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Caring about the future of our community
in Thornbury and the surrounding villages

ST Bulletin

January 2013



Contents

Happy New Year! The main bulletin item this month is the workshop on Saturday to develop the Energy Project. This Bulletin also includes news about:

Saturday workshop on the Energy Project

We are holding a workshop on Saturday 26 January from 1pm to 5pm at The Chantry. This is a change of date (previously 19 January). All are welcome. The main topic will be to flesh out some of the ideas for the Energy Project and turn them into action. We will also talk more briefly about the South Glos Climate Change Strategy, the proposed windfarm near Olveston and fracking. These workshops are usually good fun and very productive. As usual, we will start with a bring-and-share lunch.

The Energy Project

We are planning some work on energy topics in the Thornbury area. We have already started some work on:-

  • helping The Chantry to improve their energy efficiency;
  • starting a local demonstration homes project;
  • setting up some basic advice on energy saving, grants and loans.

At the Saturday workshop we want to devise something to:-

  • learn about energy;
  • publicise energy matters;
  • publicise grants, loans and sources of more detailed advice;

We could do this by working with Gloucestershire and Bristol community energy groups.

South Gloucestershire Climate Change Strategy

South Gloucestershire Council has published an important draft climate change strategy for the period up to 2015. It sets out proposed carbon reduction and renewable energy targets and six priorities for action. Action plans are proposed for each priority area. An open public meeting of the Environment Forum will be held on Thursday 24 January, 7:00pm to 9.00pm in Kingswood Civic Centre to discuss the proposals. If you would like to go please email sustainability@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 863870. Contact Alan or ring 01454-416778 for car sharing. If you can't come then (or if you have some spare reading time) have a look at the Strategy and respond with your thoughts at the consultation web page.

Proposed M48 windfarm

As you will have seen in the local press, REG Windpower want to build two big wind turbines close to the junction of the M4 and the M48 near Olveston. They have now applied for planning permission. There is a very active opposition group OWAG that has distributed leaflets and has been sending a stream of letters to the Gazette. The planning application (no. PT12/4071/F) can be seen on the South Glos website and you can respond there. Contact Alan or ring 01454-416778 for help. We encourage everyone to respond to the consultation (by 29 January), and to the Gazette letters, and ST needs to decide what action it will take, if any.

Thornbury Give'n'Take website

Don't forget the Give'n'Take website and to tell your friends about it. There is some interesting stuff on there, but most people don't know about it. The idea is to find new homes for useful but unwanted things that you would otherwise throw away. Everything is free. 


We think it is very easy to use. You will need to register to use the website. You choose a username, so you can be more or less anonymous. You can either post things you have, or things you want. The taker then normally collects the item, but you can arrange to meet somewhere.

Discussions and planning

The next three meetings are on Wed 23 January (on the M48 windfarm), Wed 27 February and Wed 27 March.

We have discussions and plan what we are doing at meetings on the fourth Wednesday of most months at 7:30pm at The Chantry. The first hour or so is often a talk or general discussion that we call Sustainability Forum. Then we have a tea break and talk about what the project groups are doing. All are welcome.

Grow Your Own Food

The Grow Your Own Food group has a meeting most months, usually on a Thursday at 7:30pm. The next practical session is apple pruning at the Community Orchard on Sat 2 Feb. The next meeting is Thursday 14 February at Mary's on getting a garden going. Click here for meetings after that or ring 01454-412165. The Grow Your Own Food group also has an email group; to subscribe email gyof-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Dates

Wed 23 Jan: ST general meeting, 7:30pm, The Chantry. Forum topic: the M48 windfarm.

Thu 24 Jan: S Glos Environment Forum on the Climate Change Strategy. 7-9pm at Kingswood Civic Centre. Email sustainability@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 863870 if you would like to go.

Wed 26 Jan: ST Saturday Workshop on the Energy Project, the South Glos Climate Change Strategy and the windfarm, 1:00pm to 5:00pm, Stuart Room at The Chantry. Bring and share lunch.

Sat 2 Feb: Community Orchard apple pruning - 10:30am.

Thu 14 Feb: Grow Your Own Food group - 7:30pm. Getting a garden going.

Wed 27 Feb: ST general meeting, 7:30pm, The Chantry.

Wed 27 Mar: ST general meeting, 7:30pm, The Chantry.

For more dates see the website diary page.



Contact us Thank you for your support 

This email was sent by info@sustainablethornbury.org, telephone 01454-416778.
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