NEW ideas were suggested at a recent community meeting to help tackle the work involved in the upkeep of Ambleside’s large churchyard. Concerns had been raised at the length of the grass around some of the graves, which was felt to be disrespectful to those buried in the churchyard. The church had also felt there was a need for a wider understanding that the churchyard is a resource for the whole community and that the Parochial Church Council (PCC) were volunteers who needed help from the whole community to look after it. A wide range of views were expressed, from which recommendations would be made to the PCC. The existing monthly grass strimming service provided by Community Payback during the growing season would continue, with visits from Red Robin gardening services in Grange to cut the grass in between visits from the community service team. Wildflower sections could be cultivated, but this was only possible in certain areas. The church would also investigate external sources of finance for maintenance work. Thanks were expressed to existing volunteers, but more volunteers were needed on a regular and occasional basis for jobs such as raking up cut grass. Their work would be organised and supervised, and more volunteers would be recruited in Ambleside and beyond, through the parish magazine, The Westmorland Gazette local news column, as well as the library, St Mary’s website and social media. There was general agreement afterwards that the churchyard meeting had been a good one, which helped to open-up the channels of communication. It was chaired by Dr Rob Ashworth, congregation leader, with Archdeacon Vernon Ross and the Rev Beverley Lock, vicar and team rector. The first working party would take place on October 12 (10am-1pm), meeting at 10am in the car park. Volunteers were asked to take their own equipment such as rakes, secateurs, loppers and brushes. 

AMBLESIDE-Kirkstone Rotary Club’s duck race on Stock Beck starts on Sunday, September 15 (2pm) at Rothay Park, in aid of Alzheimer’s Research. Tickets for ducks are also on sale at Ambleside post office and TIC at the Hub. 

THE next meeting of Ambleside Action for a Future (AAFAF) climate emergency group is on Monday, September 16 (7pm) at Ambleside Parish Centre’s Wesley Room, to meet, talk and take action with other concerned people. Following last year’s report of the intergovernmental panel on climate breakdown, the meeting will discuss what people can do to mitigate the effects and leave a habitable earth for our children. 

THE 40mph speed restriction through Rydal was too fast for safety, and residents predicted it would only be a matter of time before somebody is killed, Rydal councillor Gilly Hodkinson told the Lakes Parish Council meeting. The village had blind bends and double white lines, and recent road measurements had revealed that the 40mph speed limit did not allow for the required legal stopping distance should anything be in the road ahead. A dog had been injured and villagers were afraid it might be a child next time. There were further safety issues with cars frequently waiting in the middle of the road to turn right up Rydal Hill to visit Wordsworth’s home at Rydal Mount, with drivers stuck behind them trying to get by on the inside by mounting the pavement, endangering pedestrians and guests stepping out of the hotel doorway on to the pavement. Villagers were shocked to hear that a top speed of 92mph was recorded recently on a temporary speed monitoring device on the approach to Rydal outside Manor Cottage, which was thought to have been a motorbike. A request had been made to reduce the speed limit through Rydal to 30mph, which is to be discussed at a Highways meeting with police. 
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron had also asked for a traffic regulation order to restrict numbers of big trucks coming through Rydal to Keswick especially in the early hours of the morning, when they wake residents and visitors. Trucks supplying aggregate from Elterwater quarry to United Utilities’ sewage treatment plant construction site at Keswick had permits, but other trucks over a certain weight were restricted from using the A591 north of Grasmere without a permit. Although police could not provide regular monitoring, councillors were advised that new technology on Dunmail Raise should make it easy to identify HGVs that were non-permit holders, to deter drivers or to fine them. Sheep sheltering from persistent rain in Lakes PC bus shelters in Langdale and Elterwater were using them as public conveniences, leaving council staff to sweep out all their droppings. However, it went on raining and the sheep returned to the dry and newly cleaned bus shelters and carpeted them with even more droppings, leaving Lakes PC to again muck out the shelter after them.