November Transition
"Local enterprises are more likely to employ local people, provide services to improve the local quality of life, spend money locally and so circulate wealth in the community, promote community cohesion and, by reducing transportation of goods from across communities, are likely to have a smaller environmental footprint”.
Ward, B, Lewis, J. (2002) The Money Trail. New Economics Foundation
Welcome to the November newsletter.
Remember you can always catch up on the website - http://transitiontowns.org/Taunton/ until the 31st December when Taunton Transition Town will be moving over to the new, super-duper Transition Network - http://www.transitionnetwork.org/cms/taunton. It is not ready yet but do have a look around the rest of the Transition Network site and sign up.... it is a great resource and there is plenty of opportunity to discuss Transition topics with like-minded people!
I always need input, news and events to update this newletter. If you know of any events or have news about Transition please email me, Vicky Briggs on shuunyanet@gmail.com by the 19th of the month for publication on the 20th or there abouts.
There are some new ways to follow what we are doing. Join our Facebook Group , find out what we are up to on the blog, or follow us on Twitter.
Events
This months Transition Drop-In Cafe looks again at the new Taunton Living Landscape Scheme.. Learning from the Land have some have some great events this month and Transition Athelney are hosting permaculture guru Aranya to introduce the course that will be run in the new year.
News
Wish to cut back on your car usage then maybe the new car club is for you..... Find out how you can invest in the land with the Land for Food scheme.
Permaculture Talk - 22nd November
Aranya of Designed Visions (strongly recommended by Patrick Whitefield) is giving a talk about Permaculture at North Curry village hall next Monday evening, (22nd November, 7.30pm). All are welcome.
It is a stand-alone event, but Aranya will also be outlining his 2011 training.
This builds on the basic introduction provided by Mark West earlier this year. Permaculture is a key ingredient, and inspiration behind Transition. It is an utterly practical approach, helping us to avoid waste of time, money and precious resources.
Do come and bring a friend!
Organised by Transition Athelney
Buy Nothing Day- 27th November
Lock up your wallets and purses, cut up your credit cards and dump the love of your life - shopping.
Buy Nothing Day is on 27th November this year..... toddle along to www.buynothingday.co.uk to find out more....
As consumers we need to question the products we buy and challenge the companies who produce them. What are the true risks to the environment and developing countries? We all know recycling is OK for the environment, but consuming less is better and Buy Nothing Day is a great way to start!
Taunton Transition Drop-In - 27th November
Venue: Friends' Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton.
Time: 10.30am-12.30pm
A Talk on the Taunton Living Landscape Scheme
Somerset Wildlife Trust is the county’s leading nature conservation charity, with over 20,500 members. Our vision is for a Living Landscape in Somerset, a natural environment rich in wildlife, sustained and cared for by all, within which people enjoy happy, healthy and prosperous lives. We work at all levels to educate and inspire people about wildlife. The Trust manages over 80 nature reserves, part of the backbone of Somerset’s living landscape, and works with partners, landowners, members, and volunteers to restore, recreate and reconnect wildlife habitat throughout town and countryside. Our work will allow wildlife to thrive in our county. Through town and village, along hedgerow and verge, through field and garden, down the coast and over the hills, a riot of life, colour and sounds for all to enjoy.
But just what is a “Living Landscape”? What does one look like, how do you achieve it, and what benefits does it bring? Michelle Osbourn from Somerset Wildlife Trust will cover all this and more on Saturday 27th.
Plus all the usual catch up on all things Transition.... interested in finding out about Taunton Living Landscape Scheme or just a chance to find out about what we do come along to the Friends'Meeting House, Bath Place.
Have a Handmade Christmas - Make, Do and Mend
This November we invite you to make your own Saltdough gifts and decorations with us . This traditional folk craft is a cheap and easy way to create endless designs, bringing added cheer to any home.
Alternatively bring your current project, gift ideas or mending along to Friends Meeting House, Bath Place from 2-5pm on the 27th.
Please note this will be the last Make, Do and Mend session of the year as our usual timing in December falls on Christmas day. We will be back on January 22nd with a Swapshop Extraordinaire - so look out and bring all your unwanted presents, clothes and books etc. and turn your cast-offs into something more desirable.
We are currently looking for people to help out both with informal skill shares and general tea making. If you can help please email Pixie:tauntontransitiontown@live.co.uk
Grassroots Social Enterprise Network - 25th November
GRASSROOTS Social Enterprise Network (Somerset) will be holding its first meeting on the afternoon of Thursday 25th November at Great Bow Wharf in Langport, Somerset.
If you are a social enterprise in Somerset, or interested in setting one up, please join us! This is a free event.
The meeting will be addressed by Howard Moorey from the Hojomo group in Gloucester as follows:
“HAVE A JELLY TO COMMUNICATE & CONNECT”
Why? Because if you are a Social Enterprise, or you are trying to go it alone, you need your own Network. Social Networking is a great tool, but it doesn’t satisfy the human soul in quite the same way as meeting in 3D. Howard has been running Jelly events since April in Gloucester, Cheltenham & Stroud.
(In Stroud they use the Social Enterprise Centre, with publicity through Social Media & bookings on the Net, free of charge, through Eventbrite.com, it really helps to put the Centre on the map, drawing people in who didn’t know it was there, and giving it free advertising to the business community with Twitter & Facebook coverage before & after each fortnightly event. This can only be to the Centre’s advantage, when they have “Hot Desks” available to rent on a daily or monthly basis……….)
