April Newsletter

"Never doubt for a single instant that a small group of dedicated, committed people cannot change the world, indeed, it is the only thing that ever has". Margaret Mead

In our April edition find out how to Dragon Dream and what food projects could be growing in Taunton.  Try your hand at a new skill or invest in the future of Somerset. Remember to save those plastic bottles and keep a look out for all those wildlife sightings in Taunton.  

Events

A Day of Mindfulness and Meditation - Saturday 16th April

A gentle and nourishing programme of easy meditations and yoga, perfect for relaxation and unwinding, will be held in a lovely country venue in the Blackdown Hills, with Maya Spencer, teacher of Zen meditation and mindfulness and Karen Atkinson, teacher of Yoga and mindfulness of York House, Taunton, Centre for Integrated and Complementary Medicine

Time: 10-4, then tea
Venue: Eastcott Barn, Sheldon, Devon (with car pooling/lifts)
Cost: £30, including snacks and vegetarian lunch
For enquiries and booking, contact:
Karen or Sarah at York House
info@yorkhousecentre.co.uk
01823 - 323206

Transition Drop-In – Saturday 23rd  - Dragon Dreaming
 

‘Where Dragon Dreaming contributes to the Transition Town movement is that it provides important tools that assist people, once they have committed themselves to making these differences, with the tools to run outrageously successful community projects. ‘    John Croft

Fran Hicks leads us into Dragon Dreaming, a way of tapping into the collective power of people who wish to make a positive contribution to the future.
Dragon Dreaming is a process pioneered in Western Australia, to assist individuals, community organisations, and ecologically responsible businesses develop, undertake and complete outrageously successful projects. With an experience of over 611 projects, it draws its inspiration from chaos and complexity theory, ecological living systems theory, New Physics and Aboriginal Dreamtime wisdom. Using this method, it creates a game, which when played by a team of people, will make your dreams come true.

From http://dragondreamingtraining.blogspot.com

Also find out how to support the latest project launches to bring a practical and tangible food project to Taunton (find out more later in the newsletter).


Venue: Friends’ Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton
Time: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm




Basket-Weaving - May 7th

If you fancy trying your hand at basket weaving then book up on a course today.  Based in Uplowman, the cost for the day is £40 which includes all the materials and tea and coffee. You will need to take your own lunch.

If you would like to do this course then please send Gill Bowers (sustainablevillages@tiscali.co.uk) a deposit of £10 to secure your place.
 Find the booking form here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rDQ07ioVyS4yuCBWGndKy_NKSsCFM6-0zqD43_R_ibo/edit?hl=en

Felt-Making Courses

 More courses to try your craft skills with through the spring.  Find information and booking form here.... https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4n4c73ZY0-wNzJlMWRhZDktYjNjOS00OTUwLTk3Y2UtMTA0ODQzY2E5NTg5&hl=en



MOP - Raising the Profile of Local, Green and Sustainable Work - Monday 9th May
Following the success of TTT's first MOP (monthly open planning) meeting on Making Local Food Work, our second will be on Monday 9th May, 7.30-9.00, Friends Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton.  

This time, the topic is RAISING THE PROFILE OF LOCAL, GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE WORK that Transition and other groups are involved in. 

Getting press coverage is always difficult - Taunton Deane based Transition groups got together nearly two and a half years ago to compile a full page of stories for the County Gazette, which was great - but what could we do together that would bring us more visibility, and more public awareness?  How might we involve businesses in shouting about their efforts to cut carbon?  What part might our local Council, or Project Taunton, or other bodies play in this?  This is definitely one we can't crack from within our own individual groups, but together, perhaps we can start to tell more and better Positive News stories in our locality.  

Come along and help make something different happen!

Venue: Friends Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton. 
Time: 7.30pm - 9.00 pm

Want to help publicise it.... download the A4 poster here! - https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4n4c73ZY0-wMDFiN2I0N2EtNzU5OC00MTM3LTk4NTQtYzA0NDA2NTRkN2Ey&hl=en



 Ancestor's Trail- Sunday 29th May


A 'biological pilgrimage' on the Quantock Hills in Somerset

A celebration of our shared origins with all life inspired by Darwin's Tree of Life, walking back 3.7 billion years, reuniting with our ancestors as we go.

