Apples, apples, apples.... yes the apple season has chanced upon us again and with a bumper crop. Wondering what to do with all those apples - why not bring them along to our annual Abundant Taunton event and get them juiced! Find out how to cut your bills and your carbon with Transition Together and get involved by finding out about food sovereignty and renewable energy... oh and get the low-down on the stripey jumper!
Events
Bristol Cycle Festival - 17th - 25th September
If you are a fan of bikes then peddle your way to the Bristol Cycle Festival. After the roaring success of last year the Bristol Cycle Festival will be taking place from 17 – 25 September.
There will be all sorts of exciting events taking place all over the city including:
- Carnivelo – The UK’s biggest pedal-powered carnival. Join the many cycle troupes taking part or just watch as costumes, decorated bikes, stunt riders and many more pass through the streets of the city centre.Be sure to watch out for the Sustrans carnival float too!
- 2 wheeled drive in cinema - A secret location, only accessible by bike. A cult film, screened in a natural amphitheatre... it gets no better!
- Bike Polo - Bristol is proud to host a round of the UK National Bike Polo series. Put a team of three together and play, come along and give it a try, or just soak up the atmosphere and revel in the skills of some of the UK's top teams
- Madame Melski’s cycle speed dating - Single? Cyclist? Want to meet two-wheeled hotties? In a friendly, no-pressure environment? Come along to Madame Melski's cycle speed dating and break the ice in the way that only bicycles can
- Yoga for cyclists
- Free Range Kids Treasure Hunt bike ride for all the family on the Bristol and Bath path one of Sustrans Fresh Air Miles events
For more information go the website... http://bristolcyclefestival.com/
Transition Drop-in Café - 24th September
We are keeping it low-key this month with a catch up with all things transition and preparation for future events.
Time: 10.30 - 12.30
Venue: Friends' Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton
Abundant Taunton - Saturday 1st October
We will be holding an Abundant Taunton Celebration outside the Brewhouse from 10.30 to 3. Come and sample some local apple juice pressed right in front of you and if you have apples to spare bring them along to be pressed the old fashioned way.
Plus hear all about the Living Landscapes project. Somerset Wildlife Trust, Transition Taunton and various other groups are attempting to bring together the community to enhance and connect green and blue spaces, creating a joined up network of natural places where wildlife can thrive and people can feel alive. Join us outside the Brewhouse at either 11am or 1pm to meander down to Childrens Wood to discuss the options.
Bring apples, bring bottles (to fill with juice) and bring muscle power!
And if you are based in Wellington join Transition Wellington in their apple day at the Friends Meeting House from 1 pm....
Renewable Energy Essentials - Saturday 8th October
As part of our ongoing support for groups in Somerset and the West of England, CSE are hosting a one day training course entitled ‘Renewable Energy Essentials’ on Saturday 8th October in Taunton.
Renewable Energy Essentials is a one-day course that introduces and explains common renewable energy technologies and their applications at a domestic or community scale. The course covers solar water heating, solar photovoltaics, biomass heating, heat pumps, and wind. It will give participants a thorough grounding in renewable energy systems.
Contact me Vicky Briggs (shuunyanet@gmail.com) if you are interested and I can send you the booking form.
West Somerset Community Food Conference - Monday 10th October
If you are based in West Somerset or thereabouts, you might be interested in attending our Autumn Conference at Dunster Tithe Barn on Monday 10th October. See below and attached for more info
The West Somerset Community Food Conference is taking place on Monday 10th October at the Dunster Tithe Barn in Dunster. The day will offer local community groups, growers, landseekers and landowners the chance to meet, share knowledge, experience and skills and get practical advice on getting growing.
Workshops on offer include how to preserve fruit and 'Too Many Apples: how to store and sell your excess produce'. A community growing workshop will also bring together landowners and growers, exploring the social and financial benefits of working together for both. Attendees will also have the chance to visit inspiring projects in West Somerset.
Organised in partnership with Transition Minehead and Alcombe, there will also be an opportunity to explore how local groups can strengthen the local food web in West Somerset by finding out about what is going on locally and what tools and resources are available in the area. Opening the conference is Professor Martin Caharer from City University in London. His work has focused on addressing health inequalities through local food and he has said it will be, “An honour to be part of such important local food work” in Somerset.
“The great thing about growing your own food is that it ticks lots of boxes – it’s good for your health, your pocket, your social life and brings great benefits for the environment too by reducing food miles and carbon emissions, and boosting biodiversity,” says Linda Hull from the project. “So if you are looking for land to grow food in any way shape or form, please join us in Dunster!”
The Conference is being organized by local charity, Somerset Community Food who have been working with groups to get more growing spaces in action across Somerset by connecting landowners to those needing land. All of these projects can be found on their website – Their focus is now on West Somerset and how they can support community groups in the area. They have also recently launched a Get Growing Support Fund, offering up to £2500 to groups to help them get started.
The conference runs from 1pm until 5pm with cream teas and refreshments. Book your place online at www.somersetcommunityfood.org.uk £5 donation.
Somerset Food Sovereignty Skillshare - Saturday 15th October
Calling all food activists, growers, local foodies, transitioners and more from across Somerset – you are invited to a day of ideas and action in Glastonbury on Sunday 16th October (Venue TBC) 10am – 4.30pm.
Sunday 16th October is World Food Sovereignty Day. Food Sovereignty is the right of peoples to democratically define their own food and agricultural systems without harming other people or the environment. For more of what Food Sovereignty means please see here.
The day is entry by donation only. Please use the form on the link below to register so we have an idea of numbers and please bring something to share about your experiences, any ideas or suggestions are also greatly received! Please also note people new to food activism are also completely welcome!
http://transitionglastonbury.org.uk/?p=1073
Organised by Reclaim the Fields, Somerset Community Food, and the Transition Glastonbury Food Group.
