The Greener Gloucestershire Festival

The Greener Gloucestershire Festival is happening at the University of Gloucestershire, Park Campus, Cheltenham this weekend from 12pm – 5pm!

Come along and join the celebration of all things sustainable in Gloucestershire – from local community initiatives and projects to local beer and face painting.

The festival aims to find out more about putting sustainable living into practice, with advice, information and support from many local experts, as well as interactive talks and discussions on topics such as G.M., carbon reductions, faith and sustainability and communications skills for effective sustainability.

The first event of its kind is organised by the Greener Gloucestershire Team at UoG Students’ Union, hopes to bring Gloucestershire communities together with staff and students to celebrate the amazing work in sustainability done by volunteers, organisations and businesses working to keep Gloucestershire a healthy, green and beautiful place to live. There will be something to meet the needs and interests of everyone, young and old – green and blue! The festival will be host to workshops, music, real ale and cider and the a chance for bakers and makers to exhibit at the impressive Cheltenham Connect Village Show

Stall holders from across the county will be selling their local produce and sharing their green initiatives and campaigns. This looks to be an eclectic event with delicious food, local cider and ale, and music from local bands including UkesAnon and Talis.

Greener Gloucestershire is a partnership between Gloucestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (GFirst LEP) and the University of Gloucestershire Students’ Union, and aims to enhance the student experience while they live and study in the county. The project was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) backed National Union of Students (NUS) Students’ Green Fund.

Greener Gloucestershire project manager Rachel Purdon is looking forward to the inaugural festival: "We're delighted to be hosting the inaugural Greener Gloucestershire Festival on Park Campus. It is a perfect opportunity to come along and ask some questions about what sustainability really means, and have your say on what you want the future of Gloucestershire to look like – as well as trying some delicious

food and drink.

“Everyone is welcome to come along - whether you're interested in gardening or electric cars, saving bees or football – we’d love to see you there.”

Groups who will be present at the festival include Global Footsteps, Vision 21, Transition Towns, Allotment Society, Zero Carbon Britain RSPB, UOG Beekeeping Society, Sustainable Direction Ltd, Gloucester Bike Project and many more!

The Greener Gloucestershire Festival will be held from noon until 5pm at the Park campus, The Park, Cheltenham, GL50 2RH. To find out more, please visit www.greenergloucestershire.co.uk/festival

Greener Gloucestershire an independent group not affiliated to the Green Party. We support them because we share their green vision for a better future. We are glad to host news, press releases, events and announcements from any group, organisation, charity, or business that share our aims and beliefs. 

Transition re-skilling

From Transition Stroud 

The Great

Re-skilling

Learning for a

Positive Future

Many traditional skills have been lost at a time of increasing dependency on food and goods from around the world.

Yet in an era of decreasing oil supply and the need to reduce energy use to prevent dangerous climate change, the need for thrift and the revival of traditional skills is becoming increasingly important.

Transition Stroud promotes actions that reduce Stroud district’s contribution to climate change.

www.transitionstroud.org

SkillsGain

SkillsGain focuses on those self-reliance skills we will need tomorrow and offers taster workshops in these skills today.

Workshops usually last 2 hours are delivered by skilled volunteers and are open to all residents of Stroud District.

We usually ask for a contribution (£5 or 4 Stroud pounds) to cover venue hire. There may be additional costs for any materials used in workshops.

Through the SkillsGain taster programme it is hoped many people will go on to gain new skills. The skills we need are not just related to practical skills of growing or making things – but also the personal skills we need to maintain our own resilience.  SkillsGain workshops will offer both. So come along to a SkillsGain Workshop – aimed at re-skilling the community for our changing world.

         

Programme of Workshops

for

September to November

2014

SkillsGain focuses on those self-reliance skills we will need tomorrow and offers taster courses in these skills today

Transition Stroud is a volunteer led organisation addressing climate change issues. We work for a future based on local food, sustainable energy, local economies and an enlivened sense of community well-being

SkillsGain

How (and why) to build your own Wind Turbine

Wednesday 1^st October

Time: 7.30 to 9. 30 pm; Venue: Nailsworth

Tutor: Pete Nelson

Cost: £5

We will be carving wooden wind turbine blades based on Hugh Piggott's intermediate technology wind turbine designs.  These can be built anywhere in the world, as they use tools and materials that are readily available.

The workshop will also involve a discussion about 'participatory renewables', or 'what role can you play in the renewable energy revolution?' Pete believes that a renewable energy revolution can only progress if there is greater participation.  Do come and participate

If you'd like to read the designs before the workshop, they're available at Hugh Piggott's website: www.scoraigwind.co.uk . 

