Welcome to April’s Update
from Climate Action Stokesley & Villages
Thank you for your role in taking urgent action globally and locally on climate breakdown and biodiversity loss.
Diary dates
(event details below)
Monday 8th April 18.30-20.00 York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Election Transport Hustings, Friargate Meeting House, York
Tuesday 9th April 13.30-15.00 Gardening working party, Yatton House Community Garden, Great Ayton
Tuesday 9th April 19.00 Waste (& Repair Cafe) subgroup zoom meeting
Saturday 13th April 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe & Bicycle Event at the Globe, Stokesley
Saturday 13th April 10.00 – 13.00 Coffee & Cake morning with Osmotherley Environment & Climate Group, Osmotherley
Tuesday 16th April 19.30 – 21.00 CASaV whole group meeting, the Globe, Stokesley
Thursday April 16th 19.30 Food subgroup zoom meeting
Thursday April 18th 15.30 Nature subgroup meeting, the Globe, Stokesley
Monday 22nd April 19.00 York & North Yorkshire Mayoral Election Climate & Nature Hustings, online
Monday 22nd April Earth Day – international day of care for the environment
Saturday 27th April Coffee & Cake Morning with Osmotherley Environment & Climate Group, Osmotherley
Wednesday 1st May 10.30 Wildflower Walk, Ingelby Bank Foot
Save the Date! Wednesday 22nd May 18.00-19.30 ‘The Energy Source Challenge in Rural Britain’ Talk, Chapelgarth, Great Broughton (more info next update)
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 / county 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 and biodiversity loss.
Currently we have over 500 people who have joined our Facebook group and nearly 400 people have signed up to our regular emails which is brilliant as this tells us that a lot of local people are interested in what we stand for and what we do as a group. We aim to arrange a good range of local events and activities each month to inform anyone and everyone about the impact of climate breakdown and diversity loss and importantly engage people in ways that they can individually and as a community bring about change.
We have a strong core of activists who arrange these events and activities alongside promoting and communicating how we think globally and act locally but we need more to join us! Please get in touch if you have an interest in being active in supporting our aims if you have:
Organisational skills – join one of our subgroups to help plan events
Repair / people / event skills – volunteering at our Repair Cafes – we welcome fixers of anything and everything plus people who like people and have event running skills
Media / communication skills – help us promote what we do through all forms of communication – online and face to face at our events such as our market stalls and Repair Cafes
Care about food waste and / or want to help those in food poverty – join our rota for collecting surplus food and distributing to those in need
Creative skills – help us design our leaflets and promotional materials
Networking skills – help us reach out to local community groups including schools and businesses to spread our aims
“Think global”
National and global climate action news and campaigns
York & North Yorkshire Mayoral Election
The election for the first York and North Yorkshire Mayor will take place on Thursday 2 May 2024. In the build up to the election different organisations have arranged opportunities for the public to directly question candidates on their plans for a range of issues. Here we are promoting opportunities to question candidates on issues related to climate change.
Monday 8th April 18.30-20.00 York and North Yorkshire Mayoral Election Transport Hustings, Friargate Meeting House, York
The mayor will have powers and funds to improve transport through a consolidated, devolved, multi-year transport settlement, as well as powers for housing and infrastructure, and responsibilities for community safety and other roles currently held by the county’s police, fire and crime commissioner.
York Cycle Campaign and York Civic Trust are heading a list of organisations that are sponsoring an election hustings at Friargate Meeting House in central York on April 8th 18.30-20.00 which will concentrate on transport issues.
Felicity Cunliffe-Lister for the Lib Dems, Keane Duncan for the Conservatives, Kevin Foster of the Green Pary, David Skaith of the Labour party and Independents Paul Haslam and Keith Tordoff are all expected to attend.
Elly Fiorentini of BBC Radio York will moderate a BBC Question Time style question and answer session with the candidates. Everyone is invited to attend.
