EPIKS 2023 Annual Report

Providing local solutions to environmental problems

Introduction

Welcome to our 2023 Annual Report. It reflects continued growth of our work that contributes to addressing climate change and community wellbeing in Kirklees – a diverse area of over 400,000 people. Our natural environment has a critical role to play in underpinning a healthy and resilient population helping to reduce emissions and providing climate-ready services and solutions.

The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated the value of nearby, nature-rich green spaces, particularly for physical and mental health. A highquality and accessible natural environment is vital for humans, biodiversity and sustainable places.

Our biodiversity, ecosystem and river basin services are coming under increasing threat, and this impacts many areas of our economy. Our roads and paths are congested and increasingly in poor condition. A healthy natural environment with improved access to greenspace will allow us all to enjoy the abundance of benefits that nature has to offer.

EPIKS has over many years concentrated efforts to maintain, and improve the quality of our green spaces, particularly on the river Colne where we have developed the Huddersfield Riverside Nature Park. But this just the start. It is a demonstration of an approach we want to share elsewhere – on the lower Colne and in other parts of Kirklees.

Over the past five years we have promoted the importance of walking and cycling. Our trafficfree greenways and our public footpaths provide important opportunities for people to enjoy our natural environment, particularly for those living in high density urban areas. We are aiming to make our Walk Wheel Ride web site a ‘go to’ source for everyone in Kirklees interested in ‘active travel’. This helps to promote accessibility and reflects our desire to make ‘Green Routes” inclusive for people with disabilities.

This report is a result of collaboration between our staff and volunteers and local employers and community organisations. We are particularly grateful for the material and practical support that helps us make a difference to this place where we live, work and relax.

We want to recognise the dedication of our (part-time) staff team, all of our volunteers and the contribution of our partners who are listed here. We are planning for more in 2024 – watch this space.

Chas Ball Director

EPIKS Volunteer Directors

Chas Ball, Ali Stopher, Jeff Keenlyside, John Munro.

Contents

Active travel page 3

Biodiversity page 4

Green Routes page 5

Partnership Working page 6

Volunteering page 7

Active Travel

Transport accounts for the second highest carbon emissions in Kirklees. EPIKS is committed to working with partners to help individuals walk, wheel and cycle more as a way to tackle the climate emergency, get fit and reduce the cost of travel.

60% of journeys within Kirklees to be Sustainable Journeys by 2030 – Kirklees Environment Strategy 2023

Achievements in 2023

• Launch of the Walk, Wheel, Ride brand and website

• Hosting 6 roadshows across Kirklees, reaching 4,000 visitors

• Try an e-bike rides for 50 participants

• Guided walks for 80 attendees

Supporter Caroline Fishpool offering advice on assisted wheelchairs at Honley Show July 23.

Looking ahead to 2024

• The development of active travel hubs for Huddersfield, Holme Valley and Batley and Spen Valley districts

• A folding e-bike outreach project for low income families in Kirklees

• A Walks for Wildlife programme to highlight nature and the health benefits of walking on our greenways

• Employee try an e-bike sessions to encourage cycle commuting

‘We had such an enjoyable ride with Darren and have both decided that e-bikes are a definite buy for us! We’ve not cycled in years and it really bolstered our confidence to get out riding again.’ Marsden Walking Festival Sept 23

Local group ‘We in Front’ joined EPIKS to share local walking routes and locations, Nov 23

Biodiversity

Kirklees has the potential to be more biodiverse, and more effective habitat management will help mitigate the effects of rising temperatures and flooding due to higher rainfall events. Our community consultations tell us that people want to see more wildlife. EPIKS works with landowners to manage habitats at riverside sites along the River Colne and in 2023 we branched out to work with businesses to improve biodiversity on their sites. We work across the generations to share knowledge and skills to help inspire individuals to take action for wildlife at home and close to where they live.

Achievements in 2023

‘Across the UK species studied have declined on average by 19% since 1970’

State of Nature Report 2023

Clearing Himalayan balsam has allowed the regeneration of native wildflowers at King’s Bridge Riverside

EPIKS promotes action for biodiversity at home. With a reach of over 3000 people posts like this are popular on social media.

• Extensive removal of Himalayan balsam along the River Colne

Meadow and scrub management at Snow Island

The establishment of outdoor education facilities at Aspley Riverside

• Teachers’ river learning kits and lesson plans

• Stadium woodland improvement plan

A river explorers kit is available to schools and youth groups

• Wild Trout Trust River Survey on the River Colne

• Tree planting and meadow management at Lesjöfors Springs, Lindley

Regular removal of litter helps to prevent harm to aquatic ecosystems

EPIKS will work with landowners to replace non-native trees for greater biodiversity and carbon capture in 2024

Looking ahead to 2024

• Focus on woodland and river habitat pilot projects on River Colne

• Walks for Nature programme

• Landscape Recovery project for Upper Colne and Calder River catchments

• The creation of a new nature park on the Lower Colne

Green Routes

EPIKS is working with landowners, partners, volunteers and businesses to create links, improvements, maintenance packages and waymarking so that people can spend time in nature close to where they live, travel to work, school or for pleasure.