The afternoon will also include a chance to get to know each and what we do, as well as a guided tour of Great Bow Wharf and the amenities available there.
To book your place for this free event, please email Lindy Booth at: lindy@cascadetrainingplus.co.uk
Please extend an invite to the event to other social enterprises & interested parties.
Further information about the Grassroots Network which is funded by the Empowering Communities Development Fund and South West Foundation, can be found at: http://www.cascadetrainingplus.co.uk/?Grassroots_Network
The Power of Fire - 28th November
Learning from the Land are holding another great event on Sunday 28th November - The Power of Fire..... A day to explore the energy of fire from rocket stoves to gasifier, wood-filled kiln to making charcoal.... Lots of fun for the family.
2- 5pm
Free Entry.
On Friday 26 November Secret Meadow are receiving delivery of enough tiny trees from Kittisford Trees man, Richard Wood (yes, his real name!), to plant a hedge to mark a border. If you are interested in learning how to put one in and are willing to give a hand, please bring a shovel, wellies, wet weather gear and the good folks at Learning from the Land will feed you hot chocolate!
Please let them know if you are interested and able so I know who might be turning up.
01823 400696
nicky@learningfromtheland.co.uk
Secret Meadow, Nr Milverton, TA4 1QE, www.learningfromtheland.co.uk
Can We Feed Ourselves and Keep Bio-Diversity in Nature- 11th January 2011
One date to put into your diary early is the talk by Patrick Holden director of the Soil Association. Come along and listen and give your views in a discussion after.
Patrick Holden was brought up in London. He visited a dairy farm near Epping aged five and decided he wanted to milk cows. He studied biodynamic agriculture at Emerson College in 1972 and started a community farm in West Wales in 1973.
The 93 hectare mixed organic farm is now the longest established organic dairy farm in Wales, with a herd of 65 Ayrshire cows - the milk from which is being made into an unpasteurised cheese by his son Sam. Patrick still milks his cows at weekends.
He has worked for the Soil Association since 1988 and as Director since 1995. During that period income has risen from £200,000 to £10 million and sales of organic food from £50 million to £2 billion.
He is a regular broadcaster and speaker and was responsible for Tony and Pat Archer's conversion in 1985 and still advises for the Archers on matters organic. He was awarded the CBE for services to organic farming in 2005.
The evening is organised jointly by Somerset Wildlife Trust and Taunton Transition Town.
Somerset Land for Food
Buy a piece of Somerset for Christmas!
A new scheme has been launched to help people in Somerset buy land for food production.
A share offer has been issued for Somerset Land For Food a new non-profit society which raises money to buy land for growing food. An undersupply of allotments and the expense of buying cultivatable land can frustrate the ambitions of community groups or smallholders who want to produce more food locally. When land does come up for sale at auction, it may take a community group too long to organise fund-raising, thereby missing the chance to bid.
Now people have a chance to invest in shares in Somerset Land for Food, a Community Benefit Society, creating a pot of available money to bid for land as soon as it becomes available for sale.
This is how it works:
the share offer is open to investments in shares of between min.£100 – max £20,000 (people can group together to buy shares e.g. 5x £20)
share capital is used to buy land, which is then rented at low rates by SLFF to community groups or growers wishing to produce local food
tenants may eventually buy the land outright, releasing more capital for further land purchase
the use of the land is protected in law – it may only be used to grow food
shareholders can withdraw their capital after a minimum of 2 years, or begin to be paid interest of 2% on their investment
The target for the share issue is £100,000 to start the community land pool in Somerset. If less capital is raised, the company will buy less land.
The share offer closes on 30th November 2010. For more information and for a share application form, visit www.wessexca.co.uk or call one of SFFL’s Directors:
Kim Robinson (Chair) 01749 689037
Paul and Sarah Sander-Jackson (Secretary) 01458 833489
Jane Birch 01823 442442
Peter Millar 01458 223444
Dan Keech 01373 451402
If you are interested but cannot manage £100 why don't you think about investing with others in a group organised by Taunton Transition Town. We are gathering a group that are interested in investing £20 each. If you are interested please contact Vicky Briggs - shuunyanet@gmail.com .... We will be getting together at our drop-in on the 27th to gather a few interested parties together and sign the documents.... As the deadline has been put back we have a little more time to gather together.
Invest in some land for food production today!
Taunton has a car club!
Taunton Transition Town are really proud to have helped start up a car club in Taunton. With our help, Co-cars, a not for profit social enterprise, currently operating in and around Exeter has managed to set up a car club in Taunton.
Car clubs are a way of saving money by using a car without having to own one. They might also be a way of getting rid of your second car.
You can use the car for an hour, hours or a day and pay for what you use. All bookings are through their web site.
As their flyer says, “WE buy it, insure it, tax it, maintain it, repair and clean it.... YOU drive it!”
The first car will be based at Taunton Deane Borough Council’s offices at Deane House any day now. It will then be available to members for 24 hour booking.
Save our forests
The government is getting ready for a huge sell-off of our national forests to private firms or local communities.. This could mean ancient woodlands are chopped down and destroyed. The government is insisting that conservation will not be compromised and would not lead to the mass felling of woods. Critics are worried that the revenue that is made from the sales would not be used to invest in other national forests and in the creation of new native woodland.
This could be an opportunity for local communities to invest in their future and protect valuable forests or a disaster for biodiversity.
But they need to push new laws through Parliament before these plans can go ahead. That means we have time to stop them.
Sign the petition now to tell the government to “save our forests”.
