Transition Chesterfield

These details of relatively local events are distributed by the Marches Energy Agency.

Community Climate Action Email January 11
 
Welcome to the latest edition of Community Climate Action, with all the latest news, events and resources in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. A special hello to new subscribers and a Happy New Year to all.
 
Did you know that around 280 people subscribe to this e-newsletter? If you know someone who would appreciate receiving it why not forward this edition to them and ask them to email ccan@mea.org.uk to subscribe to future editions (they should use the title ‘subscribe’ and include their name, email address and the name of any climate change community group they belong to). It helps us if each reader subscribes individually as we then know how many people are reading the newsletter.
 
STOP PRESS: Please fill in our online survey!
 
We’re currently seeking feedback on the services (including this e-newsletter) that the Community Climate Action Network offers to people living in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The feedback you provide will help us to improve the service and ensure it continues to offer relevant assistance to groups and individuals tackling climate change in their communities. It will also help us to seek funding to continue the service. Please fill in our short survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GSVDQRZ. It should take no more than 10 minutes and you need to respond by Sunday 30th January 2011.
 
Contents:
 
A.     Local Events
Free Study Tours of Sustainable Buildings
‘Ways to Save Water in the Home’
Permaculture Design Course
Online Energy Monitoring Training
East Midlands Cycling Forum Meeting
 
B.     Local News
 
Community Group Case Studies Sought
Derbyshire Public Transport Survey
Free Services for Community Groups
 
C.     National News
 
National Communities and Climate Action Conference
Video Guide to Communicating Climate Change
Climate Week: 21st to 27th March 2011
Low Cost Green Training
Community Energy Guide Available
Community Energy Online
Zero Carbon Church Practices What it Preaches
New Data on Home Insulation levels
Fantastic Insulation Offer
Free Trees for All
Webinar on Online Communities
 
And Finally…
Transition Daily
 
 
A.        Local Events
 
Free Study Tours of Sustainable Buildings
 
Readers of this newsletter have previously indicated that they would like to attend study tours of sustainable buildings. Rural Community Action Network Nottinghamshire now have funding to provide free tours of this kind to see the following projects in Nottinghamshire:
 
Hockerton Housing Project - either an introductory or technical tour of the project which consists of five lived-in houses built to a high environmental standard.
Bowbridge Primary School - a presentation, tour and an insight into the school’s Food for Life Project. Refreshments and lunch using locally sourced products will be provided.
CORE - Centre of Renewable Energy East Drayton - a site overview presentation followed by a more comprehensive site tour, including the willow fields (weather permitting).
Places are limited and are available to those living in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. To apply please contact Phil Wilson: PWilson@rcan.org.uk. Please mention in your email if you belong to a local environmental community group.
 
‘Ways to Save Water in the Home’
Monday 17th January 2011
7pm for refreshments, prompt start at 7.30pm
SNC Training, South Notts College, Mere Way, Ruddington Fields Business Park, NG11 6JZ
 
The fourth in a series of free events looking at how to make a home more environmentally friendly. The event is organised by Transition West Bridgford but is also open to those living outside of West Bridgford. Topics covered will include: ‘Would a water meter save me money?’ and ‘Greywater and rainwater systems’. Those already on water meters are asked to bring along details of their average monthly water use to compare with standard water rates – just for interest, not to embarrass anyone! Please email info@wbecohouses.co.uk if you are likely to be attending.
 
East Midlands Cycling Forum Meeting
Saturday 12th March
Leicester
 
The EMCF is an informal network of cycle campaigners. To find out more see: www.pedals.org.uk/east_midlands_cyclists_forum. To attend their next meeting on 12th March, contact: Andy Salkeld: andy.salkeld@leicester.gov.uk.
 
Online Energy Monitoring Training
Venue and dates tbc (January and February)
FREE
 
Marches Energy Agency (MEA) and Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire are offering free training sessions on energy efficiency and carbon management for third sector and not-for-profit  organisations based in Nottinghamshire. The training, which will run over two sessions, will explain how to use MEA’s innovative interactive webtool WeSave (www.wesave.org.uk) to monitor and reduce energy consumption in your organisation.  You will also explore how to engage staff in this process and how to produce an energy report for a building.
 
