Hi-tech hub

NESTLING at the foot of Kinder Scout, the tiny village of Hayfield seems an unlikely setting for a technological revolution. But in 2003, as old industries were replaced by new ones and residents increasingly needed to use new technology and work from home,Hayfield became one of the first places in the world to buy its own satellite receiver and launch a wireless internet service.Now it is famous across the globe for its foresight. ‘The village became an inspiration for many places,’ said Hayfield Parish Council chairman Philip Gee. ‘We were receiving enquiries from all over the world, and people in Australia knew more about what we were doing than people in the UK! ‘We created our own digital parish, pooled all the grants we were entitled to and bought the equipment, long before BT was able to connect the village to the internet.We also set up our own village mesh, a system of WiFi receivers on houses across Hayfield.’ Now an international on-line language school has moved from Salford to Hayfield because of the improved internet connection and many new companies are based in the village, replacing the heavy manufacturing industries of calico dyeing and printing that fuelled its rise to prosperity in the 18th century Of course,Hayfield is no stranger to revolt.The Kinder Mass Trespass, fighting for the rights of walkers to roam the countryside, famously took place here in 1932. Interest in Hayfield as walking country started was boosted in the 1930s, when unions in Manchester factories offered workers cheap tickets to travel out by train,walk on and around Kinder Scout and breathe fresh air. The Parish Council, keen to kick start Hayfield’s redevelopment as a modern and vibrant community, started working on a Parish Plan in 2002, which involved asking residents what they wanted for the future of the village. From this sprang a Development Trust, able to concentrate on social enterprise and boosting employment in the community in ways unavailable to the Parish Council. The Trust was also able to mine a deep vein of creative talent among Hayfield residents to boost the village’s success. ‘We brought together all the expertise of people in the community, explained Philip. ‘Many Hayfield residents have tremendous expertise across a wide spectrum of fields, including writing, broadcasting, computing graphics and design, planning, ecology and architecture. ‘There are two architects based in the village, one of whom has another office in Liverpool, plus a former Peak District National Park ecologist.The head of the Railway Museum in York also lives in the village - and commutes to work.’ Now the thriving website at www.developmenttrust.org is a hotbed of creative activity as a virtual parish featuring creative ideas and historical archives, where people pool their knowledge and contacts for the benefit of the village and wider community. ‘We make everything we know available on the website, and we are gathering oral and documentary history to create a national archive before local stories are lost forever,’ added Philip. ‘Everyone is able to post work on the website, and we are trying to encourage more people to get involved.We want to allow people to be creative and share their ideas. It really is an inspirational project.’ Hayfield is no stranger to creative talent either.Arthur Lowe, who famously played Captain Mainwaring in Dad’s Army,was born in the village, and creator of Coronation Street Tony Warren lived there for many years. The Coronation Street connection continued with Arthur Lowe also appearing in the long running soap as Leonard Swindley and Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner, also living in Hayfield at one time. ‘I used to deliver her daily newspaper!’ revealed Philip. Meanwhile the Parish Council has revamped the May Queen Field, also known as the Old School Field, with seating and a flat circular walk - ideal for mums taking children to school and the elderly and infirm to enjoy an easy walk and sit in the sun. Hayfield Football Club members, working with the Friends of Hayfield Group, helped repair fencing around the site. ‘It is becoming a proper village green, and, with the renovation of the Scout Hut and staging area for events, we are hoping to improve the facilities even further for the benefit of the local community,’ said Philip. Future plans include transforming the rarely-used underpass that runs under the bypass, possibly as a creative arts project. Among those involved are Hayfield artist Sue McCall, and her husband, architect John McCall, both members of the Parish Council, which is considering how to use the space to benefit the community. ‘It could become an art centre with workshops for local young people, and would be an ideal venue where musicians could practice because it is beneath the road and noise would not be a problem,’ said Sue. There are also proposals to re-cobble the area around the War Memorial to create a Memorial Square, to replace village lighting with more traditional street lights and to improve the footpath through the centre of the village. John, who is chairman of the Parish Council Built Environment Advisory Committee, said they will use the expertise of a local firm that has recently provided original cobbling for a project in Edinburgh. ‘For my generation, it used to be that if you wanted a job or education you had to leave the village,’ reflected Philip. ‘Now new firms are based here, numerous residents are working from home, there are great facilities for young children with a playground and skate park and the new primary school is thriving.’

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