This meeting follows a York & North Yorkshire Mayoral Transport Hustings Meeting (online) held 19th March 2024 which was attended by Barry Warrington, CASaV Lead for Transport see his full report on our website here: meeting-mayoral-hustings-transport
The York & North Yorkshire (YNY) mayoral candidates views on environmental matters
Community-based environmental groups in the YNY region such as North Yorkshire Climate Coalition (CASaV is part of this), Thirsk Friends of the Earth and York Friends of the Earth are particularly interested to hear how each of the candidates would use the considerable powers available to the new mayor to drive YNY’s transition to become net zero carbon by 2034 and carbon negative by 2040 (routemap). In the run-up to the election, to ensure that voters have the information they need, NY Climate Coalition wants to highlight where the candidates stand on both local and wider environmental issues (e.g. energy-efficiency and energy infrastructure, rooftop solar, river and marine water quality, restoring nature, ‘green economy’ skills, public transport, active travel, net zero support for business) and have offered them an opportunity to outline their views through a survey.
The results of this survey can be seen via the link below as the candidates respond
nyclimatecoalition.org/mayoral-election-info
Monday 22nd April 19.00 York & North Yorkshire Mayoral Election Climate & Nature Hustings, online (link to register below) – your chance to question the candidates directly
How will the candidates use their powers to tackle the climate and nature emergency? How will this impact our quality of life? Don’t miss an opportunity to find out where the candidates stand at a special online hustings event with candidates on Monday 22 April at 19.00 organised by the NY Climate Coalition.
The following candidates have confirmed their participation:
David Skaith (Labour), Felicity Cunliffe-Lister (Liberal Democrats), Keith Tordoff MBE (Independent), Paul Haslam (Independent), Keane Duncan (Conservative) declined our invitation due to other commitments, Kevin Foster (Green Party) initially accepted our invitation but has withdrawn due to other commitments.
This is your chance to question the mayoral candidates directly on how they will use their considerable power to address climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. The more of us who attend this online meeting, the more impact we can make. This takes place on International Earth Day – attending the online meeting is an important way to demonstrate your care for our environment and everyone’s future
To find out more and register to attend use this link
nyclimatecoalition.org/climate-nature-hustings
Factory Farming, Climate Breakdown & Biodiversity Loss
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North Yorkshire has been ranked as the sixth worst county for shocking numbers of animals confined in factory farms according to a recent investigation commissioned by Compassion in World Farming reveals a staggering increase in the numbers of livestock permanently housed indoors or without access to pasture. The full picture of all the UK factory farm data has been pulled together into an interactive map, launched on 13th February
ciwf.org.uk/our-campaigns/factory-farming-map
The map shows ‘hotspot’ counties where large numbers of dairy cows, laying hens, broiler chickens and pigs are permanently housed indoors or without access to pasture, as well as overall numbers of confined livestock per region.
As well as an animal welfare concern, factory farming is a major contributor to the climate change challenge, releasing vast volumes of greenhouse gases.
Factory farming produces greenhouse gases throughout the ‘supply chain’. For example, forest clearance to grow the crops and rear the animals reduces vital carbon ‘sinks’ and releases gases previously stored in the soil and vegetation.
Factory farming also requires large amounts of energy in order to function. This isn’t just to rear the animals, but also to grow the vast amounts of feed they need. According to a study published by The Royal Society, feed is the dominant energy user, taking around 75% of the total energy required. The rest is needed for factors such as heating, lighting and ventilation.
In addition, waste from factory farming is polluting our rivers and leading to biodiversity devastation.
If you want to act on this you can contact Compassion in World Farming to know more and support their campaigns here action.ciwf
Also the Soil Association currently has a petition asking the UK Governments to implement a ban on new intensive poultry units, support farmers to exit this damaging industry, and take action to reduce chicken consumption to more sustainable levels.
soilassociation.org/stop-killing-our-rivers
Monday 22nd April Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970 it is now an international day of promoting care for our environment. This year’s focus is to advocate for widespread awareness on the health risk of microplastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, urgently push for a strong UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution, and demand an end to fast fashion. More information here
Last month our Waste group produced a display at the Globe, Stokesley to show highlight the perils of micropastics and how we can all make simple swaps in our household items to reduce single use plastics. The display will return to the Globe this month together with our information leaflet Fight the Plastic Peril, also available from our website
Use your voice to tell co-op stores to take more action on climate change and the environment
The Co-op has become the first UK convenience retailer to have its net zero targets validated by the globally recognised Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). More info here
co-op-net-zero-targets-validated-by-science-based-targets-initiative
But there could be even more done if Co-op members let the company know action on climate change is important to them. If you are a member of Co-op you own a business that is run for and by its members. The Co-op are currently seeking your views and priorities on key issues and what you care about such as climate change, waste, packaging etc. The survey below allows you to express your views, and what you think your Co-op should take action upon.
