Successful AGM on 30/7/16
Apologies for the long break in putting any news on the website – the day job has been pretty hectic. However, CCIS had its first AGM on Saturday 30th July, and everyone considered it a success. It was held at Norton Community Hall north of Doncaster and just a couple of miles from the storage location of much of the mining equipment purchased by NCCC using CCIS shareholders’ investment. A visit was organised prior to the AGM to enable members to see the equipment “close up”, with Bill Birch and Jonathan Clarke from NCCC on hand to explain what it was all for!
At the AGM itself, Bill give a comprehensive summary of where NCCC has got to and what the plans are for the coming months. More news will follow here shortly.
Fencing going up around site – 3/12/15
Good progress has been made with the fencing around the site. Here’s Tim Oscko looking very pleased with his fencing! Work will also start soon constructing a good quality diversion for the permissive bridlepath.
CCIS share money used to buy 2nd hand equipment – 30/11/15
Nearly all of the £165,000 loaned by CCIS to NCCC so far has been used to purchase 2nd hand mining equipment from Hatfield, Kellingley and elsewhere. This has enabled NCCC to significantly lower the capital required to start mining. Here are some examples of what has been obtained.
Phase 2 share offer – 5/10/15
Since the official closure of the Community Share offer in June, there have continued to be inquiries about the possibility of investing. The CCIS Directors have therefore decided to re-open the share offer as Phase 2, with the intention of continuing to broaden the level of community engagement and involvement, and support NCCC in their preparatory and pre-commencement work. The terms are very similar to the earlier offer (Phase 1), and will remain open until NCCC start to drive the drifts, which is now expected to be spring/summer 2016. The website, the offer document and the application form have all been updated to reflect this second Phase.
Phase 1 shares – 5/10/15
A large proportion of the £167,000 raised in Phase 1 of the Community Share offer has now been loaned to NCCC to enable them to purchase 2nd hand equipment from some of the recently closed collieries. This had the full backing of the CCIS members and enabled NCCC to take full advantage of an incredible opportunity.
Share offer closes with £167,000 – 5/7/15
Our first Community Share Offer closed on 30th June with £167,000 . Many thanks to all those who have joined us on the journey and invested in the future of British coal mining, particularly at a time when all other remaining pits are closing. Although it is well short of the target of £1 million, it is still an important part of the total package, and we are delighted that we will be able to assist NCCC in getting the project started.
More information will follow soon about the developments at NCCC and details of the loan.
Article in Materials World – 3/7/15
The latest article about NCCC to appear is in the magazine of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining. It is titled “Bucking the trend” and is available here.
Social Investors confirm £2.5 million loan! – 16/6/15
At a meeting in London today, Social and Sustainable Capital agreed to loan NCCC £2.5 million pounds towards the start-up costs of the mine. It is expected that this will lead the way for other social investors to make a further £1.8 million available in loans, and we hope to be able to make other announcements soon regarding asset finance deals and a contract for the coal.
Hopefully this news will increase the level of confidence in the project and and encourage more community investors to purchase community shares in CCIS to become part of the NCCC journey. If you haven’t already invested, please get in touch. If you already have shares, then spread the word.
Latest news article in Big Issue magazine – 18/5/15
This might seem like a surprising place to have an article about the mine, but in fact Big Issue Invest (the investment arm of the organisation) are looking seriously at investing money into the mine! We will hopefully have more definite news on the investment and starting date soon. The article is available here.
Paper presented at Midland Institute of Mining Engineers: Safety Symposium. Sheffield – 10/4/15
“A New Ventilation Method for a Thin Seam Room and Pillar Coal Mine.” Alan Bilton & Bill Tonks
The paper is available with low resolution graphics here. For a high resolution copy, please contact the CCIS office (info@ccis.uk.com).
Special Report on ITV’s Calendar programme – 17/04/15
This isn’t as exciting as it sounds! Several hours filming for what turned out to be a 30 second soundbite. And not a particularly good one at that! Oh well, they say any publicity is good publicity. You can view it here – the part about Crofton starts 3min 20sec into the piece, which is mainly about Kellingley.