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/save-our-forests
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Thursday, 28 October 2010
October Newsflash
News Flash
A few items that came in late and we just had to tell you about! Want to find out about bees- well Somerset Skills and Learning have a course just for you.....they can do the same about solar energy as well.
And make this an opportunity to invest in land for food production.Somerset Land for Food have a great share option that could make a difference for many local communities wanting land to develop for food. It's an investment, it helps local communities and it supports future sustainability!
Bee Smart - Saturday 13th November
Saturday 13th November 10am - 1pm
Corams Lane Adult Learning Centre , Wellington
Cost £15
Somerset Skills and Learning have some fabulous courses available. If bees are not your area then maybe other courses might take your fancy.... checkout on their website - http://www.learnsomerset.co.uk/
A taster workshop for the absolute beginner, with an interest in bees, and how they impact on our environment. By the end of the day learners will be able to outline the basic anatomy and physiology of bees and have an understanding of how bees make honey. For more details or to book a place contact 01823 663000
SOLAR PANEL DIY - Saturday 20th November
Saturday 20th November, 10am – 4pm
Broughton House, Taunton
Cost - £37
The aim of the workshop is to impart information and knowledge to allow informed choice when opting for the technology or for the proficient DIY person to select, design and install their own system.
Also covers other aspects of solar energy gathering systems.
If you would like further information about this course or would like to book a place please contact: 01823 446770.
This is another great course organised but Somerset Skills and Learning....
Update on a previous post
Apologies to everyone who tried to find the link www.freegadgets.co.uk/home/direct.... it did not exist.
Through an error somewhere (probably on my part) the link was transcribed incorrectly. But do not worry I managed to find the correct link so you might be able to get free free remote controlled socket that switches off TVs etc. plus an attachment for your shower that reduces water flow (70% saving). The offer is only open to 1 per household but you can make some great cost savings.....
Goto http://www.freegreengadgets.co.uk/
Somerset Land for Food
Buy a piece of Somerset for Christmas!
A new scheme has been launched to help people in Somerset buy land for food production.
A share offer has been issued for Somerset Land For Food a new non-profit society which raises money to buy land for growing food. An undersupply of allotments and the expense of buying cultivatable land can frustrate the ambitions of community groups or smallholders who want to produce more food locally. When land does come up for sale at auction, it may take a community group too long to organise fund-raising, thereby missing the chance to bid.
Now people have a chance to invest in shares in Somerset Land for Food, a Community Benefit Society, creating a pot of available money to bid for land as soon as it becomes available for sale.
This is how it works:
* the share offer is open to investments in shares of between min.£100 – max £20,000 (people can group together to buy shares e.g. 5x £20)
* share capital is used to buy land, which is then rented at low rates by SLFF to community groups or growers wishing to produce local food
* tenants may eventually buy the land outright, releasing more capital for further land purchase
* the use of the land is protected in law – it may only be used to grow food
* shareholders can withdraw their capital after a minimum of 2 years, or begin to be paid interest of 2% on their investment
The target for the share issue is £100,000 to start the community land pool in Somerset. If less capital is raised, the company will buy less land.
The share offer closes on 30th November 2010. For more information and for a share application form, visit www.wessexca.co.uk or call one of SFFL’s Directors:
Kim Robinson (Chair) 01749 689037
Paul and Sarah Sander-Jackson (Secretary) 01458 833489
Jane Birch 01823 442442
Peter Millar 01458 223444
Dan Keech 01373 451402
If you are interested but cannot manage £100 why don't you think about investing with others in a group organised by Taunton Transition Town. We are gathering a group that are interested in investing £20 each. If you are interested please contact Vicky Briggs - shuunyanet@gmail.com by Friday 19th November... this will give us time to organise the signing of the form (everyone in the group has to sign) and send off in time for the close of the share offer.
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
TTT October 2010
 Wednesday, 20th October October Transition
Welcome to the October newsletter. Remember you can always catch up on the website - http://transitiontowns.org/Taunton/ until the 31st December when Taunton Transition Town will be moving over to the new, super-duper Transition Network - http://www.transitionnetwork.org/cms/taunton. It is not ready yet but do have a look around the rest of the Transition Network site and sign up.... I always need input, news and events to update this newletter. If you know of any events or have news about Transition please email me, Vicky Briggs on shuunyanet@gmail.com by the 19th of the month for publication on the 20th or there abouts. There are some new ways to follow what we are doing. Join our Facebook Group , find out what we are up to on the blog, or follow us on Twitter. Events This months Transition Drop-In Cafe looks again at the Wild Food, Free Food Map of Taunton. Come along and share your knowledge. Learning from the Land have some great courses taking place this month and remember to book up now to become a compost champion in November. Plus there are number of food orientated talks upcoming. Back to top News Learn how Taunton Transition Town got a mention in the new Post Carbon Reader Series in an article by Transition founder, Rob Hopkins and hear about the fabulous fun day at the Brewhouse - Abundant Taunton. Find out how you can save money or invest in a local sustainable living project. Wish to cut back on your car usage then maybe the new car club is for you..... Or make a contribution to the new land for food mapping project -Food Mapper. Plus hear all about the new Transition book out now 'Communities, Councils and a Low-Carbon Future'...... Back to top Transition Drop-in Cafe - 23rd October Venue:Friends Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton Time: 10.30am-12.30pm  The Transition Cafe stays in it's old haunt this month; the Friends' Meeting House.Come along to sign up to the new car club in Taunton - Co-Cars. It's coming