If there is enough interest after this short workshop we could organise a longer course building a complete wind turbine from scratch

Pete is a philosophy graduate who segued into engineering, working for a number of years with Hugh Piggott's wind turbine designs and more recently installing mainstream renewables on domestic and industrial sites.
To book:  e mail:

erik.w@virgin.net  or ring 07725 900666

Active Hope Day

 Sunday 19^th October

 Time: 11 am to 4 pm; Venue: Stroud

Tutor:  Fiona Ellis

Cost: Sliding scale: £20 to £10;   

Faced with challenges of climate change, an unstable political world and the tension of living within an increasingly stressed world, it's good to have space to reflect and explore feelings about all this. Joanna Macy’s work over many years has shown this workshop process strengthens people in their choices and resolve about how they live their life or do their work.

Active hope is about the kind of hope you need to carry on, when you do not have certainty about how things will be in the future for you and the next generation.

An opportunity will be made available to discuss the interest in the group meeting regularly

Fiona trained with Joanna Macey in the 1990s and recently again with Chris Johnstone , co authors of “Active hope” and “Great turning time”, and in her professional work is a facilitator and training consultant working with groups for over 30 years. She has lived in Stroud for 20 years.

To book:  e mail:

erik.w@virgin.net  or ring 07725 900666

Seed Saving Workshop

 Wednesday 12^th November

Time: 7.00 to 9. 00 pm ; Venue: Stroud

Tutor: Jane Brown

Cost: £5

 Save Seeds, Save costs and Save some favourite flowers and vegetables for the years ahead!  Learn simple seed saving methods and rules from garden and allotment which can be done in your own kitchen with no special equipment.  Plants growing in your soil will adapt to your conditions and their seeds will become more and more suited to your land over the years.

Jane Brown trained in horticulture and has grown flowers, fruit and vegetables all her life, converting to Organic methods over 20 years ago. 

To Book: email:

johnbrown@cooptel.net  or phone 01453 764853

Stroud in September

Here’s the current list of things we know about that are happening in the near future.  Where relevant, we’re also listing events a bit further afield that you might be interested in, too. These are local events that are (unless it says otherwise in the listing) run by assorted local groups – these are all independent of the Green Party.

If you are aware of other talks, events, workshops or other community activities in the coming week or so, please do mention them in the comments. If there’s an event you would like our support in promoting, please email the details to brynnethnimue (at) gmail (dot) com.

We came across these free courses across Glos (incl Stroud) about how to develop more inclusive and welcoming communities' – find out more here. 