“Act Local”
This month’s local activities and ideas from our focus groups (Nature, Food, Waste, Energy, Transport) to address biodiversity loss and fight climate breakdown
CASaV Monthly Meeting at the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
Tuesday 16th April 7.30-9pm
Our next whole group meeting will be on Tuesday 16th April, in The Globe Community Library, North Road, Stokesley, from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. As well as hearing updates from the various sub-groups we will focus on planning activities for Great Big Green Week. All welcome!
This is the link to last month’s meeting’s minutes to give a flavour of what we discuss – March Meeting Notes.
Tuesday 9th April 13.30-15.00 Gardening working party, Yatton House Community Garden, Great Ayton
There will be a working party next Tuesday 9th April from 1:30-3:00 pm in the Yatton House Community Garden, Guisborough Road, Great Ayton. We will be planting out a selection of perennial vegetable plants. The plants were provided by CASaV members by splitting plants they have in their gardens/allotments. All welcome to come and help with the planting or to have a look around.
Saturday 13th April 10-12 noon Repair Cafe plus Bicycle Event,
The Globe Library, Stokesley
Our monthly Repair Cafe will be at The Globe Library, Stokesley on Saturday 13th April 10-12, together with a Bicycle Health Expert from Sustrans
April is a great month for getting further into the great outdoors on your bike – the air is warmer and nature in springtime is beautiful! As well as bringing along your household items in need of repair- electrical appliances, toys, clothing & textiles, computers (laptops, tablets) & mobile phones, wooden furniture, clocks & watches, blades in need of sharpening – for fixing by our enthusiastic volunteers, we are having a special focus on bicycles. Our trusty bike repairer Pete will be joined by Andrew from Sustrans who will be providing free bicycle ‘health checks’ – making sure your bike is ready for the road and giving advice and simple repairs if it isn’t.
Through coming to the Repair Cafe you can save yourself money, the earth’s resources and prevent climate damaging gases from waste going to incineration or landfill. On average, we manage to fix 70% of items, give advice on possible repair steps for 20% and how best to recycle the 10% that are sadly beyond repair (statistics). But 100% of attendees are offered free refreshments of tea, coffee or juice as well as cakes and biscuits!
This month’s free refreshments include Fair Trade beverages and home made sweet treats made with Fair Trade ingredients, kindly donated by Stokesley Co-op, facilitated by Eileen Driver.
New repair and reception volunteers always welcome – come along, have a cuppa and a chat or email Simon Gibbon.
Saturday 13th & Saturday 27th April 10.00 – 13.00 Coffee & Cake Morning, Environment & Climate Group Osmotherley,
Osmotherley Methodist Chapel
Join Environment & Climate Osmotherley Group for a refreshing cuppa and a slice (or two!) of their delicious home made cakes (including vegan options) and a chat about their aims for addressing biodiversity loss locally and climate change matters more widely in the beautiful, historic Methodist Chapel, Osmotherley.
Wednesday 1st May 10.30 Wildflower Walk, Ingleby Bank Foot
The weather is getting warmer, the mornings and evenings are getting lighter – a great time to get outdoors and see nature’s beauty on our doorstep. To get a better appreciation of what’s growing wild around us the Nature subgroup has arranged for local expert botanist Ann Press (who developed Nature’s World in Middlesbrough) to take you on a wonderful Wildflower Walk, identifying all the local species including those which can be safely eaten and which have therapeutic value. Feeling closer to nature helps us want to preserve it, essential in these times of huge biodiversity loss. For more information please contact Bridget Holmstrom or just turn up on the day at Ingelby Bank Foot
Issues / ideas from the groups: Nature
This month’s Nature Group meeting is at 15.30, Thursday 18th April, at the Globe Library In Stokesley. Please join us there.
Contact Bridget Holmstrom for information
Yorkshire Peat Partnership needs your help!
Did you know that northern Yorkshire’s peatlands currently store 27,410,845 tonnes of carbon?
York Peat Partnership covers an operational area containing 92,946 ha hectares of blanket bog, of which the majority is sadly damaged and leaking carbon back to the atmosphere. 27% of England’s blanket bog is in North Yorkshire, making this a landscape deserving of protection.
Yorkshire Peat Partnership (YPP) is looking for volunteers to help monitor the peat moorlands as part of their restoration work. If anyone is interested in finding out more please contact Bridget Holmstrom.