very soon.... initially with a car outside the Taunton Deane Borough Council offices but hopefully more soon. But it is up to us to sign up and show interest... more people interested will mean potentially more incentive to get a few more cars. And remember that the Co-Cars are not just interested in expanding in Taunton. If you are interested in having a car club in your local area not currently covered contact Co-Cars now.... details on their website. Contribute to the expanding free food map of Taunton. Pop in to add what you know to the physical map or alternatively you can contribute to the map online - http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid= 117552551291077348239.00047046780868b2e3915 If you have any spare produce from your garden or too many jars of jam or some spare packets of seeds come along to swap your produce.... Come along and discuss all things Transition.... from energy projects to local food production, from new transport solutions to a better way of life. Back to top Make, Do and Mend - 23rd October Make, Do and Mend also returns this month to the Friends' Meeting House - 2-5pm. Come along and learn a new skill or pass on some of your skills to others. Back to top DIY FOR WOMEN - 30th October The local Learning from the Land people have another course coming up. DATE: Saturday 30 October VENUE: Secret Meadow, Weekmoor, Milverton TA4 1QE TIME: 9am-1pm A half day session for women to learn basic DIY skills in a friendly and businesslike environment. Power tools, hand tools including chisels and planes will be tackled! Learn to ease a sticking door, fix a dripping tap and hang a shelf on an awkward wall. These tasks will be used to illustrate a wide range of issues and you will learn principles to suit other situations, so don't worry if you don't need to do these actual jobs. This is a great opportunity to learn skills that could save you money and enable you to do some of those annoying jobs that never get done!This course is suitable for those from beginner to intermediate and will be followed by more advanced courses on making specific items. COST: £25 per person PLEASE BRING: Your own set of basic tools if you have them (hammer, screwdrivers, chisel, spanners, plane, drill and drill bits). We will have spare sets for those without. Wear old clothes and hard-toed boots. Biscuits and tea will be served. Find out about this course and others on.... http://www.learningfromtheland.co.uk/ Look out for their Power of Fire day on Sunday 28th November..... Back to top GM Crops - Feeding Or Fooling The World?- 30th and 31st October Two One Day Conferences in Shaftesbury, Dorset, 30/31 October 2010. 10 until 3.30 each day.... A variety of speakers on the contentious issue of GM crops.....Many see GM crops as the solution to solving the problem of feeding the world by providing greater yields and the decrease in use of pesticides (very important in a low-carbon world) but can GM crops really achieve that? This conference clearly comes down in the anti-GM lobby but asks those important questions of how can we feed ourselves in the future and can we do that using less fossil fuels. Admission by pre-booked tickets(£10) only from 01747 811 853 £10.00 includes drinks and lunchtime buffet. In the spirit of balance listen to One Planet's interview with Dr Roger Beachy, expert on plant viruses and the biotechnology of plants and one of the researchers who developed the world's first genetically modified crop (a tomato) - The father of GM foods For details of the programme and speakers visit: www.springheadtrust.co.uk Organizers GM-Free Dorset, South West Genetic Engineering Network and GM Freeze. Back to top Become a Compost Champion- Saturday 6th November You might be interested in becoming a Compost Champion.... The aim of the scheme is to encourage more people within Somerset to compost their kitchen and garden waste at home to create rich compost for their garden. For those people who are already home composting we are aiming to encourage them to compost a greater range of items such as their vacuum cleaner contents and cardboard packaging.  The Somerset Waste Action Programme is seeking individuals who live in Somerset and would like to attend a free training day about home composting. All we ask in return is that you take the time to pass your composting knowledge onto others. This may involve talking to friends, family and neighbours or attending local fairs, events and fetes – we’ll even pay your travel expenses for you and provide you with everything you will need for a display.The training days are suitable for anyone who has an interest in home composting and would like to share their composting knowledge with others. The training days are designed to accommodate all levels of knowledge of home composting. The training day will cover many aspects of home composting including:
Saturday 6th November: 10am till 4:30pm, at Hestercombe Gardens, Cheddon Fitzpaine near Taunton, TA2 8LG. The training day at Hestercombe Gardens includes free access to the gardens during lunch and at the end of the day. Fill in the form from here...... if you want to go. A talk by Quentin Clark, Head of Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing at Waitrose - Wednesday 17 November Wednesday 17 November South Somerset Green Party Henhayes Centre, Crewkerne 7.30 A talk by Quentin Clark, Head of Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing at Waitrose
Your chance to talk to the UK’s ‘Compassionate Supermarket 2010’ Waitrose & Sustainable, Local, Ethical food More info: 0845 456 2592 Can We Feed Ourselves and Keep Bio-Diversity in Nature- 11th January 2011 One date to put into your diary early is the talk by Patrick Holden director of the Soil Association. Come along and listen and give your views in a discussion after. Patrick Holden was brought up in London. He visited a dairy farm near Epping aged five and decided he wanted to milk cows. He studied biodynamic agriculture at Emerson College in 1972 and started a community farm in West Wales in 1973. The 93 hectare mixed organic farm is now the longest established organic dairy farm in Wales, with a herd of 65 Ayrshire cows - the milk from which is being made into an unpasteurised cheese by his son Sam. Patrick still milks his cows at weekends. He has worked for the Soil Association since 1988 and as Director since 1995. During that period income has risen from £200,000 to £10 million and sales of organic food from £50 million to £2 billion. He is a regular broadcaster and speaker and was responsible for Tony and Pat Archer's conversion in 1985 and still advises for the Archers on matters organic. He was awarded the CBE for services to organic farming in 2005. The evening is organised jointly by Somerset Wildlife Trust and Taunton Transition Town. Back to