Welcome to December’s Update
from Climate Action Stokesley & Villages
Thank you for playing your part in taking urgent action globally and locally on climate breakdown.
Diary dates
(event details below)
Friday 8th December 9am – 1pm: ‘Cutting waste & cutting energy bills’ information stall at Stokesley Market
Saturday 9th December 10am – 12pm: Repair Cafe & Climate Justice Meet Up, the Globe, Stokesley
Tuesday 19th December 7.30pm – 9pm: Climate Action Stokesley & Villages whole group meeting & refreshments, Stokesley Community Care Association meeting room (upstairs from usual venue the Globe Community Library, Stokesley)
Newsletter
Our online newsletter / magazine focuses on our group’s values and purpose, summed up by our motto ‘Think global, act local’, beginning with global / national issues including ways in which you can influence policy, followed by local news and activities you can participate in that develop our relationship with the environment and fight climate change.
“Think global”
COP28: ends 12th December
World leaders are currently agreeing how to tackle climate change at COP28 UN summit in Dubai.
You can read some thoughts on our website “A view of the start of COP28” or follow developments on the official website (https://www.cop28.com/en/), watch the sessions on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@COP28UAEOfficial/streams) and see how agreement is coming along on Carbon Brief (https://www.carbonbrief.org/interactive-tracking-negotiating-texts-at-cop28-climate-summit/). The UN Secretary General summarised to the local action sesson that “COP28 needs thinking big as keeping within 1.5°C means a break in our addiction to fossil fuels, via a fair just and equitable move to renewable energy and delivery of climate justice for all.”
9th December Climate Justice UK
‘Now we rise’ Day of Action
The Climate Justice Coalition is coalition of groups and individuals committed to building solidarity and power for Climate Justice in Britain and across the globe. They are a multi-level coalition made up of environment and development NGOs, trade unions, grassroots community campaigns, faith groups, youth groups, migrant justice networks and more.
Concerned about the hottest summer on record, politicians backtracking on climate commitments, continued corporate profiteering fuelling the climate and cost of living crises and to coincide with COP28 has designated Saturday 9th December as a Day of Action to demand climate justice. Across the UK there will be a series of events, more information here
Locally, we have a Meet Up event as part of our Repair Cafe, see below.
“Act Local”
This month’s local activities to promote care for our environment and fight climate breakdown
CASaV Monthly Meeting at Stokesley Community Care Association (above the Globe, usual venue)
Tuesday 19th December 7.30-9pm
Our December meeting will be on Tuesday 19th December, starting at 7:30 pm, at The Community Care Association, North Road, Stokesley. The room is upstairs from The Globe Community Library where we usually meet. Rather than a formal meeting, this will be a chance to chat, whilst enjoying a mince pie and mulled wine/juice. All welcome, but please can you bring your own mug if possible.
Reducing waste and reducing energy bills information stall at Stokesley Market Friday 8th December 9am – 1pm
Did you know that Christmas paper and cards which contains foil, glitter, plastic ribbons or sticky tape is considered non-recyclable? But plain wrapping paper, as well as already recycled Christmas wrapping paper, can be easily recycled. To promote reducing, reusing and recycling during the Christmas period and beyond, the Waste group has arranged an information stall at the weekly Friday market on 8th December. Volunteers will be joined by Tracey Flint, Recycling Officer for North Yorkshire Council, to discuss any recycling queries, share ideas on how to cut waste including upcycling materials into Christmas decorations and gift wrap. We will also share information on reducing energy use at home including the Local Energy Advice Demonstration project which will aim to provide a free retrofitting survey (details of the project below) and we will be giving away (for FREE!) draught excluders made at our recent crafting workshops.
December’s Repair Cafe & Climate Justice Meet Up Stokesley Globe Saturday 9th December 10am-12pm
Waste collection, treatment, disposal and material recovery in the United Kingdom produced 3.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2021. Our Repair Cafes aim to help cut waste by repairing and restoring to use items that would have otherwise gone to landfill or incineration, whilst also saving the energy and resources that would have gone into manufacturing new items alongside sharing repair skills and knowhow and encouraging people to think more sustainably about consumable items. This month’s Repair Cafe will be on Saturday, 9th December, 10am-12pm at the Stokesley Globe.
As usual, everyone is very welcome to bring along household items in need of repair – computers, mobile phones, electrical items, clothing & textiles, ceramics & glass, wooden items, all blades in need of sharpening including gardening tools – and our friendly pink T shirted repairers will aim to restore your items to working order or give advice if they can’t. All for free including festive refreshments including mulled juice and vegan mince pies, donations to cover costs welcomed.
As our Repair Cafe falls on Climate Justice UK’s Day of Action we will have information about how this coalition campaigns to challenge rises in energy bills and support communities in the global South who are suffering from the climate crisis, which they did not create. We will have a ‘postcard table’ where you can write to Rishi (or your own local MP if you’re from outside the constituency) to demand change on energy prices, stop the licences for new oil and gas and increase support for communities overseas who are already suffering the impact of climate change.
Local Energy Advice Demonstration (LEAD) project
LEAD is a £1.2M scheme to stimulate demand for energy efficiency measures in homes across North Yorkshire. The funding has been received from the Department of Energy Security and NET Zero and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and will be focusing around retrofitting homes to reduce energy consumption
The project will be piloted in a number of neighbourhoods including around Stokesley.
Led by North Yorkshire Council, the scheme will be focused on specific streets, villages and neighbourhoods where studies have highlighted priority areas and where interest in tackling climate change through retrofitted schemes has been shown.
Households in these pilot areas will be offered a free ‘whole house plan’ – a survey of their homes with advice on what would be needed to make them more energy efficient such as new windows and doors, or cavity wall and loft insulation.
About 325 plans will be facilitated through the project, comprising in-house assessments, whole house plan development in collaboration with the householder, and elements of design work, leaving the resident with a clear plan of action and next steps to implement their retrofit project.
CASaV is actively involved in facilitating this project and Mark Lewis, one of our CASaV members interested in Energy, gave a presentation at our latest whole group meeting.
If you would like more information or to participate in this project, please check our website for updates.
United for Warm Homes Community Quilt Project update: more squares needed and presentation date
Thank you to all of you who created these amazing squares for our United for Warm Homes Community Quilt, our creative ‘petition’ for calling for (1) urgent support for those unable to afford energy bills, (2) a new programme to insulate our heat leaking homes and (3) an energy system powered by cheap, green renewables. The plan was to complete this to present to our local MP / PM Rishi Sunak on the Day of Action (18th November) but his office let us know he was unavailable. However, one of our group’s supporters and a North Yorkshire councillor is arranging for us to present this at the next parliamentary constituency councillors meeting on December 19th so we have a little more time if there is anyone who would still like to create a square to add to the quilt. 15cm x 15cm fabric square (including a 0.5cm space for a hem all around) with a design that captures any of the three issues above. You can embroider, applique, collage your design or draw with a felt tip and either bring it along to our December Repair Cafe or contact Kate Gibbon for collection / postal address before 14th December.
More information here: United For Warm Homes
Climate Action Tree at the Christmas Tree Festival at Stokesley Parish Church: now until 5th January
Following two successful and enjoyable upcycling workshops, the CASaV Nature Group have decorated a fully sustainable tree for the Stokesley Parish Church Christmas Tree Festival in order to raise awareness of the impact of climate breakdown on the living environment and promote sustainability at Christmas. All the decorations have been made from materials that would otherwise gone to waste – including parcels at the bottom of the tree wrapped in ‘waste’ materials – and the tree is also adorned with messages about sustainability including how artificial trees need to be used for at least ten years to create less carbon emissions than a real tree. Our tree is a grand 25 years old!
All of the beautifully decorated trees are from different local organisations and are available to view in Stokesley Parish Church until January 5th. You can buy a programme which raises funds for charity and allows you to vote for your favourite tree – we couldn’t possible suggest which one you should vote for!
Find out how peat bogs fight climate change:
site visit 16th January 2024
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What has climate change got to do with peat bogs? Peat bogs play a crucial role in the carbon cycle. Peat bogs in good condition have the potential to offer a significant nature-based solution to tackling climate change as they are capable of absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide known as “carbon sinks”.
Since 2009, the Yorkshire Peat Partnership (YPP) has been working to help restore Yorkshire’s internationally important peatlands. Sadly more than 80% of Yorkshire’s peatlands are in poor condition. Without projects to help stop these habitats degrading we will lose a very precious resource.
The CASaV Nature group have been in contact with the YPP and organised a visit to the restored peatlands on the moors around Rosedale on Tuesday 16th January.
Bridget Holmstrom, Nature Group lead says: ‘We should be able to see them working on the site and the methods used. If anyone would like to join us please let me know. It will be a very interesting session and hopefully the weather will be kind to us’. Contact Bridget Holmstrom for more information or to book a place.
Food / growing tip of the month
For delicious and free beetroot salad leaves, cut the top off your beetroot before cooking the rest. Place the raw top cut side down in saucer of water. Wait for fresh leaves to grow. You can also do this with the cut off rooted part of spring onions and celery – fresh food for free from your windowsill!
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle: current local actions you can take to prevent waste and benefit our community
Whether household waste goes to landfill or incineration climate damaging carbon gases are produced. Here are some current local options for your unwanted or waste items that will not only cut carbon emissions but in some cases benefit those in our local community. It’s a big win / win.
Crisp packets into waterproof and warm sleeping bags!
Metallised crisp packets, as with all composite packaging are very difficult to recycle and usually go to landfill or incineration. However, they can be upcycled into valuable waterproof and warm emergency sleeping bags for homeless and vulnerable people. Nite Light CIC in Middlesbrough, where our Food Group take surplus food to weekly (see below), is still appealing for your metallised (i.e. foil on the inside) crisp packets.
There is a collection point in the Globe, Stokesley or you can take directly to Nite Light at units 3 & 4 North Street, Southbank, Middlesbrough (just opposite Asda Southbank). They are currently being made up into emergency sleeping bags and being distributed as the need is increasing with this colder weather.
Free / affordable toys for Christmas and funds for local hospice 10th – 16th December
Rob Hodgson, Labman engineer and Repair Cafe volunteer has taken over from George Carter in organising the Stokesley Christmas Toy Bank. On December 3rd he organised a toy clean and check session at Labman by Rotary members and Repair Cafe volunteers and the toys will be available at the venues / times indicated below.
Christmas is coming – save and repurpose your foil cases and stamps
Louise Coidan is repurposing your used metal foil and stamps for good causes. She has asked people to collect as much as they can and drop off to her home at Baysdale House, 1 School Lane, Gt Ayton TS9 6SH, either through the letter box or in a bag on her back gate. The stamps will go to Teesside Hospice and the foil will go Great Ayton Methodist Church to raise funds for Ukrainians.
Medication blister packets – postal recycling by Aldi / Terracycle: update
The free medication / tablet blister packs recycling postal scheme introduced recently by Aldi and Terracycle has been so popular that demand has exceeded capacity and they have had to sadly pause the scheme for now. You can still recycle blister packs at Superdrug Pharmacies (closest are at Harrogate, Bridlington and Chester-le-Street) but they are now only able to take personal amounts from individuals so there are no longer community collecting pointing at our local libraries.
Ideally this packaging would be recycled at production source i.e. by the pharmaceutical companies but this requires a voluntary change of practice by the companies or government legislation. You can sign a petition for this here:
Pharmaceutical Company Recycling Petition
Recycling for Good Causes: household items needed!
The CASaV Waste Group are collecting unwanted items which will raise funds for MacMillan Cancer Support via the Recycling for Good Causes scheme whilst saving them from going to waste in landfill.
The scheme has provided us with a large collecting bag and free collection of a minimum of 10kg of items, with funds going to support people affected by cancer.
Items we are collecting are:
Jewellery and watches
Any currency UK or foreign of any age / unchangeable currency (banknotes and coins)
Mobile phones, video / film / digital cameras, computer games and accessories, MP3 players, ipods, tablets, computers of any age or condition
Stamps (loose /single stamps, first day covers, presentation packs)
Please have a look through your household and if you have any of these items going spare, please bring them along to the Recycling Information stall at Stokesley market on December 8th or the Repair Cafes on December 9th in Stokesley and the bag will also be available at the next CASaV monthly meeting on December 19th.
More information here: Recycling For Good Causes
Recycling Reminder: Soft Plastics
Co-op stores have just released a summary of how they recycle / process soft plastics to encourage us to recycle more. Along with most other larger supermarkets in Teesside, our local Co-op stores in Stokesley and Great Ayton have drop off collection points for soft plastics (defined as those which don’t bounce back when you scrunch them up).
Last month’s events & updates from the sub groups
Nature Group
– meets regularly by zoom (see separate emails for information)
Upcycled Christmas Decorations Workshops: To prepare sustainable decorations for the CASaV Christmas Tree and also to inspire others to reduce their Christmas carbon footprint two free workshops were held at in November at Great Ayton Discovery Centre and at Stokesley Globe Community Library. Participants of all ages came (2 to 82!) and enjoyed crafting decorations out of old shuttlecocks, CDs, cardboard and scrap wool and buttons.
Waste Group
(page) – monthly zoom meetings, next meeting Tuesday 12th December 7.00pm, please contact if you would like to join
November’s Repair Cafe
Last month’s Repair Cafe took place at Swainby Village Hall on Saturday 18th November. As always, dozens of household items were brought in for repair and advice and saved from going to waste, a big thank you to all volunteer repairers, reception and refreshment volunteers.
Allerton Waste Recovery Park Visits
Last year the Waste Group organised several popular visits to the Allerton Waste Recovery Park to see at first hand how our black bin waste is dealt with, including incineration. Due to demand, further visits are now being arranged, if you are interested please email or contact Bridget Holmstrom.
Food Group
(site) – monthly zoom meetings, next meeting Thursday 18th January at 18.00, please contact if you would like to join
Co-op Foodshare Every night, every week the Jenny Earle, joint Food Group lead, organises volunteers to collect surplus food from our local Co-op stores and resdistributes it locally to those in need, not only reducing food waste which produces carbon gases affecting our climate but also providing a benefit to the community.
New volunteers are always welcome, please contact.
Stokesley U3A: Food, glorious food, veggie style!
This veggie food group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm in Stokesley Town Hall. The group is for collaborative folks who are interested in sharing ideas, knowledge,recipes and enthusiasm for veggie style food. Wendy Smith, joint Food Group lead, attended and spoke at the November session.
Sustainable festive eating
The Food Group has produced a sustainable festive season leaflet including plant based recipes, download the leaflet via our website or pick up a copy at one of our events.
Signing off
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (January) update please email Kate Gibbon by the end of December.
Kate will also be helping promote activities via Facebook and Instagram so let her know if there is anything that you would like shared via our Facebook group or Instagram page if you are not a Facebook / Instagram user.
Hope to see you at the CASaV festive whole group gathering on Tuesday 19th December, 7.30 at the Stokesley Community Care Association meeting room, upstarirs from usual venue, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
Kate Gibbon,
on behalf of the Climate Action Stokesley and Villages Steering Group Steering group:
Bridget Holmstrom, Caryn Loftus, Jack Turton, Ron Kirk and Simon Gibbon
Climate Action Stokesley and Villages 