The Peregrine Falcons of Gloucestershire By Steve Watson Friday 5th September 7.30pm - approx 9.30pm Cost: £5/adult & £3/child We are very lucky to have Peregrine falcons living close by in the wilds of Symonds Yat over in the Forest of Dean. Few of us may have been lucky enough to see, in real life, one of the fastest animals on the planet.  On 5th September Stroud Valley’s Project is offering you the chance to see this illustrated talk.  ‘The Peregrine Falcons of Gloucestershire’ is a fascinating presentation by Steve Watson, who has been studying the Symonds Yat peregrines for 30 years. This talk will cover the biology, ecology, hunting strategies, UK population dynamics and the pesticide story of the peerless peregrine falcon. Steve will also discuss the Symonds Yat breeding performance and convey some personal anecdotes. The talk will include high quality photographs and video clips. We hope you will be able to join us for this unique and interesting evening. Refreshments will be available.                                                                                                                                        Cost: £5/adult & £3/child.  Booking and paying in advance is essential as places are limited. Please call Stroud Valleys Project on 01453 753358 to book or find out more P.S. Please feel free to pass this email on to other groups and organisations who may be interested. Sumptuous Syrian Supper - a fundraising evening for Syrian Refugees on Saturday 6th September at Star Anise, Stroud from 7.30pm - a night of fantastic food, fun and laughter - there will be an auction and other Middle Eastern inspired fun! Tickets £17.50 from Clare Skivington clareskivington@gmail.com 0788 4021067.  In Aid of Hand in Hand for Syria Registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1145862) Help mobilize a law of Ecocide  a day of local & global direct action planning Date: 6 September 2014 Place: Lansdown Hall, Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK, GL5 1BB Time: UK 10 am – 3.30pm Polly Higgins has recently moved to Stroud and is organising this event. She says: "For me New Law - Ecocide law - sits at the heart of how we choose to govern our world. It's our choice: sit back and let the wheels of destruction continue, or stand up, speak out and say 'enough, no more'. It's a choice-point where each of us can choose. Which is why I choose to speak out. I choose to host a Day of Action on the 6th of September (see below), to mobilise local and global action for a law of Ecocide. I'd love you to join me - either in person on online for the livestream. The guys at Facing Crossroads shall be there to film it all, and shall be helping message out this one story that looks set to become truly a global story in the making. Come help me as we step into the next chapter!" The event is free. Email support@eradicatingecocide.com to let them know you can attend, or join the livestream on the day at eradicatingecocide.com + facingcrossroads.org People from across the world shall be joining us, both online and in person. Everyone is a participant. HELP US MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS: ·         Do you live locally? Can you offer a bed to any of the participants? If so, please email support@eradicatingecocide.com ·         Please share this event on twitter, facebook, your local cafes and noticeboards (as it will be livestreamed, people can be involved from all over the world - not just in Stroud!). Copy and paste the above or download the poster here: Earth In Our Hands Day of Action ·         Do you have an idea as to how to take Ecocide law forward? Please come and share your plans. There will be break-out sessions and round-table mobilization. You can input online too. Sunday 7th - Peaceful Community Action Training Day facilitated by "Seeds for Change": https://www.facebook.com/events/1475740445997837/?fref=ts link for location for this one: http://www.maypolehall.co.uk/index.htm This event will cover making peaceful community events happen (like the Balcombe protests last year) as well as engaging the wider community. These skills will be transferable to many situations. 12th September  Kings Stanley market, held in the Village Hall between 3pm and 6.30pm. There is a mix of local produce, including Popes sausages, Godsells cheese, Days cider, Stroud brewery, bread, cakes, honey, plants etc, also a variety of craft stalls, books, bric-a-brac, memorabilia and collectables. There is also a community table where anyone can sell plants, fruit and veg with no upfront fees. The playgroup organise a cafe with drinks, cakes and ice-creams. This is the second year we have been organising the market and it has been very popular. We usually have about 28 stalls and it is generally well attended. . 'Economics & Transition' The third meeting of the Transition Stroud Book Group will be Saturday 13th of September at 4pm at Black Book Cafe. We hope to see you there! (if you can't make it, please email us and comments on/reviews of any of the books and let us know what time would suit you in future: admin@transition.org). Books under discussion are:  The Bioregional Economy by Molly Scott Cato (the South West Green MEP based in Stroud) Prosperity Without Growth by Tim Jackson. Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein. A copy of each of these books is available from the Transition Stroud Library at the Black Book Cafe.

Stroud events

Here’s the current list of things we know about that are happening in the near future.  Where relevant, we’re also listing events a bit further afield that you might be interested in, too. These are local events that are (unless it says otherwise in the listing) run by assorted local groups – these are all independent of the Green Party.

If you are aware of other talks, events, workshops or other community activities in the coming week or so, please do mention them in the comments. If there’s an event you would like our support in promoting, please email the details to brynnethnimue (at) gmail (dot) com.

