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The Alternative Technology Centre or ATC was established in July 1999 on the banks of the Rochdale Canal in the centre of Hebden Bridge.
Set up as an educational resource centre on all areas of sustainability, the ATC is inspirational, enthusiastic and informative and the best place to go to find out about this complicated subject that is sustainability and help people to put the issues into practice.
Your first point of contact will probably be the Green Shop which holds a vast array of environmentally friendly products. Babies, children, teenagers, adults, even animals are catered for. Gardeners will find many solutions to going green, gadget enthusiasts will be in heaven. The range of solar equipment will have you raring to buy and the books will help anyone gain information needed.
The information centre holds information on a huge range of topics, from renewable energy to compost toilets. In a kaleidoscope of colours, there are leaflets and contacts for other groups and projects both local and national, grants, manufacturers, events and .... everything you can think of.
There is also a library of books, videos and resource files which you are free to browse through (best ring to make an appointment first).
So if you want to join a local wildlife group, build a straw bale house, install solar water panels, recycle your waste or join a Letts scheme, you will find all the information here.
The ATC also has a website, quarterly newsletter and the Green Page in the local newspaper once a month.
A star attraction is their energy room, a practical learning space, demonstrating various renewable energy systems, which can often be used at home. Among its current exhibits are fully working solar water systems, wind, hydrogen and solar PV demonstrations, as well as a cross section of an energy saving house and a human power station, which allows you to feel what it is actually like to make enough electricity to power a radio, 100 watt light bulb, or a heater.
If recycling is your bent, then Ekko, the innovative plastics recycling micro-factory will inspire you to look at waste + plastics in a completely different way. Ekko is a working factory, which produces products for sale in the Green shop and elsewhere from recycled bottles, bags and packaging brought to the centre by local residents who have joined the plastics recycling club.
The centre also runs workshops and tours for groups. It works directly with schools helping them teach about sustainability in all its forms, using a library of teaching resources, a fantastic poster and kits and demonstrations. The Centre's landscape architect works with schools and their pupils to develop playgrounds into child and biodiversity friendly and stimulating learning spaces.
And last, but certainly not least are the three gardens that the centre works with.
Right beside the green shop, demonstrates practical gardening techniques for small spaces using a variety of growing and watering techniques without even a sniff of artificial fertilisers or insecticides. Edible plants on the right, and plants for making dye on the left. Plans are in the offing for a Biodiversity room.. We are currently looking for a friendly funder!
Down the canal path there is evidence of the ATC at work...Benches and planters made form locally claimed lock gates are a feature of the tow path outside the ATC, that and the lights powered by renewable energy.
Designed to reflect the activities of the theatre itself. It uses a combination of gardening, art and technology and is designed to be sympathetic to its situation. The display of plants are dramatic and flamboyant enough to reflect their theatrical setting as well as forming a strong entrance onto the canal.
The garden features 'star' plants, spotlighted against a backcloth of colour changing through the seasons. The mosaic stepping stones etc. It also uses plants to deter vandalism and for many craft purposes.
The Primrose Garden is a piece of semi-woodland along the canal from the centre, which is being developed into a forest garden. Training courses and workshops have been involved throughout its construction.
| The garden acts as a showcase for: |
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organic and sustainable gardening |
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the biodiversity and wildlife of the valley |
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provenance and other environmental issues |
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practical skills such as woodland management, drystone walling, coppicing, composting etc |
The garden is open for guided tours only.
We have worked with the county
ecologist, the ecologist from British Waterways and various other environmental
groups on developing Primrose.
Under the permaculture principles that we work to, this land will be productive in as many ways as possible so it has been decided to produce materials to supply the art workshops at the centre. These involve teaching countryside and often forgotten crafts, such as coppicing, papermaking, dying from plant sources, weaving from different materials along with making beautiful objects from waste as part of trying to change people's perception of waste as 'rubbish' rather than valuable materials.
The strengths of the Alternative Technology Centre are clear. We started with nothing but ideals and determination and with the help and support of the local community (a community that we stay closely entwined with) we have become one of the leading environmental centres in the country.
If you want to get a taste of the hope there is for our future, then come for a wander round our Green Shop. Take it from us, the rest will (gently, naturally and organically) follow!
The Centre has an INFORMATION
SECTION and a REFERENCE LIBRARY catering for most aspects of sustainable living
which you are very welcome to browse through. The best time to do this is
between 10am and 4pm on Monday to Friday.
If you would like a CONSULTANCY, utilising our skills and knowledge for a particular project or site, then we make a charge of £30 an hour plus VAT.
We have an ENERGY ROOM that explains the various types of renewable energy, which is available to people interested in energy efficiency and using renewable energy in their homes or communities. We also have a working PLASTIC RECYCLING FACTORY AND SOLAR P.V. AND WATER INSTALLATIONS.
WE WORK WITH THREE GARDENS. Although they are not open to the public, you are welcome to look along the canal at them, they are our Courtyard garden, the Theatre garden and Primrose
garden.
An informal half hour TOUR of the
ENERGY ROOM for two or three people needs to be pre-arranged during the week.
The energy room is open for you to browse on Fridays; someone will be available to answer any questions that you might have.
A QUICK GUIDE BOOKLET costs £1.00 and is available from the green shop.
Guided group tours of the whole centre are available. A group tour may take about 75 minutes and encompasses the energy room, the plastics recycling room and the Courtyard garden. Tours need to be booked in advance and are available from £2.95 a head with a minimum charge of £47.
If you are interested in installing renewable energy as part of a community project then YREN can help you.
Ask here at the centre for the YREN project manager or alternatively - pick up a YREN leaflet from the information centre.
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