Our Part of the Tame Valley

The map shows the areas we cover from Shepley Road in Audenshaw to Mill Lane in Haughton Green. It is largely in private ownership, including Landcare, the Duchy of Lancaster, Highways England and the Canal and River Trust. Some is owned by Tameside Council.

The friends group was oficially formed in February 2021 with the aim of tackling issues in the valley such as broken fencing and stiles, missing signage, badly worn footpaths, litter, and tree maintenance issues.

Improvement in the valley will be acheved through volunteers and bidding for funding.

Get Involved

If you are interested in joining the Friends of the Tame Valley (whatever time you can give to help with litter picking, footpath renewal or nature and conservation work will be greatly appreciated) email the Secretary, Andrew Gwynne, at ajgwnne@sky.com

Our Committee

Officers

Denise Ward

Chair

I'm proud and honoured to be elected as the first-ever Chair of the Friends of the Tame Valley.

Working with colleagues and volunteers from Denton, Audenshaw and Hyde, together with our MP Andrew Gwynne, I really do believe we can help to enhance this wonderful jewel in our community.

We all know this part of the valley has been a bit neglected and parts of it needs lots of TLC. Many of our residents already do a fantastic job with litter picking, for which we are grateful. We can all bring whatever skills we have to this Group, and help to make this a wonderful countryside area for all to enjoy.

I’m so excited with this project and hopefully we can apply for much needed grants to help our group achieve its aims. Thank you for your support so far... once lockdown is over, I can't wait for us all to get stuck in.

Andrew Gwynne

Secretary

It's great that we now have an established Friends Group for the parts of the Tame Valley that sit outside of Tameside's Local Nature Reserves in Haughton Dale and Hulme's and Hardy Woods.

Most people will know me as the Denton and Reddish MP, but I am also a local lad, and grew up (mostly) loving the Tame Valley. I say mostly, because Jet Amber Fields - then fairly newly laid out as open space - was where Egerton Park High School did their 'cross country' in PE. That was definitely not a happy memory!

But it's also where I came to play with my school mates, and now, as a resident of St Anne's Road, where I've brought my own children and now grandchild to enjoy the open space. And it's been a godsend in lockdown.

But I've also seen the fabric of the area deteriorate over the years and I want to do something about that. Rather than moaning, it's something we as a community can help to fix. That's why I was determined to work with Cllr Denise Ward to set this group up, and I've been amazed at the reaction. Thank you to so many for joining us, and if you haven't joined yet, we will welcome you too. Now let's make the Tame Valley the best it can be!

Connor Martin

Vice Chair

First off, it is an honour to have been elected as Vice Chair of Friends of the Tame Valley.

I have lived in Denton all my life and have always enjoyed being outdoors, complementing my passion for nature/wildlife. Although (including myself) we can sometimes take these local Greenspaces for granted, we must remember that we are extremely lucky to have them and I therefore believe it is our responsibility to not only maintain, but to also enhance them for many generations to come.

Evidently, what has become more apparent recently is the great benefit both nature and the great outdoors can have on the physical/ mental wellbeing of local communities, and therefore I aim to do all I can to contribute in making ours the best they can be.

I look forward to working with you all to help restore/improve the depleted areas, which I am hoping will drive results in the form of greater wildlife we have on offer.

These Greenspaces have given both myself and my family so much joy over the years, now it’s time I gave something back.

Oliver Ryan

Treasurer

I've represented Audenshaw on Tameside Council since 2014 and know just how important our public green spaces and parks are. I'm happy to have been elected Treasurer of this new group and I'm ready to get stuck in with local residents to help make the Tame Valley and its walkways the best they can be.

We're so lucky to have this amazing environment and beautiful wildlife on our doorstep, let's all do our bit to improve it - get involved today.

Hannah Molloy

Membership Secretary

Awaiting Bio

Committee Members

Matthew Gee

Committee Member

I live in Hyde and I grew up in and around Denton. I have been involved in the local organisations in the community all my life: the swimming clubs, Scouts, and the local brass band.