News
Transition Together Celebration
 |
| Some of the first happy householders who taken part in Transition Together |
We are delighted to announce that our first cohort of Transition Together groups have all taken massive steps in reducing their carbon emissions at home in the past year, and cut their household bills into the bargain. Group members and guests met up at St Michaels Church in Galmington to celebrate their successes, and sample goodies from the Farmers Market.
Transition Together is a project where householders meet up on a monthly basis to look at topics such as energy and water use in the home, how to minimise waste, and why using locally produced food makes a huge difference to our carbon footprints.
Everyone agreed that the project had been great fun, not least because doing it as a group meant the sociable side was just as important as the practicalities of cutting carbon.
One of the best things at the celebration was hearing what each group had chosen to spend their grant on. One group bought seeds to kick start their own garden share. Another group of colleagues from Somerset College will be buying three fruit trees to plant on campus, to be cared for by students. A third will be investing their funds into lots of badger proof wire for their new chicken co-op and a fourth is planning to visit Tracebridge Sourdough to learn to bake their own bread. A fifth used their funding to help St Margaret’s Hospice plant fruit trees in their garden and the sixth are still mulling (but we bet it will be about food!)
At the celebration, we asked people three questions:
- What is the eco change you are most proud of?
- What is your biggest eco challenge?
- What is your eco dream for Taunton?
We though you would like to see their answers (see below).
We are now looking for new people who would like to start up a Transition Together group – it could be neighbours, friends or colleagues. All you need to do is be able to bring together a group of between 4-8 householders willing to meet up for 7 monthly sessions. If that person is you, we’d love to hear from you. Contact Chrissie, chrissie@visionjuice.com
 |
| Sharing Ideas |
Eco change most proud of:
- Being more water savvy!
- Reducing electricity usage
- Moving house, insulating the new house and turning the garden into a very tiny allotment
- Getting my allotment this year….it’s my little haven, lots of companion planting, butterflies, bees and some lovely vegetables
- Taking from the garden and taking to the table
- Saving the ater that used to go down the drain before the hot came. I now save it in milk bottles to put in the kettle – 6 pints!
- Cutting energy in the house after insulation and saving water through a water butt purchase and more re-use of water, capturing rainfall for the garden.
- Having a wood burning range with a back boiler that does all the hot water and radiators – no more oil burning and very low electricity bills
- Having a water meter and using grey water to flush the loo
- My second greenhouse and my amazing tomato harvest – we’re going to have a taste of summer all through the winter!
- Moving house so that the car stays on the driveway during the week
- Wasting less and less food and water
- Introducing other people to Taunton Transition Town
Biggest eco challenge:
- Cutting down on car usage
- Planning to get rid of the car
- Having a low energy house
- Losing the car and buying an electric bike
- Moving to or creating an eco community
- My car!!
- Not buying in supermarkets
- Growing more food
- Another greenhouse? More tomatoes?
- Getting serious on my bike!
- Less travel by car – I wish public transport were more efficient and reliable and less expensive (buses and trains particularly)
- More knowledge so that I can be a more responsible consumer
- Buying less in supermarkets, using my own veg and fruit from local green grocers
Eco dreams for Taunton:
- Less flowers more food (in public places)
- Better transport and bike access
- Lots and lots of little but productive urban food gardens in otherwise wasted space
- Lots of jobs for people without them growing food and helping others with difficulties in growing food
- That the new houses they build are eco efficient
- Concern for the nutritional value (of processed foods) and evidence for its effects on health We want real food!
- More compassion for neighbours and people everywhere
- More jobs in sustainable industries rather than in producing “stuff” which will get thrown away and become obsolete before too long
- No new houses in flood plains
- Advisory service for allotments and veg gardeners
- Better bike access away from busy roads
- Better education and awareness of eco issues so that people choose the right path.
Low Carbon Conversations at the Genesis Centre
Taunton Transition Town has teamed up with the Genesis Centre at Somerset College to run a monthly programme for people who want to do more to cut their carbon emissions as well as their household bills. Similar to the Transition Together project, people will discuss topics such as energy and water use in the home, the relationship between food and carbon, and how to minimise waste. It is different to Transition Together (which happens in people’s homes) in that it takes place at the Genesis Centre, an amazing building showcasing different sustainable building methods as well as examples of home energy generation technologies. Each session will be led by facilitators, and the programme will also draw on the expertise of the Centre’s renewable energy expert to answer course members’ questions.
The course is on Thursdays, either 2-4pm or 6-8pm. It starts with an introductory session on Thursday 24th November, and then 6 sessions on the 2nd Thursday of each month starting on Thursday 8th December and finishing on Thursday 10th May 2012. The course fees are £70 and to book contact Yvonne Mackeson on 01823 366756 or email her ypm@somerset.ac.uk
A Story of Transition in 10 Objects: Number 1. A stripey jumper
Want to hear all about how Taunton Deane Borough Council made it into the story of transition in 10 objects watch the amusing video of Rob Hopkins introducing the infamous stripey jumper!
Brendon Energy Share Offer
Brendon Energy is a community-owned company, set up to establish renewable energy projects in Wiveliscombe and the surrounding parishes in Taunton Deane and West Somerset. The group plans to install solar PV panels on roofs of community buildings and, in the future, to possibly extend to domestic roofs - as well as developing other sources of renewable energy.
Recently the group has been working hard to set up a share offer to raise funds; the minimun investment has been set at £10 to make is affordable for all. The offer closes on Sunday 9th October 2011. For further details visit: www.brendonenergy.org.
