Hartford, Cheshire

About

Hartford Civic Society is a registered charity which works to improve the village of Hartford and aims to protect its identity.

The Civic Society has a hard-working committee and enthusiastic supporters, who help to ensure that Hartford continues to be a fantastic place to live, work, study or visit.

Cherish the past

Hartford Civic Society is interested in the geography, heritage, natural history and architecture of the village and is keen to develop and share its knowledge with the public.

Although it is not a history group specifically, an important part of the Society’s role is to cherish and preserve historic sites and features, and to help ensure that the history of the village is promoted and celebrated.

Protect the future

The Civic Society takes pride in maintaining, improving and providing amenities for its local communities. This includes the provision of recreational facilities and events.

The Society promotes high standards of planning and architecture and works to ensure that development reflects the character of the village and makes a positive contribution to the local environment.

The Society also aims to preserve and protect the village from development that may be considered excessive, inappropriate or insensitive to the character of the area.

Our Achievements

Since its inception in 2003, Hartford Civic Society has completed various projects and tasks which have made a positive contribution to the village. Here are just a few examples of our work.

Keeping up appearances

We all appreciate the importance of looking after our environment and we hold regular monthly litter picks on the second Sunday in each month. As well as helping to ensure that the village is kept clean, tidy and litter-free, this activity provides our participants with an opportunity to socialise and get to know other villagers. We welcome participants of all ages and provide litter-picking tools and rubbish bags.

Enhancing our environment

We are constantly thinking of ways to help make our village more colourful, attractive and welcoming. We have provided and help to maintain planters and hanging baskets, at various locations across Hartford. We have also planted spring bulbs at the entrances to the village and in the village centre. Our work helps to ensure that Hartford’s historic features – such as the stone drinking fountain and black and white finger post signs – are refurbished and maintained. We have also installed blue plaques, to draw people’s attention to our many sites of historic interest.

Contributing to the development of new facilities

We are pleased to work with our local councils to develop new features and facilities which will benefit the community. We recently helped to fund the restoration of an old football hut, which has been transformed into the Green Field Pavilion. Other features we have helped to inspire, create or provide include outdoor gym equipment near the cricket club, a mosaic at the corner of Chester Road and School Lane, a defibrillator on the wall in the village centre, and audio-visual equipment in the Village Hall.

Unlike our fabulous planters in the centre of the village, which are planted up by HCS and watered by volunteers, this lovely display on Hodge Lane has been planted up and watered by Hodge Lane residents, with a little bit of help from HCS.

A prominent feature of the village, the Drinking Fountain was last refurbished by us 11 years ago and has recently been refreshed. We are also looking to see how it can be returned to its original purpose.

Blue Plaques, the lectern and the blue plaques walk trifold were all the idea of Pat Hatfield, who led the work between 2012 and 2021. They took time and effort to deliver, helped by financial contributions from CWaC, the Co-op and one of our Supporters, who wanted to make a difference to Hartford.

We started planting bulbs at the entrances to the village in 2005. Those in the centre, we planted in 2016. They have naturalised beautifully and are a joy to see each Spring.

Current Opportunities

Hartford Civic Society's Trustees and supporters brainstormed ideas for future projects and subsequently whittled them down to compile a shortlist of opportunities - some of which are still under consideration. Please let us know if you would be interested in helping with any of these. We also welcome new project suggestions from members of the community.

Cattle Tunnel

This Grade II-Listed structure is currently inaccessible and we would initially like to improve visual access to one or both sides of it, so that it can at least be admired if not used.

Pavilion Canopy

In February 2022, an appeal was launched to restore the old Pavilion on the Green Field. A little over a year later, in April 2023, the restored Pavilion opened. Hartford Civic Society helped to fund the Pavilion restoration and we're now looking to help make further improvements, contributing to the addition of a canopy.

Mosaic

This fine piece of artwork depicting the history of Hartford through the centuries was designed by pupils of Hartford schools in 2010. The surrounding area would benefit from landscaping to provide a more appropriate setting for the Mosaic.

Finger Post Sign

The finger post sign at the junction of Hodge Lane and Littledales Lane is in need of repair and refurbishment - similar to the work undertaken by us on the historic finger post at the junction of Northwich Road and Hodge Lane.

Our Events

Hartford Civic Society organises and participates in a series of events throughout the year. Please refer to the What's on? section of our home page for more information. Examples include:

monthly litter picks, to keep the village looking lovely
biannual coach trips and other occasional local visits
a series of sociable, guided walks
occasional management of green spaces and ensuring that overgrown street signage is clean and readable
we have also been inspired by wider initiatives, such as "Clean for the Queen", putting our own local activities together to reflect what's happening nationally

Litter Picks

Group Visits

Sociable Walks

Our
Organisation

Our Constitution

Get to Know Us

Hartford Civic Society came into being in 2003, when Hartford Village Trust, which was founded in 1996, was renamed. We are also a member of the national organisation, Civic Voice.

Subscriptions from Supporters help with our work, but more funding comes from grants, the Village Lottery, donations and legacies. The Society is a registered charity, with a committee of Trustees.