I was brought up to love nature, to enjoy walking in the open air, and really want to be involved in helping everyone in the area get as much as they can out of what is on their doorstep. This last year has been a time for us to reflect on what is important. The Tame Valley is important.

Kelly Whittam

Committee Member

Tame Valley was the playground of my imagination as a child. From pretending I was climbing the Magic Far Away Tree in the enchanted woods (a book by Enid Blyton) to playing pirates along the waste pipe at Whittles Meadow (not so enchanted!) to today, thirty years later.

The valley still provides me, and now my children, the same beautiful escape. I don’t climb the trees as often as I would like but the valley still excites me. Its abundance of forageable plants, ever-changing landscapes and stillness make it the perfect place to walk, run and cycle. Always meeting wonderful people on the way.

I became a committee member of the Friends of Tame Valley because beautiful things don’t ask for attention. But the Friends of Tame Valley do, and we want other people and their families to have the opportunity to explore and find excitement in the valley without the barriers of broken pathways, missing signage and litter ruining this experience for them.

Steve Marsland

Committee Member

I was born, live and work in Denton, as many generations of my family have, enjoying the Tame Valley that’s just a short walk from anywhere in our town.

I’ve been the headteacher of Russell Scott Primary School for many years and introduced hundreds of children to the Tame Valley, Jet Amber fields in particular, as an outdoor classroom. I’ve seen first-hand the excitement and the smiles on faces that being in the outdoors surrounded by nature can bring, especially for townies! It’s particularly important now when children and their families have been locked in their homes for so long to get out, get some fresh air and explore….and its free.

Children and young people are the future, particularly in looking after our planet from global warming to climate change that we have made such a mess of up to now.

The Tame Valley is closer to home and something that our community can make a real difference to that will affect them directly throughout their lives.

My aim will be to introduce as many children and their families as we can to the joys and importance of the Tame Valley and its open spaces, encouraging them to take direct action in preserving it now and into the future. In a town where air pollution, micro plastics in the Tame and particulates in the air is a major concern the Friends of Tame Valley can be the catalyst of environmental change and awareness by showing the town what an asset they have on their doorstep and how they can get involved to look after it.

Rob Hardman

Committee Member

I grew up on Hyde Road in Denton and my parents would frequently take us walking through the valley and I would also explore the area with friends or on my own. I now live on Cemetery Road in Audenshaw and often take my youngest daughter and the dog for walks.

It's a fantastic space and I look forward to helping improve it to a standard residents deserve and that the group will be able to develop new features and lasting improvements that will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

I have been Secretary of Manchester Civic Society for 10 years and hope my experience will be useful to the group. I also hope the Friends will be able to uncover a lot of the valley's industrial heritage and history as I believe links to the past are important for education and to enhance and explain the character of the valley.

Anna Whitfield

Committee Member

I've lived in Denton for 15 years, 13 on Fir Road, and two now on Nasmyth Avenue. This section of the Tame Valley has been everything from a playground to a sanctuary over that time.

"As soon as my twin boys could walk, this was where we'd go. Every inch has a nickname, from Conker Corner, to the Hidden Pond. I'm a member of a local church and a Youth and Community Worker by trade so participaton and community building are deeply rooted in me.

"I'm hoping to serve and encourage the work of Friends of Tame Valley, and model to my boys the importance of getting stuck in to safeguard the good things we have around us.

Chris Clarke

Committee Member

I have used the Tame Valley for outdoor recreation for over thirty years and have experienced first hand the positive attributes that a clean countryside environment can have on the physical and mental health of a individual. I run a mental health support group (Mind and health Greater Manchester).

I'm the chairman of the River Tame Anglers, and some of our members have witnessed incidents of pollution, fly tipping and habitat destruction along the river. We have offered our assistance to the Friends of the Tame Valley in cleaning-up some of the hard-to-reach river banks in the valley, and in liaising with the Environment Agency and United Utilities to help bring change and investment to the area.

I remain committed to the regeneration of the Tame Valley both now and for future generations.

Massimino Malacrino

Committee Member

Awaiting Bio

Paul Quinn

Committee Member

Awaiting Bio

Michaela Bowker

Committee Member

Awaiting Bio