There are a couple of different opportunities.
- Nature for Climate (NFC) monitoring campaigns (July-August + October-November – various sites in the North Yorkshire Moors/Yorkshire Dales)
Vegetation monitoring will be carried out during July/August this year on a number of the restoration sites in the North York Moors – the dates/invitations for these days will come out via email later this year to those who contact YPP.
Volunteers can sign up to any days they are available to help and the day will involve visiting plots to conduct vegetation surveys with assistance with a YPP member of staff.
Dipwell monitoring campaign will also be carried out during October-November this year, each of our sites will be visited every 2 weeks during the 12 week period to collect dipwell data with volunteers.
The emails will be sent later in the year to ask if any volunteers can assist on the dates they plan to visit sites.
2. Eyes on the Bog monitoring plots (2-4 times a year on assigned plots usually 1 location)
The long term monitoring programme will be rolled out across the North York Moors and this is where volunteers are responsible for monitoring their own plots 2-4 times a year and sending YPP the data. YPP will arrange plots to be installed on sites accessible for the volunteers and provide training/support/equipment. The plots can be arranged and set up on suitable sites at any point in the year, we do however have a training day/event coming up 23rd or 24th April (date not confirmed yet) which is designed to give an overview to Eyes on the Bog programme, meet other volunteers and provide training to volunteers who would like to be involved. The event will be held in Ilkley.
If interested, contact YPP (see above) who will be sending a save the date invitation out in the next week or so. This event is not essential to attend for volunteers and other training days in the North York Moors will be arranged once it is confirmed which sites they will be installing plots.
Ideas from the groups: Food
This month’s Food Group meeting is on Thursday 25th April 19.00
by zoom – contact Wendy for a link to join
April Seasonal eating
Eating food in season (local as far as possible) can have substantial positive impact on climate breakdown by reducing high-energy input from artificial heating or lighting needed to produce crops out of the natural growing season. In April’s section we will look at what foods are in season right now together with a seasonal recipe.
Tasty fruit and veggies available now include asparagus, basil, broccoli, chives, dill, jersey royal new potatoes, lettuce & salad leaves, new potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, rhubarb, rocket, samphire, sorrel, spinach, spring onions, watercress, wild nettles, wild garlic
Try some seasonal young nettle tips in a tasty dish for flavour and freshness (and for free!)
Nettle pesto
Serve this vibrant vitamin packed sauce with your favourite pasta. Link to recipe here: Nettle Pesto Recipe
More information here:
Growing & gardening tips month by month: April
Top tip! When buying seed note that ones labelled as F1 may show hybrid vigour but their uniformity can mean all your cauliflowers are ready at the same time. So chose carefully!
Chit and plant out second early potatoes in the first half of the month, maincrop potatoes in the second half.
Sow seed outdoors for beetroot, carrots, Swiss chard, summer cauliflower, kohl rabi, lettuce, leeks, radish, turnip, spring and pickling onions, peas and perpetual spinach in well-prepared soil.
Try sowing unusual vegetables such as salsify (see pic above), Hamburg parsley, or scorzonera.
Foodshare: Now Premier Food Store as well as the Co-ops
Every night, every week Jenny Earle, joint Food Group lead, organises volunteers to collect surplus food from our local Co-op stores as well as the new Premier Food Store in Great Ayton. The food is then distributed locally to those in need, not only reducing food waste which produces carbon gases affecting our climate but also providing a huge benefit to the community.
New volunteers are always welcome, please contact.
Ideas from the groups: Waste
This month’s Waste group meeting Wednesday 9th April 7.00pm by zoom – contact Simon Gibbon for a link to join, (previous notes)
Not-so-local Repair Cafes – Saltburn (6th April), Middlesbrough (11th May)
The Stokesley and Villages Repair Cafe (next one 13th April Stokesley) has been helping other areas to start repair cafes. Saltburn Repair Cafe will hold its second cafe on 6th April in the Community Hall (Facebook) and Middlesbrough Friends of the Earth has plans for its first repair cafe on 11th May in the Friends Meeting House on Cambridge Road – (Facebook). If you know people in Saltburn or Middlesbrough suggest they volunteer to get these off the ground, so much to repair so little time, so more hands make lighter work. The contacts are Rob Tucker to volunteer for Middlesbrough (also volunteer meeting at 7pm on 18th April at Meeting House) or Rowan to volunteer for Saltburn.
