Because there is so much happening in the next coming months I have created and extra issue for June.
Taunton Transition AGM - Saturday 23rd June
"Taunton Transition - home to growing ideas"TTT's 3rd ever formal AGM this coming Saturday 23 June, (our usual drop in date) at Friends Meeting House. I suggest we do the AGM bit at about 11.45am and stay for a spot of shared pot-luck picnic lunch afterwards, so bring a little something for the table if you would like.
Any reports mentioned will be provided or collectively created on the day.
Venue: Friends' Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton
Time: 10:30-12:30 with pot-luck lunch afterwards.
Bring food, and especially ideas.
Organic Herb Trading Company Festival - 30th June
Fantastic Festival coming up based in Milverton.... get information on how to get there on the website and I recommend you book as tickets are going fast- http://www.organicherbtrading.com/festival-open-day-and-party.
Tasty organic food lined up:
The Story are bringing quality burgers and sausages from their Chew Valley farm, we'll have a vegetarian tent with wraps, falafels and cream teas, Georgio's sourdough pizzas cooked on-site in his
woodfired oven, Naoko's vegan sushi and Tracebridge Sourdough's sticky buns and cakes
Explore the herb field – with a guide, or on a beginner’s treasure hunt
The first screening of Purple Field Productions' new film Ulimi Mchuma Chatu, about farming in rural subsistence
communities in Malawi
Have a go at beatboxing, juggling, pottery, pilates, handling a bird of prey or flying on a trapeze
All-day organic bar with ales from Exeter Brewery and Bath Ales, cider from Honey & Rose plus organic wine, spirits and cordials
Marketplace of myriad crafts, organically-raised plants, natural beauty products and locally grown vegetables
Engage with the pressing questions for organic food production, with
· Peter Melchett, Policy Director at the Soil Association
· Robin Maynard, founder member of Our Forests
· Lawrence Woodward, former director of the Organic Research Centre
· Harriet Lamb from the Fairtrade Foundation
· Charles Dowding, champion of ‘no dig’ gardening
· Craig Sams, founder of Green & Black’s
· Peter Segger, owner of Britain’s first carbon negative farm
10Radio: community radio for the ten parishes, offering you the chance to play DJ, roving reporter or star singer
A healing area of reiki, shiatsu, aromatherapy, herbalism and homeopathy
Watch demonstrations of chainsaw-carving, compost-toilet-building, stone-sculpting and tincture-making
Art exhibition of paintings, drawings, photographs and sculpture
Music from 7.30pm: Friendly Folk ceilidh band, beatboxers yasSon and Beat6, and Bristol reggae legends Laid Blak
DJs into the night: Halium Hi-fi and Arthur Needlefluff
All profits to
· Rosalina’s Balwadi, a small pre-school in Goa
· Purple Field Productions, creating educational and humanitarian films for development
Duathalon and Family Fun Day - Sunday 1st July
Take part in the duathalon (of an indoor row and an outdoor run) organised by the Friends of Longrun Meadow or just come along for a fun packed day of activities.
Venue: Longrun Meadow, between French Weir Park and the back of Somerset College
Time: From 10am
- rowing
- canoeing
- rock-climbing
- archery
- mountain biking
- power kites
- orienteering
- fencing
- hog roast
- bar
- Treasure Hunt
- Face Painting!
Sign up at : http://longrunmeadow.com/index.php/duathlon-challenge-and-fun-day-sunday-1st-july-2012/
Guerilla Gardening - Saturday 7th July
Meet up at the Brewhouse at 10.30 for a session of guerilla gardening and beautifying of the area along the Tone (wherever feasible). We will be:
- Picking up litter
- Improving neglected borders (if you know anywhere please let us know)
- Planting edibles and improving the Childrens' Wood area
More on the gardening theme as we expand our horizons to help celebrate Taunton In Bloom by planting up the old aviary in Vivary Park.
Thanks to the Taunton In Bloom committee for suggesting this site (no it is not what is shown in the picture, I know) and the parks people for digging the space over already... phew!
We plan to get some planting in there a little earlier to give us a headstart but if anyone can come along on the day to give us a hand planting then we would be grateful. Unfortunately at the moment we have not planned exact times but expect to get planting around 10.30am to maybe 1pm.
The aim is to make use of the sheltered site surrounded by picnic tables to provide a pleasing and a surprisingly edible border. We have a little budget to get it started but would welcome any plants that kind of fit into our theme.... pretty edibles, bee-friendly plants, perennial pretty vegetables (after all this is for Taunton In Bloom), and hardy herbs..
If you would like to get involved then please contact me Vicky Briggs - shuunyanet@gmail.com
Guerilla Gardening in Comeytrowe Neighbourhood Park - Saturday 14th July
Your park needs your help and your park can help you!
The budget for Parks and Open Spaces has been reduced considerably which means that we can expect to see a deterioration in the appearance of these spaces. Now, we can all sit back and complain, or we can take action.