top Abundant Taunton  Taunton Transition Town celebrated the harvest with the Abundant Taunton event at the Brewhouse Theatre and Arts Centre on October 2ns. Citizens of Taunton could enjoy a drink of freshly squeezed apple juice made from apples picked for free from all the locally available trees in the area. If apple juice was not your tipple of choice then you could have tea made from boiled water from the fuel efficient kelly kettle.... Many added to our free food map of Taunton which you can access online. Check out where you can find your nearest apple tree or hazelnut. Someone even divulged the location of an almond tree! And if you did not know where to go to get free food our very own food foraging Oli Handcomb led an interested group around Taunton pointing out all the known edibles. As a quick reference download the guide. Even the kids could take part in the Really Useful Trees and Plants Trail pointing out all the possible fruit, nuts and useful plants that are just a short walk away from the Brewhouse. You can download the map, the checklist and the useful information. Somerset Community Food were there to map all the local areas of food production including community gardens, orchards and allotments. If you know of a local allotment or community garden please sign into the online resource Food Mapper - www.foodmapper.org.uk and map it now! The idea is get all the areas currently used by the community for food production mapped in one place to gain information about supply and demand for land for food. The plan is to get more land in Somerset into the production of food for the local people. Please sign in today and map that allotment. If you own land that maybe could be used by the community map that too!  There was an opportunity to learn simple methods to smoke vegetables, meat and fish and how to make a simple apple wine with wine tasting included! Passers-by could sample vegan/vegetarian food courtesy of the vegan and vegetarian society and by fabulous local produce from local farmers and producers. Thanks to the Brewhouse for giving us an area to have our stalls, to the Farmers Market for making this such a success, to Somerset Community Food for the loan of the apple press and the Vegetarian and Vegan Society for providing scummy food to taste. We would also like to thank all the people who gave up a little bit of their time to front a stall or give a demonstration...... we couldn't have done it without you all! Back to top 'Community Matters' Days - 8th, 9th October  Somerset College opened their doors to all those interested at the Award Winning Genesis Centre; a sustainable construction resource and learning centre for the South West.Taunton Transition Town joined them to celebrate the launch of the new Environmental Training Centre. You could learn about solar energy and feed-in tariffs, enjoy a pizza from the Learning from the Land rocket stove oven, contribute to the Wild Food, Free Food Map of Taunton with us (TTT) and learn how to build a plastic bottle greenhouse plus much, much more.  As a little aside our Free Food Map of Taunton has inspired Transition Cork to create their very own free food map... so remember if you ever holiday in Cork check out all the free, and wild food!Back to top Plotgate Venture - Sustainable Living A low-impact rural co-housing project based in Somerset is looking for prospective residents. Plotgate Venture is sustainable affordable, self-build, live/work cohousing project with access to agricultural land. We have 23 acres of agricultural land and going to challenge the system and apply for planning permission to self-build 8 low impact houses with access to land plus 2 bigger smallholdings. Planning application is almost ready and although we expect strong resistance from planning authorities, there are precedents and we are supported by leading low-impact planning consultants. Now we are at the stage when we are looking for input from people who are interested to join us or to support the idea as we do need community support to persuade planners. Please see more details at http://www.plotgate.org.uk/ and if you are interested to join or support Plotgate please email info@plotgate.org.uk. Back to top Save Money, and Carbon! Grass Roots is offering a free remote controlled socket that switches off TVs etc. plus an attachment for your shower that reduces water flow (70% saving) for nothing as part of the governments carbon reduction targets. It is open to UK households - one per household. The website is www.freegadgets.co.uk/home/direct Back to top Taunton has a car club! Taunton Transition Town are really proud to have helped start up a car club in Taunton. With our help, Co-cars, a not for profit social enterprise, currently operating in and around Exeter has managed to set up a car club in Taunton. Car clubs are a way of saving money by using a car without having to own one. They might also be a way of getting rid of your second car. You can use the car for an hour, hours or a day and pay for what you use. All bookings are through their web site. As their flyer says, “WE buy it, insure it, tax it, maintain it, repair and clean it.... YOU drive it!” The first car will be based at Taunton Deane Borough Council’s offices at Deane House any day now. It will then be available to members for 24 hour booking. Back to top New Transition Book - Communities, Councils and a Low-Carbon Future  Alexis Rowell’s new addition to the Transition Books series, ‘Communities, Councils and a Low-Carbon Future: what we can do if governments won’t’ is now available to order here at Transition Culture.Communities, Councils and a Low Carbon Future: what we can if governments won’t includes current examples of best eco practice from local authorities across the UK and elsewhere, as well as a look at the background to unsuccessful projects. This book is designed to inform and inspire councils and councillors, as well as local environmental activists, community groups and Transition Initiatives. Local government can be a huge driver for positive change, but not on its own. Communities need to understand what they can reasonably (and unreasonably!) ask for from local councils, and they need to know exactly what levers they can pull. The Author: After working as a BBC journalist, Alexis Rowell was appointed Camden Eco Champion and Chair of the council’s all-party Sustainability Task Force. He has led the transformation of Camden’s Development Control Committee (Planning) which now requires every new development to install a green roof, rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, and 20% on site renewables or CHP, and is a member of Transition Belsize. Alexis has his own eco-political blog – http://alexisrowell.blogspot.com/ Back to top You Gen - Useful Website You Gen are looking for groups