Reduce – Reuse – Recycle: current local actions you can take to prevent / reduce waste
Whether household waste goes to landfill or incineration climate damaging carbon gases are produced. Here are some current local options for reducing waste at source and for reusing / recycling 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.
Spotlight on our local zero waste shops
The best way of dealing with waste is to avoid creating any in the first place. Zero waste stores make use of containers you already have plus you only buy exactly the amount of food you need so this cuts down on food going to waste as well. Often it works out much cheaper as well for example cinnamon powder typically at a zero waste store is £2.40 for 100g whilst packaged at a supermarket is typically £3.00.
Roots Farmshop, East Rounton
As well as selling unwrapped fresh fruit and vegetables Roots provides several ways you can refill your own containers for a range of frozen fruit, vegetables and bakery goods as well as toiletries and household cleaning products.
What Planet Are You On, Guisborough
As well as dried food goods (flour, sugar, rice, pasta, nuts, cereals, herbs & spices) and sweets this store will refill your olive and rapeseed oil containers. They stock a range of biodegradable, plastic free kitchen and bathroom items as well. You can order online to collect in store.
Earth Unwrapped, Northallerton
Bring your own containers to refill with dried foods such as pasta, rice, nuts, fruit and granolas alongside eco-friendly cleaning, household and bodycare products and plastic-free alternatives for everyday items.
Sweet Treats (refill section), Thirsk
This shop selling locally made chocolates and cakes has recently extended to include a zero waste section selling a range of dried food goods for your own containers.
Off the Scale, Castleton
As well as selling fresh bakery items and local bottled milk and juices Off the Scale has zero waste, fill your own containers with dried foods including rice, pasta, pulses, herbs and spices.
Agonising about waste? Waste Agony Aunt is here for you!
Kate from the Waste subgroup is always delighted to receive your queries about how you can reduce / reuse / repurpose / recycle (almost!) any item. Here are some queries she’s received recently:
Q “I’ve just bought a new sofa and I need to get rid of my old one”
A”Try the British Heart Foundation’s home furniture collection”
Did you know that the British Heart Foundation will collect your unwanted (but still usuable!) furniture and other large household goods like electrical appliances directly from your home? They then sell them in their furniture stores at an affordable price and funds go towards their life saving research. Click here for more information and to arrange a local collection British Heart Foundation local collection
Q “I’m fed up with all the fruit and veg single use plastic packaging from supermarkets”
A “Try your local farm shop or town market stall”
Buying your fruit and veg loose at your local farm shop, town market stall and high street greengrocers not only means less packaging (or no packaging if you bring your own bags!) but you also get to choose exactly the amount you want so saving food waste. By shopping locally you’re not only supporting local businesses but also saving carbon emissions in your travel.
For local farm shops look here farmshops in north-yorkshire
For local markets locations and dates look here markets
If you’re feeling creative you can even make your own string bag for your fresh produce shopping here
Q”I hate throwing my medication blister packs into my black bin as they’re not accepted in my blue recycling bin – what can I do?”
A”It’s complicated….but there are some things you can do”
Medication blister packs are complex and expensive to recycle as the plastic and metal components are difficult to separate and potentially harmful as they may contain unused medication so not accepted in your kerbside recycling.
Currently Superdrug stores with pharmacies (nearest to us are Harrogate, Chester-le-Street and Bridlington) will take empty blister packs for no charge but only a ‘personal quantity’ which are given directly to the pharmacist.
Boots, which previously only had blister pack recycling in a few stores in the southeast of England, recently announced that they are planning to extend this to stores across the UK within the next year but only 15 packs at a time and although you can receive Advantage Card points you also need to buy £10 worth of goods in store. More information here: boots-launches-blister-pack-recycling-pilot
You can take action! Ideally the pharmaceutical companies who originally produce and package the medication should take ownership of recycling the packaging. You can act by signing this current petition demanding that one of the largest pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline provide recycling of medication blister packs.
Petition here: recycling-for-medication-blister-packaging
Q”I’ve got loads of old cookery books I don’t use which have lost some pages so no good for the charity shop”
A”Try the Upcycling Project of the Month”
Got a few old books that are too damaged to go to a charity shop AND need something to keep your sharp kitchen knives safe on your kitchen worktop? Try this simple idea which repurposes a few books into a useful kitchen item. Info here diy-knife-holder
And if your kitchen knives aren’t as sharp as they could be remember to come along to our next Repair Cafe where our Phil ‘Blades’ will skilfully sharpen them for free!