A few local residents would like to take responsibility for tidying up the Neighboughhood Park at the far end of College Way and Taunton Deane have agreed that we can clear some of the weeds, plant wild flowers, bluebells, primrose, daffodils, etc. to improve the appearance of this lovely wildlife area in our parish. Jean and co have already made great bounds into the clearing areas to encourage new growth and planting up some beautiful foxgloves which for me are the epitome of English countryside.
Now for the bonus. The Deane has also agreed that we can create a large community vegetable/fruit patch at one end of the park and plant a few fruit trees. This would be for the benefit of everyone.
Last Saturday we started with the weeding and the building of the first vegetable bed.... We thought we had dug a grave for a giant... you just have to go to Comeytrowe Neighbourhood Park to see it!
After some feedback at the Sustainability Show we might change a few things... remember this is an experiment that might not work and we have to be flexible.
Anyway there will be more planting, probably more digging (sorry guys) and more making this local park bonny and beautiful.
Digging starts 10.30am
Meet-up at the park gates at the far end of College Way.
Bring gloves and trowels if you have them (and a picnic if you like). Make it a family outing.
Think how much we could achieve if 100 people turned up!
Find out more from: Jean Watson Tel: 282413
Incredible Edible Somerset Summer Conference - Saturday 14th July
Unfortunately a clash of diaries here.....
Somerset Community Food will be celebrating the lessons & achievements of the Somerset Land & Food Project, which has taken place over the last three years and the day will be a chance to plan the next steps for Somerset.
 |
| Mary Clear - from the Incredible Edible Todmorden site 'If you eat, you're in' |
Take part in skillshares and discussions and enjoy a locally grown lunch as well as refreshments throughout the day.
Where: Paddington Farm, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8JN.
When: Saturday 14th July 2012. Registration from 9.30am. Finishes at 5pm, with afterparty details to be announced.
Cost: £15. Concessionary places are available for £5 for individuals in receipt of state benefits such Job Seekers Allowance.
FFI contact Nicole - nicole.vosper@somersetcommunityfood.org.uk . All information will be confidential. The cost includes a delicious local lunch & refreshments throughout the day.
Book online here: http://www.somersetcommunityfood.org.uk/index.php?page=book-now
The 2012 Transition Network Conference - 14th-16th September
Another one for your calendars in the 2012 Transition Network conference
at the Battersea Arts Centre in London. Having been to the 2011 conference I can thoroughly recommend it for great insights, a chance to really get involved and a chance to be amongst people who really care about change in society.
News
Regeneration for Real : on the Ground and in Your Mind
"Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning." C.S. Lewis
Rob as per normal has provided a little review and some recordings of the proceedings which you can find on his enjoyable blog Transition Culture. I fully recommend listening to the inspirational talks from each of the speakers to get the full picture.
Rob Hopkins approached the topic by giving a little resume of what Transition is all about and focusing on the Atmos Project in Totnes where they are using the community to bring a derelict site back into use making it the heart of the community! This really is regeneration for real.
Tim Smit angle on the topic was more in terms of regenerating the mind - inspiring a culture of change and choosing your language carefully - what about aspirational housing rather than affordable or sustainable... building basic housing with few rooms but planning permission to expand... then it is up to the individual to learn how to upgrade their house and learn new skills in the process. His talk was hugely entertaining in that it sprawled over numerous topics which somehow fitted together hence some rather random ideas circulated. One interesting idea he cited was of a Chicago park that was restored where the net outcome of it's regeneration far out-weighed the initial cost. So around the park you found that crime and suicide rates came down, and health improved.
Kevin McCloud picked up on this idea of how to measure the good that can be done in a community by regenerating, planting up and generally making green our environment. He mentioned that as part of his Swindon housing project created by HAB (Happiness, Architecture, Beauty) they planted £40,000 worth of trees and vegetable beds that was worked out to be worth £500,000 - money being the only thing it seems that government can understand. It is pleasing that Kevin McCloud's HAB housing is making great in roads into housing that just might stand a chance of working for the community; it has taken the time to create local stories and narratives that fit people into their community, creating the charming 'fruity streets' and all through local consultation.
You could take away from these 3 great speakers that the future was bright; there were some developers out there truly listening, finally with some much needed shake up of the building regulations by 2016 all new builds would have to be carbon neutral and the Housing and Communities Agency had to make land available at affordable rates.
Cycling Cinema
Just a few pictures of the hugely enjoyable cycling cinema organized by Moving Somerset Forward... if you weren't there come along next year!
Sustainability Show
Hopefully you came along to this hugely entertaining event... did you get your picture taken with the thermal imaging camera and sign yourself up to a free thermal image of your house!
Here are just a few pictures from the day.
A huge thank you to the organizers at Queens College for offering the space at this fun event....
Share A Car
Ever thought about sharing your car with someone else or maybe renting a car up your street well maybe we have found the scheme for you.
From the website www.whipcar.com you can find out if there is someone in your area from whom you could rent a car or for you to rent out your car. Its such an obvious thing to do! Good if you only use your car occasionally.
www.whipcar.com
Of course you could also just rent a car by the hour through our very own Co-Cars... conveniently situated by Taunton Deane offices it offers a good deal if you just use a car for the odd trip. www.co-cars.co.uk.
Inspiration
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