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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).
Sunday, October 31, 2021 at 10:49AM 
In time for COP26, BBC NW TV will feature the 16-year progress of the Ashton Hayes Going Carbon Neutral Project and the work of Rebecca Collins of the University of Chester. Rebecca examined the impact of the village initiative in her study of people who grew up in the village since 2005.
Sunday, October 31, 2021 at 10:43AM 
We are delighted to report that by 22 October 2021 our solar panels had generated 100,000 kWh of energy that has helped the sports pavilion cut its energy costs and electricity sales back to the grid have earned income for our community energy company. This emables us to invest in more sustanability projects in Ashton Hayes.
Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 7:28PM Our Annual General Meeting was held, by Zoom, on 11 March and chaired by Roy Alexander. Roy welcomed the Board of Directors and members of our Community Energy Company CIC and ran through the agenda. This included the Treasurer's report and an overview of our activities and future plans. The full presentation can be downloaded here.
Roy Alexander (Hon. Chair)
Garry Charnock
Kate Harrison (Hon. Secretary)
Maria Lindley
Richard Straddling
David Wilson (Hon. Treasurer)
Lauren Colville (from March 2020)
Any Pennick (From March 2020)
Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 5:16PM ;)
We are pleased to report that an online Zoom session between Professor Roy Alexander and students from the Agnes Scott College, Georgia, USA got a big thumbs up from the participants. Roy organised a 90-minute session with a presentation followed by Q&A. The students were forthcoming with questions and gave the chat a 100% 'Excellent' rating. Here is a screenshotof the Zoom event on 10 March 2021.
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 at 2:31PM We think it is a good idea to highlight this book by geographer and energy specialist Neil Kitching. He has published Carbon Choices on the common-sense solutions to our climate and nature crises. Here Neil outlines five common-sense principles to tackle climate change and considers the community and social implications of the changes that are required.
In my book, I identify five common sense principles to tackle climate change:
1. Be fair across current and future generations
2. Price carbon pollution
3. Consume carefully, travel wisely
4. Embrace efficiency, avoid waste
5. Nurture nature
Community is a theme that runs across these. Climate change can be tackled by governments, business or individuals; but communities can aggregate individual action to place pressure on, or support, action by government and business.
For example, when the