You can see a copy of our Charity Registration Certificate here.

Trustees & Key Supporters

Allow us to introduce you to our Trustees and key supporters.
Trustees of the Society are elected at the AGM or subsequently by the Executive Committee.

Chair

John Szostek

John has lived in Hartford since 1977, although twice his jobs in the chemical industry took him abroad for several years. Each time on his return he realised how special Hartford is as a place for he and his family to live.

John joined the committee of the newly formed Society in 2004 and since then has had various roles including Treasurer, Membership Secretary and now Chair. In 2012 he retired from a job in the charity sector, giving him more time to contribute to the Society and help try and make a difference to life in Hartford.

Secretary

Dr John Swaffield MBE

John and his wife Merle moved to Hartford in 1995. Originally from the South Coast, John has lived in several locations around the UK and moved to this area when his employment brought him to Liverpool.

Having happened upon Hartford by chance, the uniqueness of the village and the need to protect its characteristics going forward only became apparent after taking up residence. Initial plans to return South after retirement were swiftly ditched! He joined the Civic Society in 2005, shortly after it was formed, following an appeal for a Secretary – a position he has held ever since.

John has been instrumental in delivering a number of community projects and initiatives over the years and continues to seek opportunities for making Hartford a great place to live.

Publicity Officer

Jo Mitton

Jo has lived in Hartford since 1975 and has seen quite a number of changes during that time. She remarks it is good to see we have kept our parade of shops, but a pity we lost a really good college, where she studied Business Studies.

Jo currently works for a Global Facilities Management Company in Compliance and Safety.

Website Editor

Geoff Wilde

Geoff spent 40 years in IT with Barclays Bank and J D Williams before retiring. He has been a Trustee of the Civic Society for the past 15 years and organised the monthly litter picks for more than ten years.

As Website Editor, Geoff was responsible for setting up and developing the content for the Society's extensive website and continues to contribute to its ongoing management and maintenance.

In addition to the online library, Geoff has also set up a physical library of books of local interest, which are available for people to borrow.

Supporter Secretary

Mike Sterry

Mike moved to Hartford, with his family, in 2012 to be closer to work as an Air Traffic Controller at Liverpool Airport.

The family all became members of the Civic Society shortly after.

Mike volunteered to become Membership Secretary in 2022, soon developing this role into Supporter Secretary, to more accurately reflect the part our members, now supporters play.

He continues to look for new ways to encourage Hartford Residents to support the Society's many projects and aims.

Tell your family, friends and neighbours!

Trustee

Rita Hollens BEM

Additional information to follow.

Trustee

Brian Evans

Brian was raised in Sandiway and has lived locally for most of his life. He moved into Hartford with his young family in 1980.

Several years ago he joined the Civic Society having always had a keen interest in the development and improvements of the village particularly having spent his whole career working nationally in all aspects of the construction industry.

Brian hopes to see and enjoy the ongoing improvement of the social ambience within the village Hartford

Trustee

Mike Pinchien

Mike was born in Lancashire but has lived in Cheshire for most of the time. He moved to Hartford in 2008 and joined the Civic Society in order to meet people. It soon became obvious that the Society is an effective body to make things happen for the good of the village. As a trustee, Mike has a variety of responsibilities including project work and organising coach trips.

After a 30 year stint in publishing, redundancy created a career opportunity and the remaining 17 years were spent working in care at a residential home. Mike's interests include football, music, travel, nature and walking with his dog.

Mike's daughter Heather is an active supporter who project leads various initiatives, particularly those where photography and design are important.

Trustee

Patricia Parkes

Additional information to follow.

Trustee

Jean Pritchett

Additional information to follow.

Supporter & Project Leader

Heather Pinchien

Heather moved to Hartford in 2008, she thinks Hartford is a lovely place to live and wants to help keep it that way!

Heather cares very much about where she lives and is proud to support the society. She initially started to do specific pieces of work for the society, such as displays and calendars. A couple of years ago, after her dad Mike had a hip operation, she took him to meetings and also attended. She was quickly persuaded to become a project leader and tells us that the trustees are a friendly bunch who all care about where they live!

Heather has since lead the Hartford i Spy booklet project. She runs competitions, helps organise the society’s stands at the Picnic in the Park and Christmas Fayre.

Heather enjoys looking after her two rabbits and dog, camping, birds, wildlife, nature and photography…oh and Scotland!

Trustee

Lorna Byrne

Having spent 25 years living and working away from the area, Lorna has developed an even greater appreciation of Hartford village life.

She has run her own communications and community engagement business since 2012. Working on a part-time basis gives her time to indulge her passions for wildlife and the great outdoors by volunteering at Marshall's Arm Local Nature Reserve and various other local green spaces.

She and her husband Michael were honoured to rehome a retired Guide Dog called Yazz in 2023, so they are often seen out and about with her, walking around the village.

About

Cherish the past

Protect the future

Our Achievements

Keeping up appearances

Enhancing our environment

Contributing to the development of new facilities

Current Opportunities

Our Events

Our Organisation

Get to Know Us

Trustees & Key Supporters

Our
Organisation