Friends of the Freshney

The River Freshney has been in a relatively disgusting state for the last few years, with the responsible agency not doing its job when it comes to removing the weeds and trimming the banks. The North East Lincolnshire Council and the Environment Agency have passed the buck between each with the responsible group not admitting the truth. I was in duscussion with a representative of the Environment Agency last year, when the river was in a bad state, who told me that Chris Scott had told them not to trim the banks, indicating that they had the responsible. My response to that was that this was untrue, and that the comment made, would to cut one bank and not the other, thus leaving growth for the various insects etc. I added that, in my mind, they were distorting the truth in order to get out of doing the job.

Today (8th. August 2011) I have received a copy of a letter sent out from the Environment Agency on April 14th. 2010 to a resident of the West Marsh. A copy of this letter now follows but this does not have the Agency Logo:-

Our ref: ***********************

Your ref: ******************

Date: 14 April 2010

Dear **********,

**********************************************************************

Thank you for your letter of 8 April 2010.

I appreciate ***************’s concerns about the River Freshney. My Inland Engineer, Ian Russell, has tried to contact *** but, unfortunately, has been unable to obtain a telephone number for ***.

The Environment Agency is responsible for maintenance of the River Freshney from Laceby down to Alexandra Road ⁽¹⁾ in Grimsby. This includes grass cutting on bank tops, clearing weed from the river and removing obstructions ⁽²⁾. However, we are not responsible for removing litter Downstream of Alexandra Road. North East Lincolnshire is responsible for removing obstructions.

We undertake weed clearance two or three times during the year ⁽³⁾ depending on need. We carry out monthly inspections to remove any obstructions that could increase flood risk. In addition, we are investigating the feasibility of a scheme to reduce flood risk in the town. This may include dredging the lower reaches of the river.

I note **************’s mention of shopping trolleys. I have arranged for one of my Environment Officers to look into this matter and raise the issue with local supermarkets. I am keen that any trolleys in the river are removed and steps are taken to prevent them entering the river in future.

Contd .

Waterside House, Waterside North, Lincoln, LN2 5HA. Weekday Daytime calls cost 8p plus up to

Customer services line: 08708 506 506 6p per min. from BT Weekend Unlimited.

Email: enquiries @environment-agency.gov.uk Mobile and other providers' charges may vary.
www.environment-agency.gov.uk

(1). They were renouncing responsibility at the time this letter was sent and at this time the river was in a state. It is a pity that the persons this letter was sent to did not take any action. One of the two held a very high office and was supposed to be representing Grimsby. Mr. Mitchell please respond.

(2). They have said on many occasions to others that the banks are not their responsibility. The river is, the walls either side are, so how can they say that the bits in between the two are not?

(3). They clear the weeds three times a year??? I wonder what year it was that they dreamt of doing so, because I have not seen any sign of them doing it.

John Radley.

www.friendsofthefreshney.org.uk

Letters to the Website 2.

17/09/2011

Reply For the last year the Friends of the Freshney group have been
trying to get the body that is responsible for trimming the banks to do
that. I will ask that when we were carrying the original litter picks where
were you and the other anglers, (some of which may be have been responsible for dropping
some the litter that we cleared). A year and a half ago the council decided that
they would do it, so we stopped. We are only a small group and had not got
the manpower to do what you managed to arrange. See the website and you will
see that we have been organising funds to install equipment on the Duke of
York Gardens. I have sent your comments to the other Friends members to see
if they think of your comments are as cocky as I do.

17/09/2011

Hi i was just wondering where the friends of the freshney have been hiding over the last couple of years,if you are friends of the freshney why have you done nothing to clean it up,it seems you have come out of the woodwork now we,the freshney community fishing club have cleaned the banks and got it looking nice,or is it that now there is a bit of publicity you stand up to be seen.The only way we are going to get this river cleaned out, is for ALL of us to work together for the sake of the Town.