Issues / ideas from the groups: Transport
Development of Local Transport Strategy
Barry Warrington, CASaV lead for Transport summarises the Development of the Local Transport Strategy:
During 2023 North Yorkshire County Council initiated a consultative process under the banner of ‘Let’s Talk Transport’. This was in response to the fact that in 2022 the Dept for Transport announced that they expected all local transport authorities to have in place a fit for purpose Local Transport Plan (LTP) which sets out a strategic vision and a case for investment in transport in their area. (Although the government as yet has not provided any guidance as to the nature of such a strategy.)
This consultative exercise has involved an online survey and paper based survey activity, numerous public meetings. Almost 5000 people responded. Subsequently a stakeholder questionnaire was issued to over 700 groups including businesses, charities and interest groups. A total of 100 responses were received. The Council then set in train a process for organisations who had expressed an interest in a more detailed discussion. This is in addition to ongoing liaison with key partners and stakeholders.
CASaV have contributed to this process in the form of a document covering 20’s Plenty, Active Travel, Bicycle Bus, Wheels to Work, Public Transport, Charging Points.
In addition Barry Warrington Transport Lead for CASV attended a Zoom meeting on the 20th Oct with related organisation from throughout the County. The meeting attended by the Assistant Director for the Environment and Paul Haslam the lead Councillor for Climate Change provided little more than an insight into the consultative process and an account of the situation to date. It was not a meeting to have any real discussion of possible ‘deliverable’.
An update was provided in a report published by North Yorkshire Council on the 18th December entitled ‘Update on the Development of the New Local Transport Plan – approval to publish public engagement findings’ – 18th December 2023 Update / 4th February 2024 Update.
In terms of Climate Change this document indicated that proposed changes and development were required to take into account ‘How will this proposal impact on the environment’ and that ‘One of the requirements of the new LTP process is to develop a quantitative carbon reduction plan’ ‘One of the governments three policy objectives for the LTP is to reduce impact of transport on the environment’ Read Barry’s full report here: local-transport-strategy-consultative-process/
Round up of last month’s events
March was a busy month with lots of well attended events and activities, raising public awareness of the impact of climate breakdown and biodiversity loss as well as practical solutions we can all take to address this.
Middlesbrough Food Partnership held a Food Summit on 26th March 2024. Jenny, Food Group joint lead attended and reported that it was very well attended with a wide variety of excellent talks and workshops. The Middlesbrough Food Partnership acts as a central connecting network and hub for all things food related in Middlesbrough. Use this link for more info:
Dark Skies Family Activity Event was held by the Nature Group at the Discovery Centre, Great Ayton on 9th March. Familes and individuals attended and enjoyed using the hands on computer simulations of the night’s sky and a well illustrated display explained the problems of light pollution and it’s impact on biodiversity with practical solutions to address the issue. A leaflet on Dark Skies produced for the event is available via our website dark-skies-matter-to-wildlife-and-us/
An Open Spring Garden at 19, The Avenue, Stokesley was held on 11th March kindly by the owner with support from the Nature Group, with several people enjoying seeing a wealth of spring blooms and learning about how the garden is maintained without artificial chemicals and encourages wildlife.
The Gardening for Wildlife Talk given by Nature Group’s Helen and Bridget fascinated and inspired a packed Faceby Village Hall. A leaflet on Gardening to increase Biodiversity is available here how-to-tackle-biodiversity-breakdown-in-your-garden/
The monthly Repair Cafe took place on 16th March at Swainby Village Hall where we celebrated our two year anniversary by repairing out 1000th item which was the very special Coat of Hopes, a moving and inspiring piece of collaborative art in the form of a patchwork coat covered with people’s fears and hopes related to climate change. You can read more about the Coat Hopes time in North Yorkshire in the Darlington and Stockton Times article – here.
Signing off
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (May) update please email Kate Gibbon by the end of April.
Kate also helps promote activities via Facebook and Instagram so let her know if there is anything that you would like shared via our Facebook page and Instagram if you are not a Facebook / Instagram user.
Hope to see you at the CASaV whole group gathering on Tuesday 16th April at 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 