What do the Holmes Chapel Partnership do?
Holmes Chapel Partnership is an independent not-for-profit voluntary organisation whose purpose is to facilitate projects which benefit the whole community in and around Holmes Chapel.
In so doing we work closely with both Holmes Chapel Parish Council and Cheshire East Council, as well as local businesses, schools, clubs, organisations and of course residents.
Our initial actions - since our formation in 2010, were to facilitate projects coming out of the Action Plan in the 2009 Parish Plan. A few of our biggest projects are below.
For a more comprehensive list of our previous projects click here.
Cycling & Walking
In order to try and encourage Holmes Chapel residents out of their cars, we produced a map in 2012 “Holmes Chapel Cycling Village Project” which suggested ways of getting around and across the village by bike avoiding the busiest roads.
We followed this up in 2013 with a “Cycle Rides around Holmes Chapel” map showing short circular routes going out from the village, using the local lanes rather than the main traffic arteries.
We also worked with the South East Cheshire Cycling Action Group (SECCAG) to create a map covering the five Congleton Area Partnership towns (Alsager, Congleton, Middlewich, Sandbach and ourselves) - with both town centre and connecting routes that, again, avoid the busiest roads. This map, “Let’s Go Cycling in SE Cheshire” was updated in 2017. Holmes Chapel Partnership is represented on SECCAG which campaigns for better cycling infrastructure in the area.
2017 also saw the production of a walking map, “Walks around Holmes Chapel”. This was originally designed to suggest a few, mostly traffic-free, walks to new residents of our village.
2019 saw the publication of a new walking map – the “South Cheshire 5 Towns Trail” – on which the Partnerships from the 5 towns that used to form Congleton Borough have collaborated. It describes routes using Public Footpaths to get from one town to another and, for the ambitious, a 43 mile round route!
Note: All the maps are available free of charge from the library and businesses around the village, as well as on our website - click here.
Christmas Market
After Holmes Chapel’s very successful celebration for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 many from our village requested ‘more Community events’. Holmes Chapel Partnership answered that request and in December of that year launched, what has now become an annual event, Holmes Chapel Christmas Market.
The event has expanded over the years with a fairground now on the Co-op car park and the market stalls have moved to London Road, which is partially closed for the event. Stalls are also located indoors in the Scout HQ and refreshments and more activities can be found in St Luke’s Church hall.
Approximately fifty stalls from local businesses offer a variety of goods for sale, along with food and mulled wine. There is a good presence from Holmes Chapel charity and voluntary organisations; their stalls often give an opportunity to win a prize! Guiding and Scouting provide very welcome refreshments in the form of a BBQ or a hot drink and cake! Many local businesses open their doors to join in the fun of the market.
A stage by Barclays Bank provides entertainment throughout the event with performances by local dancers, school choirs, musicians and even a bit of panto - all supported by Dane Sound Radio.
A warm, fun and friendly community atmosphere can certainly be experienced at Holmes Chapel Christmas Market.
Improvements to Facilities for Young People
The Middlewich Road Playarea was refurbished in 2013 as a joint project with the Parish Council and Cheshire East; it was reopened to great acclaim in July 2013 by the Cheshire East Mayor (Dorothy Flude) and has been well used ever since.
In 2015 we turned our attentions to the Elm Drive Playarea and its immediate surroundings. The equipment was improved, and the playarea reopened in July.
Dane Meadow
A major project, jointly with the Parish Council and Cheshire East Council, was undertaken in 2014/15 to improve the accessibility of the Dane Meadow - on the northwest side of the village. This provided better road access and parking within the meadow for the disabled, a network of footpaths, two new ponds and a bird-watching area so that this lovely area can be enjoyed all year round. It was officially opened in May 2014 by Cllr Michael Jones and is proving an ever more popular place.