Along the Trail we will encounter a range of scientific, philosophical and musical performances from acts/speakers such as Jonny Berliner (science-focussed folksinger), a Butterfly conservation speaker, the Treefrogs (bio-Blues) and even a small choir.

After the walk we will throw what has to be the most spectacularly belated birthday party on earth, at St Audries Bay Holiday Club, where many of the trail acts will perform again.

Walking distance is optional and varies anywhere from 1- 13.5 miles, starting at Kingston St Mary, finishing at Kilve Beach.

2011 is our Year of the Butterfly, and walkers are invited to raise sponsorship for Butterfly Conservation.

Camping and accommodation are available at the Trail-end site. Full details via our website: http://www.ancestorstrail.net/

Book your tickets @ http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/investment/ancestor-s-trail-72


 
News

Call out for Plastic Bottles

 I have two call-outs for your empty plastic bottles this month so which ever is your nearest get saving!

Learning from the Land are having an appeal for empty, clean 2-litre clear plastic bottles for use in their greenhouse building programme. They can also take the 750cl size (large tonic bottles). If you have any and live nearby Learning from the Land headquarters, would you please let Nicky Saunter - nicky@learningfromtheland.co.uk-  know so that she can be here to receive them or collect them? Alternatively, you can always leave them at Milverton Sawmill, care of Philip Chambers, if that is more convenient. Please pop them in a sack or bag if possible.



The second call-out is from Ruishton School who want to build a greenhouse out of plastic bottles.  Again save your clean 2-litre bottles without labels. At the moment just set them aside and at a later stage I will send out a call-out to send them all Ruishton’s way! Any queries please contact Christina Dithmar  - cdithmar@btconnect.com

 Ruishton School are also thinking of starting a gardening club at the school and is need of a gardening volunteer who could run it as an after school club. If you are interested or know of anyone please contact Christina.  Please note that this would be as a volunteer as there is no money!



Living Landscape Project

“Many of us spend the majority of our time in an urban environment… The only greenery comes from butchered street trees and the occasional weedy patch of derelict ground. We are so removed from nature, is it any wonder we’re all depressed? Where are the flowers, the bugs, the bees, the birds, the sights, the sounds, the parcels of intrigue, the inspiration? Where are all the little reminders that life in all its diversity is amazing? ”

Somerset Wildlife Trust is working hard to achieve a vision of a Living Landscape for our county: a working landscape that has nature at its heart, where people and wildlife can thrive. They aim to act as catalyst and inspiration for local communities to work together in achieving this vision for Somerset. Following from the successes of the Brue Valley Living Landscape and the Mendip Living Landscape, SWT has been liaising with organisations around Taunton Deane to discuss growing a grass-roots urban Living Landscape focussed on the county town, including Taunton Transition Town.




Although Taunton has some wildlife havens, much more needs to be done if wildlife is to thrive across the town.

Wildlife loss affects us all – it has environmental implications, as well and cultural, social, and economic consequences too.

So make your contribution – you probably already have! Log on to Somerset Wildlife Trusts’ website and find out all about it.... http://www.somersetwildlife.org/taunton_living_landscape.html  and add your wildlife sightings at http://www.somersetwildlife.org/taunton_sightings.html



House of St. Martins and Food for Life

Some great news from the local food co-op Food for Life run by the mental health charity Mind….. they are expanding operations on the land at the House of St. Martins in Norton Fitzwarren to produce more fruit and vegetables  and a wider variety for the Food For Life veg box scheme.  It gives volunteer opportunites to individuals who are experiencing mental health related issues and there is no better therapy than growing things!


If you have not already signed up to Food For Life’s wonderful veg box scheme do so now.  It is local, seasonal, organic and cheap. Currently the vegetables come from the Plowrights Farm in Over Stowey on the Quantocks. Most are harvested on the Wednesday of each week, while getting packed on the Thursday morning ready to be picked up in the afternoon.  What is more not only is there vegetables but also bread, honey, eggs, meat and fish - all can be ordered.