14/09/2011

Further Just to confirm that 25th January is fine with the project officer.

I will keep you up to date with progress.

14/09/2011

Reply I will check that the project officer is free on that date but please pencil it in the diary and I will confirm asap.

14/09/2011

To EA Thank you for the update. We do not have a meeting in December, the next one will be on the last Wednesday in January (25th).

14/09/2011

The project officer has completed the walkovers of the Laceby Beck and Freshney and the next step is to talk to landowners and farmers. Until this has happened the results will not be complete. We have set a deadline for the end of November for the findings to be presented to us. The project officer has offered to come and talk to you and present the findings in December if you have a meeting planned?

I have also been told about another survey that is happening on the Freshney, led by Anglian Water. I am hoping to find out more about this and once I do I will let you know.

13/09/2011.

To EA You emailed me via the Friends of the Freshney website in July letting me know that a survey was being carried out on the water in the River Freshney. Can I ask “what was the result of the survey?”. If you can let me have the details then I can let the Friends group know at our next meeting. Hopefully everything is OK.

14/07/2011.

Hi thanks for the reply once again.
Firstly who ever is responsible for cleaning the river should be ashamed of them self that they are letting such a wonderful part of Grimsby get in such a state.
Maybe we could make a big thing about fund raising for cleaning the river and advertise it in the local papers and on the stagecoach buses and really pull the town together and keep them updated in the paper on how much we have raised and how much we still need to raise also i don't mind getting stuck in with cleaning the river and its banks.

20/07/2011.

Good morning

I have been passed your details by my colleague Andy Bailey. I wanted to let you know about a project that I am involved with along the Laceby Beck and River Freshney.

We are working with the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Project Officer to survey the whole of the Laceby Beck/Freshney, with the aim of identifying the issues that are effecting the water quality. Whilst this surveying work is going on, the officer will also be looking for opportunities for habitat restoration that could be carried out in the future.

I wanted to make you aware of this work as it is within your area of interest. If you would like me to, I can keep you updated about the project.

Reply.

Thank you for the information about the survey work that is being carried out, I would like to receive updates regarding the project as you progress and I can pass the information onto the group at it’s monthly meetings. Would you like to pop along and inform them in person? It is a small select group, and meets on the last Wednesday of the month, the next one being July 27th. Meetings are held in the drop-in building on the Duke of York Gardens at 6:00 PM. We have been informed recently that there are some traces of hydrocarbons on the surface of the water, is that true? We are also somewhat concerned about the state of the river, it’s weed problem and the poor state of the banks, trimming of which is a problem that we have tried to address for the last three years. I have to say, so far, without success.

20/07/2011.

Hi,

Is there any truth in the rumour I have heard that the freshney is to be widened In places and more fish are to be introduced and proper fishing pegs/platforms to be installed.

Reply.

I do not know anything about the widening and restocking rumour. There are five fishing pegs already in place at the side of the walkway as you walk through the boulevard from Boulevard Avenue.

21/07/2011.

Hi John,

I have managed to speak to my colleagues about your concerns.

We did have plant on site at the end of June and they carried out weed control along Great Coates Road to Little Coates Road. The plant will be on site again in the middle of August to carry out weed control along New Haven Terrace to Haven Avenue.

We haven't received an reports of hydrocarbons on the river. If they are present, there will be a sheen on the water and it will smell. Sometimes a sheen on the surface of the water can occur naturally when weed rots down. However, if you do have further concerns or if you see fish in distress on the river, our incident hotline number is the best way to report it. The number is 0800 807060.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

22/07/2011.

Hi,

I work for the Environment Agency in the Fisheries, Recreation and Biodiversity section at Lincoln. I had an email recently regarding a possible funding source for work on invasive species. As the Freshney is a priority Water Framework Directive catchment, I thought I'd bring it to your attention. There is some info at https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/nonnativespecies/index.cfm?pageid=355. I was thinking that the Freshney catchment is probably small enough that a Himalayan Balsam control strategy would have some success by a local action group. If you think you would be likely to apply, give me a ring. I have access to our National expert who is keen to support, and could probably give a few pointers to optimise a bid.

duck20island20-20may201st_202010 Welcome to the Friends of the Freshney's Home Page where you can access all kinds of information relating to the River Freshney, Duke of York Gardens and surrounding areas.

