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March Newsletter
I found the T-Tog course very useful. Although I pride myself on being fairly 'Global Warming' aware I found that there were lots of useful tips that hadn't occurred to me, allowing me to save on bills while benefitting our planet at the same time
Sylvia Nash and her neighbours from Peile Drive (read all about T-Tog later)
PassivHaus Design - Tuesday 22nd March
Come along to the Taunton Quaker meeting House in Bath Place on Tuesday evening 22nd - March 7 pm.
Brief presentation, just half and hour, plus questions,
Free, to any who might be interested.
Taunton Quakers have invited Janet Cotterell of Cotterell Thomas & Thomas LLP with a view to making significant changes to the meeting house so some reference will be made to the building itself.
Janet Cotterell is a chartered architect with an MSc in advance environmental design and is also a Certified European Passivhaus Designer. She will be talking at Taunton Meeting House about her approach to low energy design. The talk will look at new construction methods and materials, particularly when looking to achieve ultra low energy targets. Her approach will be discussed in terms of the need to provide excellent indoor air quality and comfort levels, as well as using low embodied energy, breathable materials wherever appropriate. There are some common myths surrounding ultra low energy design and hopefully this presentation will address these as well!
Tuesday 22nd March
Venue: Friends' Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton.
Time: 7.00pm
Climate Week - Talk and Discussion @ Brendon Bookshop - Friday 25th March
Our local bookseller Brendon Books are celebrating Climate Week with bringing two influential authors to Taunton: Andrew Simms and Graham Harvey for a talk and discussion followed by a book signing.
Andrew Simms is author of Eminent Corporations, Ecological Debt and Tescopolopy and Graham Harvey is author of the most recent The Carbon Fields and We Want Real Food as well as being the agricultural story editor of 'The Archers'.
The event will be chaired by Nicky Saunter, local food advocate and co-founder of Learning from the Land. A further reading list will be available on the night..
Tickets £4 including drinks and nibbles
RVSP Brendon Books
Bath Place, Taunton
Transition Drop-In - Saturday 26th March
It’s that budding time of year when green fingers get twitching and our collective sap bubbles up into that irresistible desire to grow something edible. Whether you have an estate, an allotment, a back garden or a couple of pots, now is also the time to look at your seed needs.
What do you want to buy, what do you have spare to give away, and what do you hope to pick up from someone else?
Our monthly drop in for March is the annual Grand Seed Swap (plus the usual cake, tea and low carbon chats) so all green, or would-be green fingers welcome.
Add your tips to our Grow Your Own advice corner too, or collar one of the Transition garden mentors for some timely help.
Venue: Friends' Meeting House, Bath Place, Taunton.
Time: 10.30am-12.30pm,
PLUS.........TAUNTON TRANSITION TOWN’S “AWFULLY GOOD MEETING”
12.30-1.00pm
OK, we mean AGM really, but why not make it fun? Stay to chat about the past year, the coming year and how lucky we seem to be at getting the resources we need to do what we want to do! No one will ask you to be Secretary or anything – unless you fancy it of course.
Hunger for Justice- Wednesday 3oth March
WORLD DEVELOPMENT GROUP inaugural meeting and talk: HUNGER FOR JUSTICE
Small farmers are locked into a world food economy controlled by a large supermarkets, multinational institutions and international financial traders. In 2008, the price of maize in Kenya doubled, pushing large numbers of the country’s population way below the poverty line. This crisis was one that affected many other developing countries along with millions of the world’s poorest people. At the same time, huge banks were making billions from speculating on world food prices, essentially betting on hunger, and causing this massive spike in the global cost of food.
James O’Nions from World Development Movement discusses his trip to Kenya to investigate the impact of the 2008 food crisis, what caused it, and how we can act to stop it happening again.
This evening will also host community activists from local food projects working to reclaim our control over what we eat including Taunton Transition Town - meet us there!
Wednesday 30th March at Taunton Library, Paul Street, Taunton (7.30 till 9.30)
The Work that Reconnects - Saturday 9th April 2011
The Work that Reconnects - From Overwhelm to Vibrant Living
10am-5pm. Saturday 9th April 2011
Quaker Meeting House,
High Street, Wellington. TA21 8RA
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.
Fran Hicks is a trained Art Therapist, Counsellor, Quaker and founder member of Transition Taunton. She has run groups in mental wellbeing, deep ecology and exploring spirituality.
Sally lever is an experienced personal and business coach, writer, speaker and workshop leader, specialising in living and working sustainably.
Both are trained Work That Reconnects facilitators.
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£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: Sally Lever, sally@sallylever.co.uk, 01749 674842.
Open Space Planning Meeting - Making Local Food Work- Monday 11th April
NEW FOR TTT: MONTHLY OPEN PLANNING MEETING
Monday 11 April 7.30-9.00pm,
Friends Meeting House:
“MAKING LOCAL FOOD WORK”
Well, the first thing we need to do is find a much MUCH better name for what the intention actually is – to hold a monthly “Open Space” style forum for people who want to get more eco-active with others in the town to meet up and chat around a particular issue.