Find out about it here - http://foodforlifeco-op.giving.officelive.com/default.aspx
 

So how do you order something?

*  Chamberlains Cafe, North Street Congregational Church, Taunton 12.30pm - 3.30pm on Thursdays

*  MIND office (Canal Rd, Taunton) on Thursday or Friday

*  by phone 01823 334906 / 07854 678847

*  email: foodcoop@mindtws.org.uk

 
Somerset Co-operative Community Land Trust

SCCLT is a new co-operative society working to address the chronic shortage of affordable sustainable housing in Somerset whilst at the same time creating incubators for new and growing community enterprises - especially those using sustainable technologies.

Our mission is the provision of land, buildings and related services in accordance with co-operative principles for the benefit of the community in Somerset in order to:

• reduce inequality and social exclusion in housing 

• provide workspace for community enterprise

• create sustainable buildings and enhance the built environment

You can invest in the society with small investments - Somerset residents can subscribe with as little as 100 £1 shares.  However larger sums will enable them to do more. The bulk of the funds that are raised will be invested in bricks and mortar and will be able to compensate investors with regular interest returns.  

 If you are interested in finding out more download this leaflet.... https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B4n4c73ZY0-wZjdlMmVhOWItMTdjMy00ZWQxLTg4ZTMtZWZkODkzNWVmZGY2&hl=en

 or write directly to: Somerset CCLT, 12 North Street, Stoke Sub Hamdon, TA14 6QP. You can contact them on 0845 458 1473 or email on landtrust@somerset.coop


 

MAKING LOCAL FOOD WORK

Taunton Transition Town hosted an open planning meeting last Monday 11th April. 14 of us turned up to talk through issues and see what practical projects or ideas might make a difference to the way local food works in Taunton.

Our concerns

- domination of the supermarkets - keeping down food miles - avoid destruction of soil and water quality by current farming practices - food labelling - wish for out food to be local, seasonal and of good quality and available to all - re-skilling in growing, cooking and preserving food -

Our ideas

We turned our minds to thinking of practical projects or campaigns we might initiate to strengthen the way local food works. Lots of suggestions and ideas and but 2 project ideas shone through and were taken through to the next stage..... (I will post up the process and some of the ideas that fell by the wayside on the community microsite - http://www.transitionnetwork.org/cms/taunton.... it doesn't mean that we will not do them only not NOW!)

2 ideas were worked through and supported - so keep looking out for either of these projects in the near future....

• Gardening Education Projects including campaign that 'growing your own' is cheaper and better for you, notice boards on allotments with information on how to grow and cook certain vegetables, and supporting people with small or no gardens to do pot gardening.  A starting point would be to do a survey in a particular area of town to gauge interest. 
• Creating an edible landscape in Taunton - this fits in with Somerset Wildlife Trust's 'Living Landscape' new initiative.  There would be more fruit trees and bushes to complement the existing orchard at Childrens Wood.  Planting would consist of fruit and nut bearing trees, fruit bushes and hardy foody perennials co-ordinated with support from local landowners.  Sponsors could adopt a tree bringing in business into community work. The next step is to meet as part of the Somerset Wildlife Trust's  'Taunton Wildlife Week' and have an afternoon 'mapping' walk (2-4 on Tuesday 31st May) to look at growing potential along the River Tone. 

If you are interested in joining any of these groups and finding out more please contact Vicky Briggs - shuunyanet@gmail.com.

We did work through a wonderful idea for a People's Supermarket that fell by the wayside.... have a look at the full meeting summary to find out all the ideas and if any appeal to you. 

Taunton Transition Town are up for helping to put together a group to look at this if anyone is interested in taking it further. Contact Chrissie on chrissie@visionjuice.com and she will network you with other interested bods.

You're receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to our mailing list. Not interested anymore? Please contact Vicky Briggs - shuunyanet@gmail.com.