Hucknall Against Whyburn Farm
Development
Let our voices be heard
Performed on Saturday 18th April 2026
1pm at The Pit in Newstead
Enjoy a good old singsong?
Hucknall Against Whyburn Farm
Development
Let our voices be heard
Performed on Saturday 18th April 2026
1pm at The Pit in Newstead
We held a mass "flash mob" style event, singing, playing and filming Louise Cooke's wonderful adaptation of
Ewan MaColl's "Manchester Rambler"
Now "The Hucknall Rambler", we used the wonderful backdrop view of the Nottinghamshire countryside from The Pit in Newstead.
Tilford Road, Newstead Village, NG15 0BU
The winner of our song writing competition to the tune of The Manchester Rambler sometimes known as simply "I'm a Rambler", is:
Louise Cooke
Our thanks to Carolyn Talkes-Nicholls for selecting the winner
(Hucknall Community Choir, Torkard Ensemble, Cantiamo)
We'd like to thank everyone who entered the competition, the standard was so incredibly high that we'll be producing a compilation from the entries in the form of a collection of verse.
Across our county of Nottinghamshire, developers, local councils, communities and wildlife are at odds with each other looking for profit, convenience, urgently needed housing and quality of life.
The Manchester Rambler song by Ewan MacColl was inspired by community action to open up the Peak District from restricted access to the Country Park it is today.
There must be a compromise somewhere to satisfy all parties. Do we really need to sacrifice wildlife habitat, food production and wellbeing when alternatives could be available?
We would like to thank the MacColl family
who have given their best wishes to the HAWFD campaign and kind permission to run this competition, and congratulations to Louise for such lovely words
The Hucknall Rambler
by Louise Cooke
Their ashes were cast, linking present to past, our ancestors call us from yonder
They witnessed the dawn, watched the sun going down, this sacred space was theirs to ponder
These hills were their permanent pillow, they slumber in nature’s pure bed
Now everyone knows that it’s green belt, but some call it grey belt instead
We’re ramblers and amblers from old Hucknall Town
We get so much pleasure from roaming around
They’re trying to put up more homes, and take away our right to roam
Now the kestrel and kite make a wonderful sight in the mist on the Misk in the morn
And the roebucks and hares, have been prancing in pairs, for centuries before we were born
But soon we’ll have bulldozers digging, cos the builders can’t get in their heads
That everyone knows that it’s green belt, though they call it grey belt instead
We’re ramblers and amblers from old Hucknall Town
We get so much pleasure from roaming around
They’re trying to put up more homes, and take away our right to roam
Now Byron can’t rest, because old Grannie’s steps, will soon be a thing of the past
And Lawrence must part, with the land of his heart, he should have known it wouldn’t last
Their writings they left us a-plenty, and unto this land they are wed
Because even they knew that it’s green belt, though some call it grey belt instead
We’re ramblers and amblers from old Hucknall Town
We get so much pleasure from roaming around
They’re trying to put up more homes, and take away our right to roam
Now our doctors prescribe, cos of where we reside, a wonderful wellbeing walk
Where the birds sing along, to our soul’s hopeful song, and there’s never a reason to talk
But soon all we’ll hear is the rumble, of machinery where once birds fed
Cos though we all know that it’s green belt, some call it grey belt instead
We’re ramblers and amblers from old Hucknall Town
We get so much pleasure from roaming around
They’re trying to put up more homes, and take away our right to roam
Now there’s plenty to fear, as the deadline draws near, for our green hills and old Whyburn Farm
But by working as one, as we all sing this song, we can try to save wildlife from harm
We’ll carry on waving our banner, where in black and white can be read
Everyone knows that it’s green belt, so don’t call it grey belt instead
We’re ramblers and amblers from old Hucknall Town
We get so much pleasure from roaming around
They’re trying to put up more homes, and take away our right to roam