The Peregrine Falcons of Gloucestershire By Steve Watson Friday 5th September, 7.30pm - approx 9.30pm Cost: £5/adult & £3/child We are very lucky to have Peregrine falcons living close by in the wilds of Symonds Yat over in the Forest of Dean. Few of us may have been lucky enough to see, in real life, one of the fastest animals on the planet.  On 5th September Stroud Valley’s Project is offering you the chance to see this illustrated talk.  ‘The Peregrine Falcons of Gloucestershire’ is a fascinating presentation by Steve Watson, who has been studying the Symonds Yat peregrines for 30 years. This talk will cover the biology, ecology, hunting strategies, UK population dynamics and the pesticide story of the peerless peregrine falcon. Steve will also discuss the Symonds Yat breeding performance and convey some personal anecdotes. The talk will include high quality photographs and video clips. We hope you will be able to join us for this unique and interesting evening. Refreshments will be available. Booking and paying in advance is essential as places are limited. Please call Stroud Valleys Project on 01453 753358 to book or find out more Sumptuous Syrian Supper - a fundraising evening for Syrian Refugees on Saturday 6th September at Star Anise, Stroud from 7.30pm - a night of fantastic food, fun and laughter - there will be an auction and other Middle Eastern inspired fun! Tickets £17.50 from Clare Skivington clareskivington@gmail.com 0788 4021067.  In Aid of Hand in Hand for Syria Registered charity in England and Wales (no. 1145862) Help mobilize a law of Ecocide  a day of local & global direct action planning Where Lansdown Hall, Stroud, Gloucestershire , UK, GL5 1BB When  6 September 2014  Time 10am-3.30pm Polly Higgins has recently moved to Stroud and is organising this event. She says: "For me New Law - Ecocide law - sits at the heart of how we choose to govern our world. It's our choice: sit back and let the wheels of destruction continue, or stand up, speak out and say 'enough, no more'. It's a choice-point where each of us can choose. Which is why I choose to speak out. I choose to host a Day of Action on the 6th of September (see below), to mobilise local and global action for a law of Ecocide. I'd love you to join me - either in person on online for the livestream. The guys at Facing Crossroads shall be there to film it all, and shall be helping message out this one story that looks set to become truly a global story in the making. Come help me as we step into the next chapter!" The event is free. Email support@eradicatingecocide.com to let them know you can attend, or join the livestream on the day at eradicatingecocide.com + facingcrossroads.org People from across the world shall be joining us, both online and in person. Everyone is a participant. 12th September  Kings Stanley market, held in the Village Hall between 3pm and 6.30pm. There is a mix of local produce, including Popes sausages, Godsells cheese, Days cider, Stroud brewery, bread, cakes, honey, plants etc, also a variety of craft stalls, books, bric-a-brac, memorabilia and collectables. There is also a community table where anyone can sell plants, fruit and veg with no upfront fees. The playgroup organise a cafe with drinks, cakes and ice-creams. This is the second year we have been organising the market and it has been very popular. We usually have about 28 stalls and it is generally well attended. . 'Economics & Transition' The next meeting of the Transition Stroud Book group Where Black Book Cafe, Nelson St, Stroud. When  Saturday 13th September  Time 4-6pm This month the Transition Stroud book group will discuss a theme rather than a single book: Economics & Transition. Last month we read ‘The Burning Question' by Mike Berners-Lee and Duncan Clark, a key issue of which is that of a 'carbon bubble' - overvalued fossil fuel companies - that would burst if we keep fossil fuels in the ground as we must in order to avoid catastrophic climate change. So this month we will look at 'Economics & Transition' -  texts which present alternative economic models for the future, or at least offer further insight into the problems of our current economic system. Rather than a single book, we have 3 key recommendations, and a longer list of possible readings (as we cannot offer multiple copies of any of the 3 key books). The Bioregional Economy by Molly Scott Cato (the South West Green MEP based in Stroud) "In a world of climate change and declining oil supplies, what is the plan for the provisioning of resources? Green economists suggest a need to replace the globalised economy, and its extended supply chains, with a more ‘local’ economy... The concept of the ‘bioregion’ — developed and popularised within the disciplines of earth sciences, biosciences and planning — may facilitate the reconceptualisation of the global economy as a system of largely self-sufficient local economies." You can read pages 1-30 online for free. Prosperity Without Growth by Tim Jackson. "No one denies that development is essential for poorer nations. But in the advanced economies there is mounting evidence that ever-increasing consumption adds little to human happiness and may even impede it. More urgently, it is now clear that the ecosystems that sustain our economies are collapsing under the impacts of rising consumption. Unless we can radically lower the environmental impact of economic activity - and there is no evidence to suggest that we can - we will have to devise a path to prosperity that does not rely on continued growth." You can read/download the report for the Sustainable Development Commission on which this book was based online for free (pdf). Sacred Economics by Charles Eisenstein. "Sacred Economics traces the history of money from ancient gift economies to modern capitalism, revealing how the money system has contributed to alienation, competition, and scarcity, destroyed community, and necessitated endless growth. Today, these trends have reached their extreme - but in the wake of their collapse, we may find great opportunity to transition to a more connected, ecological, and sustainable way of being." As well as being available in hard-copy at a 'pay what you like' rate, this book is available for free online, in both PDF and epub formats. In other words, if you have one, you can read it on your computer, laptop, tablet or kindle. A copy of each of these books is available from the Transition Stroud Library at the Black Book Cafe. As we only have one copy of each, we below supply a list of our other economics titles which we encourage you to read instead. We'd obviously like you to read one book in full if possible, but if you can't, feel free to come and hear what other people learned from the books, and contribute to the discussion. If you can't read any of the books, please read one of these short pieces by our key authors: "New economic model needed not relentless consumer demand" by Tim Jackson, published in The Guardian "Let's replace our fixation on growth with a steady-state economy focusing on lower consumption, leisure and ecological health" by Charles Eisenstein, published in The Guardian Pages 1-30 of Molly Scott Cato's "The Bioregional Economy" You can read about what happened at the 2nd meeting of the book group and join the discussion at the Transition Stroud google discussion group (you do not need to be a member of this group to read the posts, but you do need to be a member to contribute – it is possible to set this up so you do not receive additional emails but visit the forum at times of your choosing).

Transition film