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Located in rural Cheshire, Ashton Hayes is a well knit community of about 1000 people that is aiming to become England's first carbon neutral community. We started our journey in January 2006 and since then we have already cut our carbon dioxide emissions significantly - by working together, sharing ideas and through behavioural change. We now have our community owned renewable energy company.
This website encapsulates our journey towards carbon neutrality and offers free advice and guidance. Please feel free to use anything from our website (we'd like a credit if you can).
Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 11:16AM 
Jon Gilbert, head of the primary school, has expressed his thanks to our energy company for our £1000 donation that has helped the school install its first EV point. He tells us that it is in use most days.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 4:16PM 
Read about how long established local business, Farrall's Group, was inspired by our Going Carbon Neutral Project to take a wide range of impressive actions to reduce their carbon footprint and make their business more sustainable. Full article in the Spring 2024 edition of Around Ashton. Page 13.
Well done guys!
Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 9:42AM 
The instigator of the Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral project, Garry Charnock, will be in conversation with broadcaster and author Kate Humble and other remarkable individuals who created leading climate projects, igniting hope and progress, all inspired by events at Hay Festival in previous years.
In 2005, Garry was inspired by an event at Hay Festival featuring Sir David King to create England's first carbon neutral village. Film producer Franny Armstrong honed the groundbreaking 1010 Campaign with Ed Miliband on the train back from Hay Festival in 2009; and Professor Ed Hawkins created the Climate Stripes, illustrating temperature change, as part of the Hay Festival Trans.MISSION project in 2018.
The event will be held on the Meadow Stages at 10am on Saturday 25 May 2024
Event 37 Franny Armstrong, Garry Charnock, Ed Hawkins and Kate Humble in conversation
Price £13
Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 10:44AM 
We are delighted to announce that Rebecca Collins of the University of Chester has published her first article that details how the Going Carbon Neutral Project influenced the attitudes of young people growing up in the village between 2005-2020. Here is a link to the article that is published with open access.
Rebecca's research delves into the ways community action on climate change can influence young people and examines the longer term implications of how they meet the challenges of reducing their carbon footprint as they embark on their careers outside school and the community?
Above: The University of Chester student survey team carried out the first village survey back in 2006
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 5:07PM The Ashton Hayes Community Energy C.I.C. held its Annual General Meeting on Monday 3rd April 2023 at 7:30pm in the Parish Rooms. Roy Alexander was in the chair. The slides are here.
The Company will continue to carry on activities which benefit the community of Ashton Hayes, in particular to:
Develop, install, manage, operate, generate, transmit and provide the supply of energy from renewable energy sources.
Promote awareness of environmental issues, renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The Directors for 2022/23 are:
• Roy Alexander
• Garry Charnock
• Lauren Colville
• Kate Harrison (Hon. Secretary) • Maria Lindley
• Andy Pennick
• Richard Stradling
• David Wilson (Hon. Treasurer)
Roy Alexander (left) is stepping down as chair in the coming months and a member of the Board will take over.