and individuals that can give feedback or tell a story about renewable energy and energy efficiency. The site looks like a useful resource that people can use in picking their way through some of the complex ideas and numerous suppliers and learn from the experiences of others. Community action is key to a successful transition to a low carbon UK, and You Gen hope that they can help you in getting stories of good practice to a wider audience. They are always on the look out for case studies and stories that can inspire, educate or inform. Here’s a couple they have run recently: eco-renovation transforms Devon village hall and are council planning departments making it difficult to install solar panels.... ·Let them know what you’ve done that works – and which doesn’t work – they are both such valuable learning, and they will make sure others can benefit from it. They welcome guest bloggers, but if you prefer not to write an article, they will talk it through on the phone with you. Knowing which installer to trust is one of the barriers to investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy – and that’s one of the key things that they want to help people overcome. You Gen have built up a database of more than 500 installers covering the UK, and theye rely on low carbon & microgen pioneers to tell us which the good ones are by recommending them using our star rating system. If you have used a good installer, please do share your experience with You Gen, so others can benefit. There is even a chance to win a GEO Minim energy meter every month if you do. This site is run nationally so some of the suppliers we might know are not listed.... this is your opportunity to contribute to the site to make the advice better. Very much how making recommendations on Amazon helps you to choose a book to read. Back to top The Post Carbon Reader - Managing the 21st Century’s Sustainability Crises - Another New Book The Post Carbon Reader features essays by some of the world’s most provocative thinkers on the key issues shaping our new century, from renewable energy and urban agriculture to social justice and community resilience, including Transitions' very own Rob Hopkins. You can download his chapter on building resilience in communities to read from http://www.postcarbon.org/reader/downloads. Taunton Transition Town even got a mention in the chapter highlighting the visioning workshops that took place with Taunton Deane Borough Council asking the question 'what a resilient Taunton Deane might be like in 2026'. They envisioned a future in which the Borough has developed a successful low carbon, “localised” culture and infrastructure, capable of withstanding upheavals in the wider world likely to occur as a result of our changing climate and increasingly expensive and insecure oil and gas supplies. Take a look at the that vision for the future in Towards A Resilient Taunton Deane. Back to top 21st Century Dig for Victory As FoodMapper gathers pace, take a look back at how mapping land in the 1930's led to a blueprint for Dig for Victory. Work on www.foodmapper.org.uk is hotting up - more than 30 allotment sites in Somerset have been mapped. This pioneering work does have a precedent, however. A far sighted geographer between the wars saw the writing was on the wall concerning food supply in Britain. Lawrence Dudley Stamp recruited 250,000 mappers, many of them schoolchildren, to map land use around where they lived. For a fascinating insight into the maps that became a blueprint for Dig for Victory, a story in the http://www.maturetimes.co.uk/node/8599 explains more. Are you a 21st Century Dig for Victory pioneer – Somerset Community Food urgently seek community mappers in all parts of the county. Get in touch if you want to be part of this groundbreaking, literally, survey! e: linda.hull@somersetcommunityfood.org.uk w: http://www.somersetcommunityfood.org.uk |
Thursday, 23 September 2010
TTT September 2010
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Taunton Transition Town will be holding a special food event to celebrate the abundance of this time of year. 
And once her tale was done, the people of Tone Town - and a couple of their friends from further afield - took it in their turn to tell tales of their own Transition lives. They spoke of doubting Thomases and hot water, of the Council that could have been a mean lion but was instead a cuddly bear, of vegetables and values, and how groups up and down the town were now Transitioning Together. And Wynn Alice gave a gift of a cloth bag and book, made in the town of Bradford on Avon and carried by her to Tone Town. And the people of Tone Town gave her a sock doll made by someone Pixieish to take to her next town. Then everyone ate and ate of good food grown in our gardens and gathered from our hedgerows and all in all a wondrous, happy and very lovely time was had. The storyteller's visit will stay with the people of Tone Town for no one who can walk so far, in flipflops, Having Fun, could ever, ever be forgotten! 
The Transition Cafe decamped to Longrun Meadow in August. Project Taunton opened the new footbridge over the Tone to Longrun Meadow. We were there with information on Transition and having lots of fun making 
Saturday, 4 September 2010
September Newsflash
You're receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to our mailing list. Not interested anymore? Please contact Vicky Briggs - shuunyanet@gmail.com.
Saturday, 4th September
News Flash
Lots of events happening this September. Remember to sign up for 'The Work That Reconnects Workshop' to rekindle the joy and sense of purpose in the world. Get involved in a community energy project and find out what you can do for the community. Sign up for some sustainable living courses...And remember to keep your diary free for 'Abundant Taunton' in October.
The Work That Reconnects Workshop - Saturday 18th Sep
Feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of environmental, economic and social challenges?
The Work That Reconnects is an experiential workshop process that supports individuals to: connect to themselves, each other and the natural world, express feelings of concern for planetary issues and find ways towards a sustainable future.
Developed by visionary ecologist elder Joanna Macy (www.joannamacy.net), it can transform worry and despair into creative, collaborative action with the aim of rekindling our joy and gratitude for life and our sense of purpose in the world.
Facilitated by Fran Hicks and Sally Lever.
£12 per person booking fee + optional dana (donation) on the day. Vegan soup and bread based lunch provided. Please bring a small vegetarian or vegan salad or dessert to share. Chairs available or bring your own meditation cushion or stool.
Bookings and further information: Fran Hicks, 01823 333846.