Improvements to Green Routes in 2023:

• Better access to Snow Island woodland and riverside

• Refurbishment and installation of benches at Colne Bridge Riverside Nature Space

• Creation of Aspley Riverside Education Area

• Installation of map interpretation boards in Huddersfield Riverside Nature Park and Colne Bridge

‘Physical activity can be as effective in treating mental illness as medication and counselling.’ E. Halliwell, Mental Health Foundation 2005

Kirklees College students built steps and pathway at Snow Island Jan 23

• Wheelchair accessible path installation at King’s Bridge Riverside

18% of children living in the most deprived areas never spend time in any kind of natural space –DeFRA November 2023

Improved access to Aspley Riverside

Huddersf ield

Riverside Nature Park

Schofield Sweeney created a wheelchair-friendly path at King’s Bridge in May ‘23

Looking ahead to 2024:

• Improvements to Dalton Bank Nature Reserve and associated link routes

New map boards to show riverside routes

• Installation of ‘Huddersfield Riverside Paths’ waymarkers

• Surveys of paths and routes to identify areas for improvement

• Exploring the possibility of linking green spaces to local rail and bus stations through ‘first and last mile’

• Bidding to help facilitate and encourage greater use of traffic-free greenways in Kirklees with partners

Partnership Working

Climate Action is increasingly pressing and EPIKS knows that real action can only be achieved by working with partners, to be more collaborative and act as a catalyst for change. 2023 was our most successful year of linking and developing even bolder projects with more partners to achieve greater results.

In 2023 we worked with:

• Businesses to improve paths and accessibility along the Colne Valley

• Walking, wheeling and cycling organisations to increase journeys without the need for a car

• The University of Huddersfield to co-host a Zero Waste conference and survey travel behaviours

• Local groups campaigning to preserve wildlife habitats on farmland

• Charities to support people with their mental health

• Councils to help with their climate action plans

• Landowners to boost biodiversity and improve access links

EPIKS co-hosted a ‘Zero Waste and the Circular Economy’ conference with SURGE and UpCycle Fashion Feb ‘23

Cummins TT path improvements

Guided nature walk with Chidswell Action Group near Dewsbury

Kirklees-wide partnership plans for 2024

• Tackling better stewardship of riverside premises with businesses

• Key partners in the Colne and Calder Landscape Links (CCALL) project

• Creating Active Travel Hubs and outreach

UoH Masters students researched travel behaviours

• Increased involvement with young people in outdoor activities

• Encouraging more use of better maintained greenways

Volunteering

EPIKS’ work is steered by a team of volunteer directors who dedicate hundreds of hours a year on networking, project management and delivery. Regular volunteer workparties bring projects to life and make a real difference to the greenspaces, rivers and routes around Kirklees.

Volunteers from businesses contributed even more time, skills and support to projects in 2023. With more improvements to nature areas on their own premises; installation of rest areas and sign boards and creating disabled access to riversides.

Volunteers came out in force for Tidy Britain’s #LitterHeroes event at Kilner Bank

Achievements in 2023:

• 157 different people volunteered for EPIKS

• 1021 hours of volunteering

• Businesses contributed 381 hours

• College students trained while they volunteered for 140 hours

• University students gave 12 hours of volunteering to improve campus site

BAM

311 bags of rubbish were removed from our riversides, woodlands and pathways –protecting nature and making greenspaces more inviting for people.

Looking ahead to 2024:

• More partnership-building with corporate volunteering

• New opportunities for directors in our growing team

• An expansion in volunteer roles throughout more of Kirklees

• Training for volunteers – focusing on woodland management and river habitats

volunteers installed signs at Aspley Riverside

Frank Shaw and Associates installed benches at Colne Bridge Riverside Nature Area Cummins TT volunteers mapped wildlife areas on their riverside site

As a third sector organisation with close ties to the community, businesses are keen to sponsor EPIKS and share their skills to deliver tailored projects that make Kirklees a better place to live and work.

We are grateful for support and sponsorship from the following organisations in 2023:

Cummins Turbo Technologies

Lesjöfors Springs

Frank Shaw Associates

Aldi (Milnsbridge)

Schofield Sweeney

BAM Construction

John Smith’s Stadium

Good Gym

University of Huddersfield Business School

Holme Valley Parish Council

Kirklees Council

Yorkshire Water

Natural Kirklees

Kim Leadbeater MP

One Community Foundation

Colne Valley Cycle Therapy

www.epiks.org.uk

office@epiks.org.uk

Oakwell Cycle Workshop

Support to Recovery (S2R)

Experience Community

Dalton Together

BBEST Hub CIC

Postcode Neighbourhood Trust