Transition Newent

Film Show Wednesday, March 10th

2010-03-08T17:53:27Z

This positive, fun film is a must - bring your family, friends and neighbours
- anyone who would like to know more about the Transition movement,
but especially how it is working in our own community of Newent and local villages.

See Newent in a NEW film
FREE SCREENING

'In Transition' is the first film about the Transition movement.
It features the Oil Memorial at Newent Community School
and the Newent Grand Bag Making Competition. The film tells
the stories of how communities like Newent and around the world are responding to climate change and dwindling energy supplies. It shows how we rebuild our local economies and communities through our own creativity, imagination and practical action.

'IN TRANSITION'

Wednesday 10th March 2010
at Newent Community School 7.30pm

Chris's Forester Column, January 2010

2010-01-31T12:00:36Z

'The Heat is On!' by Chris Wooldridge of Transition Town Newent

Back to the Future in Snow

This January's bitter and snowy weather has not been experienced in Gloucestershire in almost 30 years. I am old enough to remember the '81/82 and the '62/63 winters and this time around there was something quite different in the media's treatment of the weather. Yes, they did show tobogganing families and the stunning beauty of a winter landscape but in the main they concentrated on traffic chaos, food shortage and school closures. (...read more)

]]> Expectations of a 24:7, all-year-round easy mobility now define our lives; our dependence on oil-based transport systems creates genuine and wholly understandable panic when that system seems to be at or near breaking point. At this time of year, for example, 80% of the supermarkets' carrots come from ten major packers in

East Anglia

Scotland

and northern

England

Thirty years ago, people travelled shorter distances to work, children generally went to schools within walking distance and less powerful supermarkets had yet to develop their 'just in time' distribution networks. The schoolteacher who travels to Coleford from Hereford, the Westbury to Birmingham commuter or the carrots from Scotland all depend on a continuing cheap oil economy. As we leave this era behind we will have to rely on much more localized food, transport and employment opportunities.

Transition Forest of Dean and Newent have set up a working party which, with the help of FODDC, will begin to develop an Energy Descent Action Plan for the district. This will provide a much needed long-term vision for low-carbon living at the end of the era of cheap oil.

Do please visit our website for details of a newly launched 'Super Insulated Newent and Villages' project, providing practical action and advice for saving money and energy.

By the way, I did get my warm socks for Christmas, thank you, and the parsnips were delicious, much improved by the cold weather.

To comment on this article visit www.transitionnewent.org.uk

Super Insulating Newent and the Villages Project

2010-01-12T15:30:52Z

A Transition Newent Project

What is the

'Super Insulating Newent & The Villages' Project?

What will it do for you?

What can you do to help?

1, The Project is for the benefit of the whole population of Newent and the 17 surrounding Villages on the northern border of the Forest of Dean District Council area.

2. Its primary objective is to help the 2281 households in Newent and 3910 households in the Villages to reduce their energy costs against a long-term trend of increase; in so doing to enable single householders, whole villages, neighbourhoods or Newent Town as a whole, to do what is possible to meet the challenge of Climate Change, specifically the UK government's target to reduce carbon emissions by 34% by 2020. (.....read more)

]]> 3. The original idea arose within Transition Newent and has already gained support in the community. It is endorsed by Newent Town Council and the Newent Initiative. The major characteristic of this project is that it will be Community led with the largest effort supplied by volunteers in Newent and the 17 villages.

4. The project is led by Transition Newent members in a formal partnership with the Newent Initiative, Severn Wye Energy Agency, Domestic & General Insulation, Worcester Bosch, B & Q and other community sponsor businesses such as Perpetua Press and BuildBase Building Supplies.

5. Funding for the work, besides voluntary contributions, is being sought from the £2.6m of SWRDA's Rural Development Programme for England awarded to the Forest of Dean District Council and administered by the Local Action Group (LAG) within the council's Local Action Strategy.

6, Currently the Partnership is building a Newent and Villages organisation and network.

7. Enthusiasm for the project led Kempley Parish Council and volunteers to start work as a study Village on the weekend of 9/10 January 2010 and to host a series of associated events covering the Kempley and SIN & V Plans. An event focused on Oil and Gas Boilers and Heat Pumps sponsored by Worcester-Bosch is planned for 18^th February in Kempley.

8. The SIN & V Project is in 3 parts: Pre-funding up to April 2010; A Pilot Phase of 6months from April to Sept 2010 and an Implementation Phase of 2 years from late 2010 to late 2012

9. UK Energy companies will provide most of the funding for insulation measures such as filling cavity walls and topping up loft insulation. However, the project will also address the whole spectrum of energy use and conservation from draught-proofing to boiler efficiency and use of controls. Importantly, it will seek to improve householders' knowledge and behaviour in relation to energy use and costs.

10. It is likely that some new employment will arise as a result of this project.

11. The Research and Communications methods will be tested in the Pilot Phase in four Study Villages and three Newent Study Neighbourhoods. This will provide a unique and accurate picture of where action might be taken to save energy, householders' costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

12. It is likely that a 'Greenest Village or Neighbourhood' Competition will be launched with a large Corporate sponsor.

13. With success, this project and its methods will break new ground in the Forest, Gloucestershire and in the UK in identifying community-based methods which will work in small towns and rural districts where as yet there has been little concerted UK Government and Agencies research or action.

14. This unique project will be seen as a local and national leader in the field, which is crucial to the well-being of citizens and their children, grandchildren and future generations.

15. The Project is being designed and implemented as a Template Project which can be offered to other small towns and rural communities in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire and beyond.

If you can help as a volunteer in a village or Newent neighbourhood or in managing elements of the project please contact Richard Moore 01989 720438 richardajmoore@lineone.net or Peter Street 01531 820903 peter.street6@btinternet.com

Richard Moore

12^th January 2010

Chris's Forester Column: December 2009

2009-12-30T17:03:28Z

No need for Candles, Caves or Hairshirts

In the confusion and disappointment that followed the final hours of the

Copenhagen summit on climate change and with the Christmas season on its tail it might seem that the Transition movement have little to celebrate but this, as I'll go on to explain, would be far from the truth. The world's media will now be full of comment and opinion, blaming certain nations and exonerating its own negotiators. One thing was clear: that a global problem as potentially devastating as climate change taxed the particular and varied interests and structures of the nation state. ........( read more) ........

]]> Although a binding global agreement on carbon emissions must be thrashed out and very soon, movements like Transition will continue to offer their own models for successful, local and sustainable living without resorting to candles, caves and hair shirts. In this spirit, Transition Newent, held a Christmas party last Saturday, tucking in to an array of dishes prepared and brought by the guests and raising their glasses, filled of course with locally produced wine and fruit juices, to 'the community'. Entertainment was home grown as well with storytellers re-inventing myths and legends for our own time and place.

In the short period that Transition Newent has existed we have established a large network of like-minded individuals, developed friendships and initiated projects that, repeated in appropriate ways over the globe can help re-localize economies and give communities resilience when facing not only climate change but the far more life-changing threat coming from the end of cheap and plentiful oil.

What do I want for Christmas? Some nice warm socks and a bit of a thaw so I can get to my parsnips.

Am I making any New Year resolutions? Would I tell you?

To comment on this article visit www.transitionnewent.org.uk

Chris's Forester Column, November 2009

2009-11-28T12:38:35Z

'The Heat is On!' by Chris Wooldridge of Transition Town Newent

If we falter the earth itself will be at risk

By the time you read my December column, the Copenhagen climate change summit will have taken place and we will or will not have in place an agreement between the world's nation states to limit the release of greenhouse gases.

For those of you still unconvinced of the seriousness of the situation, let me recap. ... (more) ...

]]> Over the last 150 years, developing and developed countries have burnt fossil fuels - coal, gas and oil - which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. There is incontrovertible scientific evidence that these gases are the prime cause of climate change. If we do not limit their release we face disasters on an epic global scale. This is why we must decarbonise our lives as rapidly as possible. From our

current 10 tonnes of CO2 per person we need to reach around 2 tonnes by 2050.

Britain via the EU has committed to reducing emissions on 1990 levels by 34% by 2020. America under Obama is at last recognising the scale and urgency of the problem and with China has reportedly jointly promised a 'comprehensive agreement' in December. Meanwhile in Papua New Guinea communities are relocating because rising sea levels have made their island homes uninhabitable. Copenhagen must deliver. To quote our own prime minister: 'If we act now, if we act together, if we act with vision and resolve, success at Copenhagen is still within our reach. But if we falter, the Earth itself will be at risk.'

Turning to local issues, after a recent and hugely enjoyable weekend of apple-juicing workshops, Transition Newent has now established a small co-operative network of juicers, cider makers, apple growers and equipment owners who could take a local and sustainable resource - the apple - onto another level. We raise our glasses of apple juice to their future success ∙∙∙ and the success of the world's climate change negotiators in Copenhagen.

To comment on this article visit www.transitionnewent.org.uk

Recipes from the recent food preservation workshop

2009-10-25T15:17:57Z

Some lovely recipes using elderberries and damsons from the recent workshop. ELDERBERRY ROB RECIPE - WENDY REYNOLDS Good for coughs, cold, flu and sore throats.

1lb(450gms ) fresh elderberries & 1lb(450g) brown sugar.Strip berries from stalks wash & crush them. Bring slowly to the boil with the sugar & simmer until a syrupy consistency is reached. Pass through a sieve & bottle in clean, sterilised airtight bottles. Serve diluted with hot water. Blackberry and blackcurrant can also be used.

RASPBERRY VINEGAR - ANN ALLEN

Recipe: Add 1lb/450g raspberries to 1 pint/600ml wine/cider vinegar. Cover bowl with a cloth & leave in a cool place for 4-5 days, stirring each day. Strain through a jelly bag & pour into sterilised bottles & seal. Store in a cool dark place and use within a year.

PICKLED DAMSONS from Gillian Guest

August 2007

4lbs damsons
1pint vinegar

1lb sugar
6 cloves
2" stick cinnamon

Put fruit in non-metallic bowl. Bring the other ingredients to the boil, simmer for a couple of minutes then pour over fruit. Cover.

For the next 3 days, pour off the liquid, re-boil and pour back over fruit.

On day 5 pack the fruit into jars, re-boil liquid and pour over fruit in jars. Seal and leave to mature.

(This has to be eaten within a year before the texture of the fruit deteriorates)

]]>

Chris's Forester Column: October 2009

2009-10-22T11:24:24Z

'The Heat is On!' by Chris Wooldridge of Transition Town Newent

Judge a Shop by its Shelf in Bid to Win Climate War

Why do environmentalists give supermarkets a hard time? Well, much of the reason lies with retailers' bold claims that they are in the fight against climate change while what actually appears on their shelves contradicts this. ......(more)

]]> ....... Last week, at the height of the local harvest, there were Portuguese pears, French Gala and New Zealand Braeburn apples in my local Budgens. The Braeburns had not only been dragged half way round the world but must have been in expensive cold stores for up to six months. Gloucestershire is home to almost 100 different native apple varieties (see www.gloucestershireorchardgroup.org.uk ) and abounds with commercial apple orchards. Come on, all you supermarkets. Is it really necessary to go to

New Zealand

Portugal

to source apples and pears? If your publicity really means anything, stock your shelves with more than token local fruit.

The Copenhagen summit meeting on climate change is just weeks away. There will be few more urgent global meetings than this. It is crucial that a fair and binding deal is worked out. This means industrialised western nations prepared to make larger reductions than poorer nations and to finance low-carbon technology transfer to them. Lobby your local politicians to act on this issue with all haste.

I was at the Gloucester Countdown to Copenhagen Rally last Saturday, October 17. One of the speakers, Stroud-based environmental economist Molly Scott Cato, gave me a new phrase, 'cognitive dissonance'. Cognitive dissonance is the uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two contradictory ideas simultaneously. For example, although most of us desire a low-carbon life, it's often easier and cheaper to do otherwise so the high cost of train journeys encourages car and plane use.

I believe we need much bigger financial incentives before we see a large scale movement from high to low-carbon lifestyles. Last Saturday, however, the half-hourly, comfortable and punctual Newent/Gloucester bus service was perfect for me and my fellow passengers.

To comment on this article visit www.transitionnewent.org.uk

Ian Kelsy grows bananas in Newent

2009-10-20T14:58:28Z

Retired GP Ian Kelsy is celebrating his success growing bananas for the first time at his unheated greenhouse near Newent. Since his retirement Ian has been working towards his dream of becoming self-sufficient and developing a smallholding in the area with his partner, Liz Christian. 'It's fantastic after three years persevering with a number of varieties, Dwarf Orinoco, is now producing. I put it down to climate change' says Ian although his own expertise as a grower and banana enthusiast no doubt plays a part. Ian and Liz are active in Transition Newent and supply the local fruit shop Pippins with their produce.

Climate Change March in Gloucester, Saturday 17 October 11:30am

2009-10-14T12:12:32Z

A Climate Change March to lobby politicians in the run up to Copenhagen will take place in Gloucester this Saturday, 17th October. It has been organised by Christian Aid but lots of other groups are also supporting it. The march starts at 11:30 from the City Council Offices at Gloucester docks.

Click here for more information

Chocolate courgette cake recipe

2009-10-09T08:16:42Z

Here's the recipe for the cake I brought to the food preservation workshop on Oct 7.
]]> Cake

120 g butter softened
125 ml light sunflower oil
300 g sugar (I used granulated but you could substitute all or part soft brown sugar to good effect)
3 medium sized eggs
350 g plain white flour (wholewheat would be OK)
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons (slightly rounded) cocoa
450 g peeled and grated raw courgettes
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, but not both!)

Topping

150 g dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids)
7 level teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons cold water
45 g butter

Oven temperature 190 deg C, 35 to 45 minutes.

Cake:

Line a large roasting tin (28 x 39 cm) with baking paper. This makes quite a thin cake and you could use a slightly smaller, deeper tin if necessary.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa and cinnamon if using.
Cream the butter, oil and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. No need to beat the eggs first. Add the vanilla if using.
Fold in the dry ingredients, then the grated courgettes. When thoroughly mixed spoon into the cake tin. Spread evenly, aiming for a slightly shallower centre to minimise doming.
Bake in the centre of the oven until the cake is springy and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Rest for a few minutes then turn out onto a wire cooling tray to finish cooling.

Topping:

Put the chocolate, sugar and water into a heatproof bowl suspended over barely simmering water. Melt gently, stirring intermittently. As soon as the chocolate is melted remove the bowl from the heat and beat in the butter. The topping should be smooth and glossy. Pour it over the cake and spread to the edges.
Leave the cake to cook completely before cutting it into squares with a sharp knife. To make cutting easier put the cake in the freezer for half an hour to firm it up.
Decorate with toasted flaked almonds.

Chris's Forester Column: September 2009

2009-09-24T11:42:09Z

‘The Heat is On!’ by Chris Wooldridge of Transition Town Newent

Signing Pledge at Onion Fair

The onion tribe are the perfect Transition vegetables: easy to grow in our temperate climate, they store well and are versatile, tasty, and health-giving. Each September, Newent’s Onion Fair celebrates this fine plant, and by association, its magnificent cousins the leek, shallot and garlic.

Transition Newent took a stall at this year’s Fair and gave visitors the opportunity to pledge reductions in their carbon footprints by backing the global campaign 10:10. Launched in London this month by film-maker Franny Armstrong, 10:10 is about individuals and organisations pledging a 10% reduction in their carbon footprint in 2010 and marks the beginning of a longer energy descent to meet an 80% reduction by 2050 if we are to avoid catastrophic global warming. See details and sign-up on www.1010uk.org .

We received 60 individual pledges at the Onion Fair ranging from a young student who pledged to walk to school instead of driving her car to an ambitious plan for a business centre with 25 offices heated by biomass. FoDDC pledged a 25% carbon reduction over five years. Our 60 pledges represent about 100 tons less carbon by next December, a small contribution but 10:10 has so far received pledges from over 17,000 individuals and 600 businesses including Spurs football team, Royal Mail and several NHS trusts. The entire cabinet and Tory front bench have also signed-up.

Nearly all the people I spoke to on Saturday were well on the way with basic energy saving in the house, they recycled and were keen to buy locally-produced food. But as I looked around me on that hot September afternoon in Newent's Church Street, at the single-glazed windows, the un-insulated walls and lofts and the absence of solar panels I recognised the huge steps that will have to be made and the financial assistance required if we are to meet our carbon reduction targets. The energy-descent conversation has just begun.

To comment on this article visit www.transitionnewent.org.uk

Transition Newent: Our Progress So Far

2009-09-21T09:21:25Z

2010 will be a vital year in the history of climate change. In December 2009, the world meets in Copenhagen and must thrash-out formulae for reducing world carbon emissions if we are to avoid climate catastrophe.

In Newent we are holding a strategy meeting for all interested people on Saturday morning, November 7th to discuss how, in 2010 and beyond, Transition Newent can provide local solutions to the twin threats of climate change and peak oil, solutions that we hope will be re-inforced by the 'Copenhagen Agreement'.

Come along and join in the discussion at Newent Community School, November 7th, 9.30 am to 1.00 pm.

As background to the meeting, John Tiere has put together a report entitled Transition Newent: Our Progress So Far. This document lists our activities to date and possible pointers to the direction we could be taking.