The training sessions are part of a larger support package for Third Sector Organisations which is being funded by the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership. For more information: http://twoak.com/fbzb. To book a place contact Phil Wilson on 01623 727600 or pwilson@rcan.org.uk.
 
Permaculture Design Course
5th & 6th February
Uplands Infants School, Melbourne Road, Highfields, Leicester
£60 (concessionary rates available)
 
If you like in the southern end of the area this newsletter covers then you might be interested in this weekend-long introduction to permaculture being run by Transition Leicester. The course can be attended on a stand-alone basis, or you can then attend five further weekends (one per month until July 2011, each costing £60) and receive an accredited Permaculture Design Certificate. The course will be practical, interactive and fun. http://transitionleicester.wordpress.com/events/permaculture-2011
 
 
Local News
Community Group Case Studies Sought
 
Has your group run a project that was a real success? Do you do work that could be replicated by other groups if they knew what you had done?
 
Marches Energy Agency (MEA) is currently looking for short online case studies to add to the Everybody’s Talking About Climate Change website (www.everybodys-talking.org) to inspire other groups in the area. If you think you have a suitable case study please email brief details to ccan@mea.org.uk.
 
Derbyshire Public Transport Survey
Derbyshire County Council is looking to cut its public transport budget as part of wider cuts in budgets. The council currently pays for around 15% of all bus services in the county by subsidising some routes and supporting community transport, school transport and fares for younger, older or disabled people.

Whilst this isn’t good news, they have produced a survey to find out what people consider important with regards to public transport to help inform the decisions they make. Make sure you have your say here: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/have_your_say/consultation_search/Consulta...

Eco Centre Spring Brochure Available
 
Derbyshire’s Eco Centre’s Spring Brochure is now available and includes courses such as ‘Solar Hot Water’ and ‘Carbon Management at Work’. www.collegeofthepeak.org.uk.
 
Free Services for Groups
 
Marches Energy Agency produce this newsletter and also provide a number of other free-to-use services to community groups:
 
Advertise Your Groups Events Online for Free. A facility on the Everybody’s Talking website allows groups to advertise their events online with minimum fuss. Simply fill in the form at www.everybodys-talking.org/community-events and hit ‘submit’. Your event will be reviewed and added to the website within five working days.
Online Community Group Profiles. A number of local climate change-focused community groups now have an online profile on the Everybody’s Talking website (www.everybodys-talking.org). A profile gives your group an online presence without requiring you to maintain your own website. It could help you to recruit new members. If you would like a profile for your group please fill in the form attached to this email and return it to: ccan@mea.org.uk. Please only submit one form per group.
Networking and Signposting Service for groups that are big on ideas but short on time to research those ideas. Send us an enquiry about a project you want to set up or a topic you want to learn more about. We will do some research for you and signpost you to other community groups you might want to work with or learn from, as well as resources, websites and courses. No question is too easy or too hard and we aim to respond within 10 working days. Email your question or enquiry to ccan@mea.org.uk or call 07748 508704.
 
National News
National Communities and Climate Action Conference
16th & 17th January
Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury, London
 
The Communities and Climate Action Alliance is running this conference to give communities the opportunity to come together, learn new skills and share experiences. It is a chance to find out about various exciting and innovative projects up and down the country and gather inspiration for your own. For information: www.lowcarboncommunities.net/communities-conference. To book free tickets: www.lccnconference.eventbrite.com
 
Video Guide to Communicating Climate Change
 
George Marshall of the Climate Outreach and Information Network (COIN) has produced a series of short useful videos exploring the psychology of climate change denial and climate communications. http://bit.ly/eeWVN9.
 
Climate Week: 21st to 27th March 2011
 
This new initiative aims to create a ‘supercharged national occasion that offers an annual renewal of our ambition and confidence to combat climate change.’ As Climate Change is knocked off the headlines by economic concerns this sounds like just what we need! Local organisations are invited to run their own events during the week. National initiatives such as these often provide a good way to attract local media attention. www.climateweek.com.
 