No speakers, no pre-planned outcome, just a shared look at what people think they would like to put a bit of creative time and energy into. Each MOP meeting may birth something new, or may just join up existing stuff much more effectively.
Following on from Patrick Holden’s visit to Taunton courtesy of Somerset Wildlife Trust, which looked at whether we can feed ourselves in the UK, our first MOP-in will be about LOCAL FOOD: what might we do more of and better to improve Taunton’s food security?
Want to help publicise it: download the poster here.
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
Transition Together
"Our group is doing a community gardening scheme based on my garden and we will all share the produce - good for me as I will have some help to be more ambitions with the sowing. We decided to spend the money coming to our group on seeds I think. We all agreed it was well worth doing and we have enjoyed the company of the group. It has focussed my mind on some of these issues in more depth”.
Deb Howell and her Galmington group
This time last year we asked for volunteers to host small groups of friends, neighbours or work colleagues to join a pilot scheme to support each other in taking practical steps to cut householders’ carbon – oh, and save money at the same time.
Under a Recession Relief scheme funded by TDBC, we were able to research and write a handbook to help these groups, packed full of information and advice on topics such as Energy, Food, Transport, Water and Waste. The handbook was based on a similar scheme dreamed up by our chums in Totnes, and fondly referred to as “T-Tog” (Transition Together being a bit of a mouthful after a while......). Each group also got the loan of an energy monitor, and a modest grant (£10 per participating household) to spend together on something inspired by the handbook.
One year on, and we now have seven groups going strong of between 3 and 7 householders each. Some have already finished working with the handbook and are feeling rather pleased with themselves for the positive changes they have made. Now we can pass their feedback on to inspire others to follow suit, as we are actively looking to support a further seven groups.
So read below, and if you feel you would like to start up a group of your own, give us a shout! Contact Chrissie Godfrey on 01823 321731 or email her on chrissie@visionjuice.com to find out more about how it all works.
"We have been very good at sharing what we do and can achieve, sending off for offers and recycling stuff to raise money for events. I am attending a beekeeping course to be able to get bees on to the allotments at Galmington to help pollination of our crops in town (apparently some other allotments in town have bees – so watch this space!) We are also hoping to get together to get a fish delivery from a sustainable source for sharing”.
Faith Dethier and her chums from Somerset College
Energy Auditors
local army of trained volunteers from Taunton Deane has carried out its first 50 inspections in a missions to help people save money on their heating bills.
The Deane Energy Savers have now visited 50 homes across the area providing help and advice to local residents which will help them save money on their fuel bills, as well as reducing their carbon emissions.
One local resident who was helped was Fran Hicks from Holway, Taunton who was extremely grateful for the help she received.
"I had such a reassuring and helpful visit. The advisor showed a real interest in the house and my thoughts about possible solutions. He showed me how to increase and decrease the water temperature in my hot tank and adjusted the timer on my boiler. He was also able to advise me on easy to fit draught excluders, secondary glazing, interior insulation to bathroom and options for my attic. It was a very helpful and pleasant visit: I cannot recommend the service highly enough.”.
Fran Hicks
The Deane Energy Saver Scheme is staffed completely by volunteers who have qualified through support by Bristol-based charity - the Centre for Sustainably Energy. As the service is independent of any company the energy auditors can give free, unbiased advice to anyone living in privately owned or rented properties in the Taunton Deane area.
"Unlike some insulation advisers who are tied to a particular company or product, the Energy Savers are interested in all aspects of energy conservation. The advice is often simple and practical - things people can do for themselves to keep costs down while staying warm.”.
Keith Parsons - one of the Energy Savers
The volunteer advisors wer recruited through a joint initiative by Taunton Transition Town and Taunton Deame Borough Council who paid for the training. For a free inspection and advice please contacte Keith Parsons - 01823 321667 - kdparsons@talktalk.net
Learning From the Land
Event Listings Spring 2011
March
26 How to Build a Compost Loo.
April
15 Lime Pointing for Beginners.
26 Sourdough Master Class - held at Tracebridge.
30 How to Build a Cob Pizza Oven.
May
7 May - Learn How to Make and Use Natural Paints
9 Train the Trainer - learn how to train effectively.
10 Cob Fundamentals - preparation and use of cob for building and repair.
June
12 Green Scythe Fair- Thorney Lakes, Muchelney, TA10 0DW
14 Rainwater Harvesting Systems.
All courses and open days are held at the “Learning from the Land” site near Milverton, unless otherwise stated.
See www.learningfromtheland.co.uk for more details. Please feel free to get in touch for more information 01823 400 696 Monday to Friday 9am- 5pm
More Taunton Transition
Head’s up on future dates:
APRIL DROP IN – Saturday 23 April 11am: “Dragon Dreaming” – how to create irresistible, sustainable projects, led by with Fran Hicks.
MAY MOP-in (hmmm, so the title may stick!) – Monday 9th May 7.30pm: “Getting Green Coverage” – what can we do together to get more stories about sustainability into the local media?
MAY DROP IN – Saturday 28th May: “Sustainable Storytelling” – a chance to share those stories about making sustainable, meaningful change that have inspired you
Notes
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 2nd Monday of the month for publication on the Wednesday
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With energy prices going up what can you do about it?
