Dates for Community Drop-ins Announced
Launching a Working Group in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic has presented us with a number of challenges, but by far the biggest is that we have not been able to meet with you face-to-face.
During the last six months, we have worked to find other ways to engage, including developing our website and social media channels, producing a monthly newsletter, launching an interactive Virtual Exhibition and encouraging you to get in touch.
The Government has now set a target date of 19 July for the lifting of restrictions, which means that planning for the launch of our community drop-in sessions is full steam ahead.
This series of informal community events provides an important opportunity for us to listen to your views, answer questions and provide you with whatever information you need to help you to take part in the conversation about GDF in Allerdale.
Through conversations with Working Group Members and subject specialists, and with a range of practical resources available on the day, you can learn about the need for a GDF, the role of the Allerdale GDF Working Group, understand what it could mean for local people, ask questions and share your views.
All events will be Covid-safe and family friendly and we encourage everyone to come down and have a chat with us.
You’ll find dates, times and venues for all 12 drop-ins below, and event information will also soon be available on our website.
We look forward to seeing you!
Allerdale Working Group Community Drop-In Dates
- Thu 22 Jul, 10.30-18.00 – Thursby Parish Hall
- Fri 23 Jul, 10.00-18.00 – Wigton Market Hall
- Sat 24 Jul, 10.30-18.00 – Bothel Village Hall
- Thu 5 Aug, 10.30-18.00 – Crosscanonby Community Centre
- Fri 6 Aug, 10.30-18.00 – Gilcrux Village Hall
- Sat 7 Aug, 10.00-17.00 – The Wave, Maryport
- Thu 12 Aug, 10.30-18.00 – Blindcrake Village Hall
- Fri 13 Aug, 10.30-18.00 – Broughton Village Hall
- Sat 14 Aug, 10.00-16.30 – United Reformed Church, Cockermouth
- Thu 19 Aug, 10.00-16.00 – Seaton Village Hall
- Fri 20 Aug, 10.00-18.00 – Northside Community Centre, Workington
- Sat 21 Aug, 10.30-17.00 – Carnegie Theatre, Workington
Cumbria Association of Local Councils Joins the Working Group
The Allerdale GDF Working Group have welcomed The Cumbria Association of Local Councils (CALC) as a full member, effective immediately.
CALC Executive Member and Broughton Parish Council Chair, Mary Bradley, has joined the Working Group at a pivotal stage in the process, ahead of our series of face-to-face community drop-in sessions.
Some of Mary’s previous roles include Physiotherapist, senior NHS Manager, Chief Executive of AgeUK West Cumbria and Cumbria and Lancashire Rotary District Governor, and her experience in community-focussed roles will be invaluable to the Working Group.
This is one of the UKs most challenging nationally significant infrastructure projects, which could have real long-term impact in Allerdale, and we very much welcome the addition of CALC to help us reach out to all corners of the community, via the parish and town councils, to hear what people have to say.
Mary will be attending her first Working Group meeting as CALC’s representative on Wednesday 30th June.
Mary Bradley – CALC Executive Member and Broughton Parish Council Chair
Second Stakeholder Meeting Takes Place
On 8th June we held our second meeting with key Stakeholders to continue the conversation around the potential for hosting a GDF in Allerdale.
The meeting was attended by Allerdale GDF Working Group members and representatives from Friends of The Lake District, CPRE (The Countryside Charity), Action with Communities in Cumbria (ACT), Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, Cumbria Trust, the West Cumbria Sites Stakeholder Group, National Farmers Union (NFU) and Marine Management.
Representatives from Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) were also at the meeting to answer questions and share knowledge, including Kirsty Simpson, Geological Integrator, and Jonathan Turner, Chief Geologist who delivered a presentation on the Geology of Allerdale.
The presentation gave attendees an overview of the area being consideredand which types of rock would be suitable for constructing a GDF, using maps and information from British Geological Survey. The group also discussed the process for identifying a search area and how RWM would ensure that the site was both suitable and safe.
The discussion was continued at the following Stakeholder Group meeting, which took place on Tuesday 29 June and we will report on that in our next newsletter.
These early conversations are only the starting point for our work, and we look forward to hearing more voices, through our series of community drop-ins taking place throughout July and August.
We encourage any individual or organisation who would like to ask questions or share views to attend our drop-in sessions or get in touch, and our contact details can be found on the website.
For those without access to digital channels, a dedicated phone line has been set up to answer queries or discuss areas of interest: telephone 0300 0660 100. Alternatively, email: gdfinfo-allerdale@nda.gov.uk.
Learn More
You can learn more about geological disposal on our website, where there are a range of informative and educational resources created by Radioactive Waste Management, including:
- An introduction to geological disposal
- Community Guidance – how we will work with communities in England
- Site evaluation in England
- What is radioactive waste?
- What will go into a GDF?
- Geological disposal: the multi-barrier approach
- What will a GDF look like?
There are also six, easy to follow, interactive e-learning modules to help you understand more about radioactive waste and the GDF process: