Newsletter20120723

Hi everyone

This week find out how to revamp your clothes by stencilling on new designs at the Transition Cafe on Thursday (7:30pm, CB1, Mill Road). There are also workshops on building bottle gas stoves (with Cambridge Greentech on Sunday), forest gardening (at the Cambridge Sustainability Centre, 3-5 August) and building a clay oven (1-2 Sept). We're taking a break in August, but the Cropshare days on the farm will continue (all welcome!), and there'll be a chance to find out all about the Growzones project on Thursday 9 August in the Transition Cafe...

CONTENTS

Transition News and Events

  • Wednesday 25 July: Energy Group Meeting
  • Thursday 26 July: Transition Cafe: Recycling old clothes by stencilling on new designs
  • Tuesday 31 July: Food Group meeting
  • August: Transition break
  • Thursday 09 August: Transition Cafe - All about the Growzones project
  • Saturday 11 August: CropShare - Be an organic farmer for a day
  • Thursday 06 September: Managing your Home Heating
  • Fri-Sat 28-29 Sep 10am - 4pm: Grafton Centre Eco-event

Community News

  • Sharing an allotment on Stourbridge Grove

Other News and Events

  • From Sunday 22 July - first come first served: Pick-Your-Own Fruit from Private Garden
  • Tuesday 24 July: Summer Chutney and Preserve Course
  • Sunday 29 July: Build your own bottle gas stove with Cambridge Greentech
  • Fri 3rd - Sun 5th August: Introduction to Forest Gardening
  • Sat 1st - Sun 2nd Sept: Building a Clay Oven **new date!**
  • Saturday 01 September: September Swishing with Cambridge Carbon Footprint
  • Thu 6th - Fri 7th Sep 11am - 3.30pm: Environment Expo
  • Sat 22nd and Sun 23rd Sept: Permaculture course at Dunton Community Garden
  • Summer courses advertised on Local Secrets
  • Job opportunities looking at food waste with This is Rubbish
  • Cambridge Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan - consultation

Transition News and Events

Wednesday 25 July: Energy Group Meeting

20:00-21:30, Judith's house on Leys Road

We will be reviewing the Energy Fair and planning our next event, plus other events coming up and blue sky initiatives. Contact Nicola for details of venue.

Thursday 26 July: Transition Cafe: Recycling old clothes by stencilling on new designs

19:30-21:00, CB1 Cafe, 32 Mill Road, Cambridge

Come and learn how to revitalise old clothes by stencilling on new designs - you can cut out the design yourself and then paint through it onto t-shirts/trousers/bags or any other material. Bring your own clothes if you'd like (we'll bring some too that you can experiment with). This session will be lead by Beejal Parekh - here are some photos of doing this at Strawberry Fair. Free, open to everyone!

Tuesday 31 July: Food Group meeting

18:30-20:30, The Emperor pub, 21 Hills Road, CB2 1NW (upstairs room)

This is the Food Group's regular fortnightly meeting - our last before the summer break. Our next meeting will be on 28 August - same time, same venue.

August: Transition break

Transition Cambridge traditionally takes August off to give all of us a chance to rest after a busy few months organising lots of events and stalls. We'll be back in September with lots more exciting events and projects! If you'd like to get more involved, that will be a good time to come along and find out more, and perhaps choose a project or group to join. Have a great summer!

Thursday 09 August: Transition Cafe - All about the Growzones project

19:30-21:00, CB1 cafe, Mill Road

Want to grow your own veg and fruit in your garden or allotment? Growzones is a project that can give you a helping hand to get going. It's based on the very simple idea of getting a group of about 6 households together to do a one-off gardening session in each other's gardens (usually followed by a shared meal). The work could be putting in raised beds, clearing an overgrown area, planting fruit trees etc. It's simple and practical way to make a dream of growing produce a reality. The presenters will be Jacqueline Ogden and Jane Brown who will speak about their experience of Growzones this spring, answer questions, and talk about plans for the next round of Growzones in 2013. More details here.

Saturday 11 August: CropShare - Be an organic farmer for a day

09:30-16:30, Waterland Organics, Willow Farm, Lode CB25 9HF

Join Transition's community farming project, CropShare, to experience life as a real organic farmer for a day. This Saturday, CropShare will be having fun helping out on the farm from 10am to 12.30am, and 2pm to 4.30pm, sharing a lunch and a chat in between. You can join us for the morning or afternoon session, or both. See our blog to get a flavour of what workdays are like. It will be good healthy fun,a great chance to see our local countryside, and how food is grown on a large scale. We'll be holding farm work days throughout the season - so watch this space! Fill in this form if you would like to be take part this weekend, we'll also help you arrange travel to the farm. Everyone is very welcome! Family friendly. More details here.

Thursday 06 September: Managing your Home Heating

19:30-21:00, Emmanuel United Reform Church, 72 Trumpington Street, CB2 1RR

For most people space heating is by far the biggest use of energy in the home. Are you heating more of your house than you need? Is it warmer or cooler than you want it? Does the heat from your radiators go straight our of your window? If you would like tips on managing your heating, or if you'd like to know what the latest in heating controls can do, come to 'Managing your home heating' and ask our experts: Peter Thom from Green Heat and Laurence Hardwick from Homaetrix, plus experienced householders. More details here.

Fri-Sat 28-29 Sep 10am - 4pm: Grafton Centre Eco-event

10:00-16:00, Grafton Centre Great Court

Last year this event was called Live Green and it was great fun. There were stalls from CCF, Recycling, Cambridge Wood works, a live cooking competition and a smoothie cycle. This year the energy group are putting on a stall - this is a 2-day event and we need lots of volunteers so if you could help us out for a few hours please let us know

Events for your calendar

Community News

Sharing an allotment on Stourbridge Grove

Message from Lo: "I have an allotment on Stourbridge Grove. I am looking for someone who might want to come in on it with me. It is a well looked after plot. It has a large shed and tools and a designated wildlife area with a lively pond. The Stourbridge Grove site is a very friendly one. Get in touch with Lo if you're interesting in sharing the plot with her.

Other News and Events

From Sunday 22 July - first come first served: Pick-Your-Own Fruit from Private Garden

11:00-12:00, Cromwell Road

Pick-Your-Own blackcurrants (free)in Cromwell Road garden. Ring me on Cam. 410916 or email me There may even be some gooseberries left!

Tuesday 24 July: Summer Chutney and Preserve Course

10:00-16:00, Swavesey Village College, Gibraltar Lane, Swavesey CB24 4RS

Jacky Sutton-Adam will be leading this practical course on how to make the most of seasonal fruit and vegetable gluts with chutneys, pickles and jams. The course will include the essential knowledge to create successful and flavoursome preserves and avoid spoilage. All materials and ingredients supplied. Price: £44 /£37 concessions. To register and book a place, complete the online form here.

Sunday 29 July: Build your own bottle gas stove with Cambridge Greentech

GreenTech are doing a workshop this coming Sunday on how to build and wield your own bottle gas stoves with an experienced welder. The cost is £30 for those that can afford it and £20 for those that cannot, and you get to build your own stove! People with practical skills who feel confidant with grinders and tools may find it easier to finish their stove during the session, but if you don't yet have these skills, come along for a chance to learn! Ring Nicky on 07762012167 for more details (or e-mail her).

Fri 3rd - Sun 5th August: Introduction to Forest Gardening

18:00-18:00, Cambridge Sustainability Centre

Forest Gardening is a way of using the natural systems and layers of a woodland to create a food-producing environment with minimal effort. An edible forest garden is made up of fruit and nut trees, fruit bushes, perennial vegetables and herbs, and can be tailored to fit any space. This weekend course will provide a theoretical overview of how to design, implement and maintain a temperate forest garden, including working on a practical planting design for a forest garden on the farm. More details here.

Sat 1st Sept - Sun 2nd Sept: Building a Clay Oven **new date!**

10:00-12:00, Cambridge Sustainability Centre

In this hands-on course you will learn how to build an oven out of the earth beneath your feet. You'll find out how to test for the right soil mix, how to shape the oven and build the walls, how to fire it and cook in it. You'll get to bake a pizza for your dinner, and learn how to use cob. We hope you'll leave feeling empowered that pretty much wherever you go in the world you'll be able to build an oven with what you find around you! More details here.

Saturday 01 September: September Swishing with Cambridge Carbon Footprint

13:30, 43 St Andrew's Street, Baptist Church (CB2 3AR - near the Arts Picture House)

Cambridge Carbon Footprints presents its second Swishing of the year. The event will take place between 1:00pm and 3:00pm. Swishing, for those that don’t know, is a clothes swap with style. Participants bring a few items of good quality, clean clothing, and get to take home a few items of their choosing from others (it doesn’t have to be a direct exchange). Despite the trend of only women taking part at swishing, we do welcome men’s, kids and baby clothes too! There will be room for 30 people so we recommend you book your place ahead by emailing info@cambridgecarbonfootprint.org - or just turn up on the day. More details here.

Thu 6th - Fri 7th Sep 11am - 3.30pm: Environment Expo

11:00-15:30, Emmanuel URC, Trumpington Street, CB2 1RR

Emmanuel United Reformed Church, will host a FREE Environment Expo focussed on sustainability in buildings, particularly saving energy and especially in older buildings such as our beautiful church (for which we have ambitious plans). We invite building professionals, managers and owners of both public and private buildings and home owners to come and discuss these issues with consultants and suppliers for energy saving and renewable energy. More details here.

Sat 22nd and Sun 23rd Sept: Permaculture course at Dunton Community Garden

09:00-17:00,

Permaculture is a design system for ecological and sustainable living, integrating plants, animals, buildings, people, and communities. The course will be led by Hannah Thorogood, and will include an introduction to permaculture, observation of natural systems and how they relate to us, using some tools of permaculture design. The course aims to inspire you to be the change you want to see in the world, and is a chance to get to know like-minded people. Cost: £70 (£50 concessions) for the weekend. Booking is essential, please email, or phone 01767 3138978. Poster here.

Summer courses advertised on Local Secrets

Local Secrets are advertising lots of interesting courses over the summer, including a book-binding workshop on Sat 11 August and a Sock Knitting Masterclass with the Sheep Shop on 4 August.There are also several art and printing classes, a workshop on using social media for business, and more besides. Full info here.

Job opportunities looking at food waste with This is Rubbish

The Industry Food Waste Audit Proposal is a research project, supported by a range of organisations including Foodcycle, Forum for the Future, Fabian Society, BRASS, Love Food Hate Waste, Kerry McCarthy (MP Bristol East). The project will be mentored by Geoff Tansey and supported by Sean Roberts of the Food Ethics Council. In a nutshell, the aim is to measure perceived costs and/or savings of introducing an industry wide food waste audit. The project will interview focus groups of food experts in industry, to gauge responses to the idea of introducing a mandatory industry wide food waste audit. The IFWAP project will inform future This is Rubbish campaigns. We are looking for three people to join the team: a Research Consultant, a Research Coordinator and a Project Intern. All roles are part time - have a look at the website for Job Descriptions. Closing date 30th July. Contact Rachel if you have any questions.

Cambridge Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan - consultation

Cambridge City Council are inviting responses to the current consultation on the draft Cambridge Climate Change Strategy & Action Plan 2012-2016. In 2008, the Council produced a four-year Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan and it is now time to revise it. We would love to hear your views, comments and suggestions on the draft of the new strategy, which you can view here. If you wish to submit a response to the consultation, please download the form from the same link, and either email it to sustainablecity@cambridge.gov.uk or send a hard copy to the postal address provided. The deadline for response submissions is Wednesday 5th September. If you would like to be part of a joint Transition Cambridge submission, please get in touch.

Events for your calendar

Hope you're enjoying the lovely sunshine! The next bulletin will come out on 5/6 August and then there'll be a break in bulletins until September. So if there's something in August/early September that you'd like to advertise, please get it to us before 5 August. Thanks!

Anna

Our Mission

Transition Cambridge aims to help Cambridge make the transition to ways of life that are more resilient in the face of rising energy prices and a changing climate.

Sign up for our fortnightly newsletter

Share this page