Low Cost Green Training
 
The National Communities Resource Centre, based at Trafford Hall in Chester has recently received funding to run a sustainability training programme called Community Futures. Individuals who are volunteers in their community (that’s YOU if you are involved in a local group taking action on climate change!) are welcome to attend the courses, which cost just £50 for two days thanks to the funding. This includes the training, plus food and accommodation during your stay. www.traffordhall.com.
 
Community Energy Guide Available
 
A new guide outlines a step-by-step approach to the challenge of creating a successful and efficient community energy scheme. ‘Community Energy - planning, development and delivery’, has been jointly produced by the Combined Heat & Power Association (CHPA) and the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA). The guide focuses on the stages of development and is aimed at a wide audience including community groups. Download the guide at:  http://www.tcpa.org.uk/pages/community-energy-urban-planning-for-a-low-c...
 
Community Energy Online
 
Climate Change Minister Greg Barker recently launched a new community energy website
and urged communities to take new opportunities to become more energy self sufficient. In a keynote speech to the Combined Heat and Power Association’s annual conference, he described communities installing their own low carbon energy, like combined heat and power plants, wind and water turbines or district heating networks, as epitomising the vision of the Big Society. http://ceo.decc.gov.uk
 
Zero Carbon Church Practices What it Preaches
 
Work has been completed on the UK's first zero carbon church, the grade one listed Norman church of St Michael and All Angels in the Cotswold village of Withington, Gloucestershire. A lighting makeover reduced electricity demand by 40% with the remaining requirement supplied by PV panels. Biomass boilers provide heating. www.gloucester.anglican.org/news/press/index.php?articleid=413.
 
New Data on Home Insulation Levels
 
The Department for Energy and Climate Change has published new estimates of the numbers of homes in the UK with lofts and cavity walls:
 
o              Of 26.5 million homes in Great Britain 23.2 million have lofts and 18.6 million have cavity walls.
o              12.3 million homes had loft insulation of at least 125mm
o              10.3 million homes had cavity wall insulation
 
www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/101130_stats/101130_stats.aspx 
 
Fantastic Insulation Offer
 
NPower are offering the best deal on Rockwool Loft Insulation to install yourself that I’ve ever seen at just £3 a roll: www.npower.com/diyinsulation.
 
Free Trees for All
 
The Woodland Trust is offering groups free packs of trees to plant in neighbourhoods across the UK. Apply here before 2nd February: http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/en/plant-trees/help-advice/Pages/trees-f....
 
Webinar on Online Communities
11am-12pm, 20th January 2011
Online, £89.

This online seminar, or ‘webinar’ is being run by Tat Ruck, who has created a successful online community for people from differing cultures in Devon (http://devongrapevine.ning.com/). It will look at how to encourage community involvement and consultation using the internet and specifically online communities. Topics will include identifying your target membership and keeping mebers commng back to the online community. http://rodlaird.hostinguk.org/default.asp?page=999
 
 
And Finally…
Transition Daily
 
If this bulletin doesn’t satisfy your appetite for information on climate change and communities (we do try!), then the Transition Towns Initiative has set up a daily e-newsletter here: http://paper.li/transitiontowns/initiatives
 
 
 
Thanks to everyone who provided items for this newsletter. If you have any events or news you would like to be included in future newsletters please send me the details: ccan@mea.org.uk. You can send comments about the e-newsletter to the same email address.
 
If you would like to read this e-newsletter as a pdf please visit: www.everybodys-talking.org/communities-area/community-bulletins.
 
If you are receiving these emails via someone else, and are not subscribed to this e-newsletter but would like to be, please send an email with the title ‘Subscribe’ to ccan@mea.org.uk. Please include the name of any community climate action group you belong to (e.g.: a Transition group or Sustainable group) and the area you live in (E.g.: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Nottingham or Derby).
 
If you no longer wish to receive these emails please send an email with ‘Unsubscribe’ in the title to ccan@mea.org.uk.
 
The Everybody’s Talking Website is the climate change portal for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire: www.everybodys-talking.org.

Caroline Harmon
Project Manager
07748 508704

Marches Energy Agency