A little bit of history…
The group of friends and neighbours that was to become Loose Amenities Association held its first Annual General Meeting in 1951. By 1963 it had evolved into a registered charity, with an Executive Committee and a Constitution registered with the Charity Commission. For many years until his death in 2013, LAA was chaired by Roy Hood. Roy was passionate about the village and valley, and he and his friends and family put huge amounts of effort into protecting and conserving the area.
In 1970 the Loose Valley Conservation area was created, and in 1988, 21 acres of the Loose Valley were purchased by the Association by public subscription. We extended our land ownership with the purchase of Mercer’s Wood in Salts Lane in 2000, again by public subscription. This registered ancient woodland and our valley land are now protected from development in perpetuity.
And LAA today…
Everything we do is achieved with the help of our members and volunteers, from work parties in the valley, popular fund-raising events like the Loose Duck Race, open air Music Nights, the Loose Scarecrow Festival, through to regular committees who discuss and take action on issues like planning, caring for the heritage and environment of the area, making sure we comply with the requirements of a registered charity…and lots of other areas required in running an active and progressive association.
Membership
One of the ways you can help us is by becoming a member of LAA. The yearly membership fee is a modest £10, and every penny of this is ploughed back into caring for the valley so it can stay a beautiful, natural place for everyone to enjoy. Membership can either be taken out by annually recurring standing order (best for us as it cuts down on administration for our volunteers) or for just one year with payment options of card, cheque or cash.
If you are a UK tax payer, we can claim Gift Aid on 25% of your membership subscription and donations at no extra cost to you. Membership form