AN INVITATION FROM THE COMMUNITY ENERGY ASSOCIATION – power by your community for your community - 23rd September
You and your community may be searching for community solutions to the changing face of energy provision . The generation and use of energy at the point of consumption is becoming clear as an alternative to centrally-generated power being distributed over long distances.
We would like to invite you to an informal information evening at which a number of different aspects of Community Energy will be discussed, and ideas put forward to the members of communities attending to discover the ways in which set objectives can be met
The information evening will take place on
Thursday 23rd September from 18:30 to 20:30 at
The Glade Centre in Ilminster, Somerset
The evening will give us an opportunity to tell you and other like-minded people about how the CEA works and how we can help and support you to bring energy solutions into your own community.
We are looking for informed citizens who in turn are looking to help their locality become resilient to future energy shocks, to provide honest & unbiased information and to give everyone, no matter what their financial status, a chance to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce home heating costs and work together for the benefit of their own communities.
This opportunity is unique, fully supported and very exciting for individuals who wish to organise within the community a way forward to achieving energy resilience
For more information please ring 01460 61459 or 01460 53289 or to register for a place on 23rd September please email bernard@proaction-development.com
Address of venue: The Glade Centre, Frog Lane, Ilminster , Somerset TA19 0AP
Cost: £2 at the door, price includes light refreshments
Abundant Taunton - 2nd Oct
Celebrate the abundance of our lovely local produce!
Bring your surplus seeds, jams, chutneys, fruit and garden produce to our Big Food Swap and Giveaway
Add your local knowledge to our Free Food Map of Taunton
Meet local food suppliers and browse their goodies
Take the kids on our Edible Trees Trail
Learn how to make a rocket stove and find out what a hay box can do
Brew a cuppa with a Kelly kettle
Discover the secrets of homebrew wines
Take a guided stroll to discover what food grows wild and free
And join us for our Vegetable Gardener’s Question Time.
Some events are at specific times:
11am Guided food foraging walk
12 noon Rocket stove demonstration
1pm How to smoke meat and fish
2pm Wine making demonstration
3pm Vegetable Gardener’s Question Time
Other events are available all day.
Admission free!
Anyone who can help organise the event please step forward now. This could be as little as manning a stall for an hour on the day, helping to set-up, or putting us in touch with people who may want to contribute (we are keen to include local food producers and suppliers).
Please contact Vicky Briggs if you are interested.
THIS MONTH'S COURSES FROM LEARNING FROM THE LAND - LAST CALL!
8 Sept (repeated on 25 Sept) INTRODUCTION TO COPPICING
A local experienced forester will lead this course, giving an overview of coppicing, its historical context and relevance today before taking you into a full practical session. In the afternoon we will visit a local woodland to see successfully coppiced woods from recent and distant times, to HAVE A GO ourselves and to pull together all the elements learnt in the morning.
£65 10-4pm including lunch. No experience necessary.
11 September HOW TO BUILD A COMPOST LOO
This is a great chance to learn about a range of different compost loo designs, debunk some of the myths about smells, and come away with a sustainable way to build one for yourself.
We will be teaching two different methods of construction suitable for use in a garden, agricultural setting, outside workplace or allotment (if allowed). There will be theory, discussion and plenty of hands-on practical work. There will be theory, discussion and plenty of hands-on practical work.
£65 10-4pm including lunch. The course is suitable for all levels.
12 September PRINTMAKING FROM SCRATCH
This is a great opportunity to learn the basics of printmaking with a really experienced and creative tutor. We will be focusing on using natural, found and recycled materials to inspire you and create your printed images. You will explore the versatility of printing through an introduction to a range of different printing techniques, have a chance to try out several of the methods and go home with an armful of artwork!
£65 10-4pm including lunch. Open to all levels.
14 September HOW TO BUILD A PIZZA OVEN
You will learn the principles of building ovens and cooking with them. The day will include making a cob oven from scratch as well as learning the principles of large brick ovens. You will also make a sourdough pizza base and cook it in a homemade pizza oven, allowing you to make your own pizzas for lunch. This is a fun day that will leave you inspired with the knowledge of how to build your own oven and how to put it to best use to make fantastic pizzas. There will be theory, discussion and plenty of hands-on practical work. £65 including lunch. The course is suitable for all.
25 September "HAVE A GO" - POINTING A WALL WITH LIME FOR BEGINNERS
This course is taught on an active building site, where you will work alongside the professionals on a real job of repointing a wall with lime mortar. You will first learn the fundamentals of what lime mortar is and how it works, then how to mix and use it, and how to repoint an old wall. This could be useful for your own house, a barn or a garden wall and could save you ££££s.
£65 including lunch. The course is suitable for all.
SEE OUR WEBSITE www.learningfromtheland.co.uk, email courses@learningfromtheland.co.uk OR CALL 01823 400696 for details.
Nicky Saunter
01823 400696
LEARNING FROM THE LAND.
Courses encouraging sustainable building and living techniques.
For more information visit www.learningfromtheland.co.uk
Saturday, 4th September
News Flash
Lots of events happening this September. Remember to sign up for 'The Work That Reconnects Workshop' to rekindle the joy and sense of purpose in the world. Get involved in a community energy project and find out what you can do for the community. Sign up for some sustainable living courses...And remember to keep your diary free for 'Abundant Taunton' in October.
The Work That Reconnects Workshop - Saturday 18th Sep
Feeling overwhelmed and helpless in the face of environmental, economic and social challenges?
The Work That Reconnects is an experiential workshop process that supports individuals to: connect to themselves, each other and the natural world, express feelings of concern for planetary issues and find ways towards a sustainable future.