Click here to read/download the pdf file: newsletter_0809.pdf

Click here to read/download your personal workshop invitation: Next_Steps.pdf

Chris's Forester Column, August 2009

2009-08-30T10:43:39Z

‘The Heat is On!’ by Chris Wooldridge of Transition Town Newent

Organic crops are the best

For some years the Food Standards Authority has appeared to undervalue the organic food movement so I was not entirely surprised by its irritating claim that organic food had no nutritional benefits over conventionally produced food. Contrary to their report, previous organic food studies have found evidence of increased levels of proteins, beta-carotenes, trace elements, beneficial omega oils and vitamins. Among other omissions, the FSA report also failed to include the results of a major European Union-funded study which ended in April this year and concluded that: 'Levels of a range of nutritionally desirable compounds were shown to be higher in organic crops [and] ‘Levels of nutritionally undesirable compounds were shown to be lower in organic crops'. Those of you interested in a detailed critique of the FSA report should go to www.soilassociation.org . I’ve been growing food by organic principles for some 40 years and my friends and family don’t need to check the report to know that my fresh, seasonal, produce is the best there is.

Following close on the heels of the FSA report, the government issued a Food Security assessment in early August stressing that climate change and diminishing water and energy supplies – the issues Transition concerns itself with – require a transformation in the way we feed ourselves. Crude oil prices are on the rise again. We are being asked to reduce our energy requirements by 80% by 2050 and the food industry must do likewise with its oil-based footprint. Organic farming can provide real environmentally sustainable solutions. Everyone should have access to organic food and it shouldn’t be seen just as a middle-class lifestyle choice.

For the first time, this year’s Newent in Bloom garden competition has included an Environmental Stewardship category sponsored and judged by Transition Newent. The winners included the Glebe Infants School, two private gardens and Picklenash Juniors. Well done, all of you.

Lavender biscuits recipe

2009-08-08T08:02:50Z

By popular request, here's the recipe for the lavender biscuits I brought along to the seed-saving workshop:

]]> Ingredients

125 g caster sugar
12 dried lavender flowers (home-grown, un-sprayed)
225 g butter, softened
225 g plain flour
120 g ground rice (aka rice flour)
Pinch of salt
Extra caster sugar to decorate

Method

Whiz the caster sugar and lavender flowers in a food processor for about 10 seconds.
Cream the butter and lavender sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, then stir in the flour, ground rice and salt.
Knead the ingredients into a dough (use your hands), then roll into a log, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until firm. You can flatten the sides of the log to give square biscuits if the mood takes you.
Heat the oven to 190 deg C or Gas Mark 5 (adjust temperature downwards for fan ovens).
Cut your log into thin slices and place on baking sheets. No need to oil the baking sheets as there's enough fat in the biscuits to do the job!
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until pale gold in colour, then remove from oven and sprinkle immediately with caster sugar.
Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.

Chris's Forester Column, July 2009

2009-07-30T11:02:30Z

‘The Heat is On!’ by Chris Wooldridge of Transition Town Newent

It’s Time for a New Attitude to Energy Use

In the fight against climate change, recent events have given me two reasons to be cheerful. Firstly at national level, Secretary of State Ed Milliband, presented a Climate Change white paper last week describing it gratifyingly as a ‘Transition plan for Britain’.

Laying out a roadmap for future carbon reduction, the paper gives energy-using sectors clear targets. For instance, by 2020 compared to 2008 levels our homes must reduce emissions by 30%. This white paper marks the dawn of a renewable energy era for Britain and in the run-up to the global climate summit in Copenhagen this December let’s hope Milliband’s paper will be the catalyst for international action.

Secondly, and much closer to home, the village of Kempley lies in unspoilt farmland to the north-west of Newent. It’s claims to fame include daffodils and the architectural splendours of its two churches, St Mary’s with its 12^th century frescoes and St Edward’s built in 1903 and described by John Betjeman as ‘a miniature cathedral of the arts and crafts movement’.

To these claims, Kempley can now add its Saturday Market and Café. It opened this month and I joined over 150 others in a packed village hall where enticing fresh local produce and delicious home-made cakes and coffee were on sale. The market and café will be held on the second Saturday of each month from 9.30 to 11.30am. What better way of helping to make a community more resilient to climate change and peak oil?

A last thought: Even if we manage to produce perfect low-carbon transport, do we want to continue to endure gridlocked roads, long-distance commuting, crowded airport lounges, and trains with standing room only? Isn’t the trick to rein-in our desire and need to travel? We must adopt greener technologies but also use simple solutions like car-sharing, more cycling and walking and often just enjoying where we are.