Seasons Greetings and welcome supporters to our final newsletter of 2025. In this update:
- Update from all at Danes Moss Trust
- Species of the month: Drinker Moth
- Funding news!
- Last minute Christmas shopping – don’t forget our Teemill shop!
- Celebrating our volunteers
- Upcoming events & activities
Dear friends and supporters,
2025 was our first year as a charity, the Danes Moss Trust. This change means that we are not simply a campaign. We are advocates for a better future for Danes Moss and everyone who lives around this special landscape.
In June, Cheshire East Council confirmed that the plan for a large development on Danes Moss would be withdrawn. That’s good news but it does not mean that Danes Moss is saved. A review into the future of the site is underway. Danes Moss Trust is hopeful to be fully involved in this process but we cannot say what the outcome will be. Development on Danes Moss has not been ruled out by the Council. We remain clear that no development should take place on Danes Moss or any other peatland.
Additionally, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is now law, the government having rejected most of the amendments proposed by nature experts. We believe this law is an attempt to sideline the protection of nature so that short term economic growth can be achieved. We fully concur with the Wildlife Trusts who called this out as a “shameful step back for nature”, read more analysis here.
So, the SAVE DANES MOSS campaign continues. But behind the scenes, most of our work is actually educational as we continue to develop ways for people to engage with the biodiversity on site. Work also continues on producing a wider vision for Danes Moss – not just Danes Moss North which was threatened by development most recently. The Danes Moss peatland is expansive and has huge potential to become a much more wildlife rich landscape where carbon is once more drawn down from the air and the peat is no longer drained. We look forward to developing this vision alongside the people who live next to Danes Moss.
Thank you to everyone who has given their time and efforts to defending Danes Moss. Time to slow down now, have a wonderful Christmas and celebrate the New Year.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
From all at Danes Moss Trust
Species of the month: Drinker Moth
We have over 450 species of moth recorded on Danes Moss so far. For this species we have been able to find both the caterpillar and the adult to really highlight what a transformation they undergo in their lives. Drinker moths use a variety of grasses for their caterpillars to feed on, the one we found was feeding on Reed Canary Grass.
Many of our larger UK moths have fascinating names that are often from the Victorian era. The Drinker gets its name from the caterpillar which is supposed to have a liking for drops of dew.
The adults fly in July and August. The Drinker Moth is fairly widespread in the UK and are very fond of marshy places, so is very much at home on the Moss.
Funding news!
Since becoming a charity at the beginning of the year we’ve been identifying funding sources that can support us to develop Danes Moss Trust and ensure that the Danes Moss peatlands are restored and conserved for current and future generations to enjoy. We’re excited to announce that our efforts are starting to pay off! We’ve secured £19,900 from the National Lottery Community Fund to support our work and engagement activities, as well as a small grant from the William Dean Countryside and Educational Trust.
We’d also like to say a massive thank-you to all of our supporters who bought Danes Moss Christmas Cards this year. Around 2,000 cards will be spreading our message this Christmas, and sales will raise in the region of £1700 for our work. With massive thank-you to Jill Kerr Linocuts, who in support of our campaign generously allowed us to use two of her stunning works of art: Longtailed Tits in Frost and Blackbird in Snow. Both birds are regularly seen on the Moss.
Last minute Christmas shopping – don’t forget our Teemill shop!
You can support Danes Moss with your last minute Christmas shopping. Head over to our Teemill store to check out all the Save Danes Moss merchandise – printed to order on natural materials, using renewable energy and paper packaging. There’s still time with priority shipping orders available for Christmas until 22 December!
Celebrating our volunteers
Local people volunteering their time has powered our campaign from the start and we remain a charity entirely supported by the work of volunteers. As we approach the end of 2025 we want to say a massive thank-you to everyone who has supported our work this year – and we’ve asked some of our volunteers to share their stories of being involved in this blog here
Events & activities coming up!
We may rapidly be approaching the end of the year but there’s still time to catch-up with us in person.
- Sunday 21 December, 10-15.30 our monthly stall at Treacle Market in St Michael’s Churchyard. Come join us for festive chat and free children’s activities!
- Visit the Save Danes Moss Christmas Tree at Macclesfield Christmas Tree Event, Christ Church. Thursdays & Fridays 6-8pm and Sundays 2.30-6.30pm until 21 December.
See you in 2026!