Developed by visionary ecologist elder Joanna Macy (www.joannamacy.net), it can transform worry and despair into creative, collaborative action with the aim of rekindling our joy and gratitude for life and our sense of purpose in the world.
Facilitated by Fran Hicks and Sally Lever.
£12 per person booking fee + optional dana (donation) on the day. Vegan soup and bread based lunch provided. Please bring a small vegetarian or vegan salad or dessert to share. Chairs available or bring your own meditation cushion or stool.
Bookings and further information: Fran Hicks, 01823 333846.
AN INVITATION FROM THE COMMUNITY ENERGY ASSOCIATION – power by your community for your community - 23rd September
You and your community may be searching for community solutions to the changing face of energy provision . The generation and use of energy at the point of consumption is becoming clear as an alternative to centrally-generated power being distributed over long distances.
We would like to invite you to an informal information evening at which a number of different aspects of Community Energy will be discussed, and ideas put forward to the members of communities attending to discover the ways in which set objectives can be met
The information evening will take place on
Thursday 23rd September from 18:30 to 20:30 at
The Glade Centre in Ilminster, Somerset
The evening will give us an opportunity to tell you and other like-minded people about how the CEA works and how we can help and support you to bring energy solutions into your own community.
We are looking for informed citizens who in turn are looking to help their locality become resilient to future energy shocks, to provide honest & unbiased information and to give everyone, no matter what their financial status, a chance to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce home heating costs and work together for the benefit of their own communities.
This opportunity is unique, fully supported and very exciting for individuals who wish to organise within the community a way forward to achieving energy resilience
For more information please ring 01460 61459 or 01460 53289 or to register for a place on 23rd September please email bernard@proaction-development.com
Address of venue: The Glade Centre, Frog Lane, Ilminster , Somerset TA19 0AP
Cost: £2 at the door, price includes light refreshments
Abundant Taunton - 2nd Oct
Celebrate the abundance of our lovely local produce!
Bring your surplus seeds, jams, chutneys, fruit and garden produce to our Big Food Swap and Giveaway
Add your local knowledge to our Free Food Map of Taunton
Meet local food suppliers and browse their goodies
Take the kids on our Edible Trees Trail
Learn how to make a rocket stove and find out what a hay box can do
Brew a cuppa with a Kelly kettle
Discover the secrets of homebrew wines
Take a guided stroll to discover what food grows wild and free
And join us for our Vegetable Gardener’s Question Time.
Some events are at specific times:
11am Guided food foraging walk
12 noon Rocket stove demonstration
1pm How to smoke meat and fish
2pm Wine making demonstration
3pm Vegetable Gardener’s Question Time
Other events are available all day.
Admission free!
Anyone who can help organise the event please step forward now. This could be as little as manning a stall for an hour on the day, helping to set-up, or putting us in touch with people who may want to contribute (we are keen to include local food producers and suppliers).
Please contact Vicky Briggs if you are interested.
THIS MONTH'S COURSES FROM LEARNING FROM THE LAND - LAST CALL!
8 Sept (repeated on 25 Sept) INTRODUCTION TO COPPICING
A local experienced forester will lead this course, giving an overview of coppicing, its historical context and relevance today before taking you into a full practical session. In the afternoon we will visit a local woodland to see successfully coppiced woods from recent and distant times, to HAVE A GO ourselves and to pull together all the elements learnt in the morning.
£65 10-4pm including lunch. No experience necessary.
11 September HOW TO BUILD A COMPOST LOO
This is a great chance to learn about a range of different compost loo designs, debunk some of the myths about smells, and come away with a sustainable way to build one for yourself.
We will be teaching two different methods of construction suitable for use in a garden, agricultural setting, outside workplace or allotment (if allowed). There will be theory, discussion and plenty of hands-on practical work. There will be theory, discussion and plenty of hands-on practical work.
£65 10-4pm including lunch. The course is suitable for all levels.
12 September PRINTMAKING FROM SCRATCH
This is a great opportunity to learn the basics of printmaking with a really experienced and creative tutor. We will be focusing on using natural, found and recycled materials to inspire you and create your printed images. You will explore the versatility of printing through an introduction to a range of different printing techniques, have a chance to try out several of the methods and go home with an armful of artwork!
£65 10-4pm including lunch. Open to all levels.
14 September HOW TO BUILD A PIZZA OVEN
You will learn the principles of building ovens and cooking with them. The day will include making a cob oven from scratch as well as learning the principles of large brick ovens. You will also make a sourdough pizza base and cook it in a homemade pizza oven, allowing you to make your own pizzas for lunch. This is a fun day that will leave you inspired with the knowledge of how to build your own oven and how to put it to best use to make fantastic pizzas. There will be theory, discussion and plenty of hands-on practical work. £65 including lunch. The course is suitable for all.
25 September "HAVE A GO" - POINTING A WALL WITH LIME FOR BEGINNERS
This course is taught on an active building site, where you will work alongside the professionals on a real job of repointing a wall with lime mortar. You will first learn the fundamentals of what lime mortar is and how it works, then how to mix and use it, and how to repoint an old wall. This could be useful for your own house, a barn or a garden wall and could save you ££££s.
£65 including lunch. The course is suitable for all.
SEE OUR WEBSITE www.learningfromtheland.co.uk, email courses@learningfromtheland.co.uk OR CALL 01823 400696 for details.
Nicky Saunter
01823 400696
LEARNING FROM THE LAND.
Courses encouraging sustainable building and living techniques.
For more information visit www.learningfromtheland.co.uk
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