited, to supply local broadleaf trees to the Peak District National Park. This is a bumper year for seed collection, so Trees of Light are very busy around the valley collecting seeds from all kinds of trees. Some of these will be planted immediately into peat pots and others will be stored ready for planting in the spring.
They are expanding the project and are now very short of storage space for potted-up sapling trees. The White Windows Cheshire Home has kindly provided them with a small storage area as part of the Heart Project, but they still need suitable storage land and outdoor shelving for seedlings.
If anyone can help with these, or wishes to buy a tree, please visit the website www.treesoflight.co.uk or call into the GBN.