The Hartford Banner

The Hartford Banner

Previous Achievements

The following is what the Civic Society (HCS) has achieved since its inception in 2003. 
  • Three planters on Chester Road, in front of the shops. The original metal ones have recently been replaced by plastic ones which won't rust.
  • Three planters on the triangle of land by The Green and School Lane.
  • Two hanging baskets above the planters on The Green & School Lane.
  • Maintenance and watering of the plants is shared between HCS and Northwich Town Council.
  • Refurbished the black and white finger post at the Chester Road & Bradburns Lane crossroads.
  • Two cycle racks by the Co-op.
  • Two cycle racks by the Post Office. (Unfortunately, these are no longer in use now the Post Office has closed).
  • A bench on Chester Road by the Booth Road junction.
  • A plaque commemorating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, in St John's Church.
  • Refurbished the fire bell outside Chime - paid for jointly by HCS and the then owners of Chime.
  • A number of blue plaques have been installed at sites of historical interest around the village.
  • Many daffodil bulbs have been planted at the entrances to the village and along the hedge opposite the shops.
  • Biannual newsletters are hand delivered to all our subscribers.
  • Laminated sheets of five local walks are available - contact HCS for copies.
  • This website was set up as a repository for information about the village and to inform of forthcoming events.
  • A 185 watt hanging projector for the Village Hall.
  • A digital amplifier and wall-mounted speakers for the Village Hall.
  • A display stand and A-frame display board for use at events.
  • A "Community Awards" project involving schools and pupils.
  • Several Christmas lights for the village.
  • The mosaic at the corner of Chester Road and School Lane - Initiated by HCS and paid for by the Parish Council (PC).
  • Refurbishment of the stone drinking fountain at Bradburns Lane - Initiated by HCS and paid for by CWAC.
  • Membership of Civic Voice.
  • Membership of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
  • Worked with the PC on the Joint Action Group to fight the Grange Farm & Hollies Farm developments. We won the first round but lost the appeal.
  • Worked with the PC on the Hartford Neighbourhood Plan which is now approved and in force. We are currently working on producing a new version.
  • We compiled a list of all the postal addresses in Hartford. Useful for recruitment campaigns and for canvassing the electorate.
  • Village Lottery launched in 2005 and now has 98 players
  • Held a “Clean for the Queen” litter pick event in March 2016. This was in addition to our regular monthly litter picks.
  • Introduced a Hartford calendar in 2016, featuring winning photos from a competition we organised. The format was successful and has continued every year since then. 
  • Arranged two successful coach trips each year since 2015, (except for a break during the Covid-19 pandemic). 
  • Guided walks have been introduced and are very popular.
  • We produced a display lectern displaying the location and details of our Grade II listed buildings. This is in place opposite the shops on Chester Road.
  • Refurbished the milepost on Northwich Road.
  • Have stands at the annual Party in the Park and Victorian Christmas Fayre events.
  • Planted crocuses around the triangle at the Bradburns Lane junction with Chester Road, assisted by members of the Vale Royal Rotary Club.
  • Set up a Civic Society Library, with more than a hundred books, maps and pamphlets available for subscribers to use.
  • In conjunction with the Parish Council, we installed outdoor gym equipment on the fields near the cricket club.
  • We produced an A4 trifold leaflet: “Stroll through historic Hartford”, with a map and information on the blue plaques around the village.
  • We hold an archive of all our past newsletters on this website.
  • We provided a defibrillator on the wall outside Chime.
  • We recently helped to fund the restoration work for the old football hut on The Green, which is now a popular asset for the village.
  • Produced a Hartford I-Spy book which has proved very popular.