Wakefield Cathedral. Display of NCCC & CCIS information – 13-17/4/15
We are really grateful to Bishop Nick for the support in enabling us to put up this exhibition for a few days. If you live or work in Wakefield, then please do pop along and have a look.
Midland Institute of Mining Engineers: Safety Symposium. Sheffield – 10/4/15
Well done to Alan Bilton and Bill Tonks for a great paper on the mine and the novel ventilation system being proposed.
We hope to have a copy of the paper available here soon.
Wakefield Express Article on CCIS & NCCC – 6/4/15
A good article in the local paper which covers the mine location of Crofton, just SE of Wakefield here. But why couldn’t they get Toby’s name right?!
The Independent Article on NCCC – 29/3/15
Another positive (if short) article in the press here. Not everything has been accurately report, but it’s not too bad!
Yorkshire Post Article on NCCC – 25/3/15
You can read the very positive article in the Yorkshire Post here.
CCIS: Share Offer Update – 24/3/15
So far the share offer in support of New Crofton Co-op Colliery has raised over £100,000 which is really encouraging, but we are still well short of our target of £1 million. The mine is not dependent on CCIS’s contribution and is making real progress with other funders towards the required amount. However, CCIS would like to support NCCC as much as we can, so the directors have decided to keep the offer open until 30th June 2015. All applications received before the original closing date (31st March) will have their interest calculated annually on the 31st March. For applications received between the 31st March and 30th June 2015, their interest will be calculated on 30th June each year.
I am also pleased to tell you that the directors have also decided to increase the target interest rate by 1% to Base Rate + 5.5% (6% at current rates). This will apply to all existing shareholders, and we hope it will encourage future investors.
CCIS: At “Banners Held High” event – 7/3/15
CCIS was promoting the mine and the share offer at this significant event at Unity Works in Wakefield, marking the 30th anniversary of the end of the Miners’ strike. A lot of people expressed surprise and joy that the mine was slowly becoming a reality. We have already had significant investment in the share offer through this event. Many thanks for the support in helping us keep coal mining alive in West Yorkshire.
CCIS: Share Offer Meeting – 6/1/15
The meeting in Garforth last night (5/1/15) went very well, with 25 attending and asking lots of good questions. There was a real sense of excitement and good will towards the objectives of the share offer, and a number of commitments were made.
I am also pleased to announce the out CCIS’s bank account is now fully activated and able to receive BACS transfers for payment of shares. Bank details are on the application form.
CCIS: Community Share Offer to invest in NCCC opens – 31/12/14
At last – the Share Offer Document is printed, the bank account is set-up, and the Offer is open! The Offer Document and Application Form are available elsewhere on the website. The Offer closes on 31st March 2015.
For those who live locally to Garforth/Leeds there is an opportunity to hear more about the NCCC project, and ask questions about how to invest, on Monday 5th January from 7.30pm. It will be at our friends’ the social enterprise coffee house called Cielo, on Garforth Main Street (No. 41, opposite the Post Office). Coffee is free! Please let us know if you intend coming (info@ccis.uk.com).
1st Project: NCCC Update – 24/11/14
NCCC features in Newsweek in a very supportive main article! Read the article here:
The proposed site for the construction of The New Crofton Co-operative Colliery (NCCC) near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, sits literally and figuratively on a watershed. Its founder, Bill Birch, stands with one booted foot either side of a boundary line only he can see; on one side, rain water flows west into shallow gravel ponds, a breeding ground for the endangered great crested newt. And on the other, it flows east towards the old mining village of Nostall with Ryhill, Havercroft and Wintersett to the south……..
1st Project: NCCC Update – 14/11/14
CCIS Director and NCCC Founder Member Toby White has recently written and article about the New Crofton mine (CCIS’s 1st project) for World Coal magazine (October 2014 issue). It outlines the data used to determine the reserves and describes the planned method of extraction.
A copy of the paper is available to download here.
1st Project: NCCC Update – 14/11/14
CCIS Director Toby White & NCCC MD Bill Birch will be attending the Living With Minerals 5 conference in London on Monday 17th November 2015. As part of the networking, there will be plenty of opportunity to spread the word about the mine and about the Community Share Issue which will shortly be available.