The River and Park has the potential to be the jewel in Grimsby's Crown, as it offers so many opportunities for recreational and educational activities as well as being unique within North East Lincolnshire being the only park with a river flowing through. There are large open spaces and beautiful gardens as well as play areas and community buildings.

If you want to read further when read more is displayed, double click on the title of the article to open up the remainder. This will work on all but this current aricle.

The Bully

Tim Mickleburgh's new book “The Bully” gives a fascinating insight into the history of the Duke of York Gardens which was officially opened in 1894 by the Mayoress, Mrs George Doughty costing an impressive £4,400. The initial concept of having a public park on the West Marsh dates back to 1868. In the booklet you can find out how the Duke of York Gardens got its name and what event attracted people from all over England with crowds of up to 10,000 people. Find out what the common problems are that we still face over a century later. The booklet is also full of stories from local people who share their fond memories of the “Bully”, discover which particular memory is shared by most of the contributors.

All the proceeds from the sale of “The Bully” goes directly to the Friends of the Freshney so we can continue to improve the park for generations to come.

Copies are on sale at £1.50 and can be bought directly from the Macaulay Area Action Group (MAAG) Hall, Haycroft Street, Grimsby, phone 01472 353700 or by post. Postal copies will incur a charge of 75p to cover postage and packing (total £2.25), cheques should be made out to The Friends of the Freshney. For postal copies, please write to: “The Bully”, 33 Littlefield Lane, Grimsby, N.E. Lincs, DN31 2AZ. or apply online, send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Notices

Friends of the Freshney - Meetings held on the last Wednesday of the month

Our meetings are usually held on the last Wednesday of every month, and the venue is the Drop-in Building on the Park. See separate sheet on the parks notice board titled "Meetings For (Month)" which gives details of both Friends & Forward meetings. For further information email : This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01472 239583 or 07863 104341.

Letters to the Website.

06/07/2011.

To whoever it may concern

I am sorry to bother you but I am doing an article about Road Safety in Grimsby and would like to know if your group discusses this. Another thing I would like to know is if you are also known as the 'Freshney Forward'. If you are not would you mind pointing me in the right direction? I would appreciate a reply before Thursday 14th July, thank you for reading this.

Reply.

What have we been involved with.

The group’s constitution encourages an appreciation of the river, the park, the banks of the river, as well as the surrounding areas.

Listed below are some of the achievements that the group have been associated with. The group applied successfully for funding from a variety of sources.

7^th. May 2010. Purchase of mulch for use on the flower gardens within the Park.

8^th. June 2009. Printing of the “THE BULLY” book by Tim Mickelburgh funded via the West Marsh councillors funding.

23^rd March 2009. Purchase of medals and ribbons for use on the day of the West Marsh Fun Day as mementoes for the fun race.

Good News (update)

Over the past 6 years the Friends of the Freshney have helped to transform the Duke of York Gardens and River Freshney. The park was blighted by vandalism and anti social behaviour and was rapidly becoming an eyesore rather than an asset. It wasn’t so long ago when the River Freshney was full of rubbish, items such as sofa’s, carpets, bike’s, wheelie bins and the old favourite shopping trolleys were a regular feature of the river.

What We Have Been Doing

cleanup081 Since the formation of the Friends, we have removed over 12 tonnes of rubbish from the River Freshney and surrounding areas, held talks and presentations at many local schools and community groups, done public consultations, taken schools and groups out for nature trails and other educational activities, planted flowers and shrubs, painted benches and railings and organised numerous other events on the Duke of York Gardens.

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