Welcome to August’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.
This month we highlight some of the people who bring the love to CASaV
Diary dates
(details of all events below in Newsletter section)
Act Local
- Tuesday 20th August 19.30 Whole Group Annual Meeting, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
- Saturday 10th August 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
- Tuesday 13th August 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden working party, Great Ayton
- Tuesday 13th August 19.00 CASaV Waste Group meeting by zoom (link below)
- Thursday 15th August 15.30 CASaV Nature Group meeting, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
- Friday 30th August 10-12 Market Day Coffee Morning raising funds for the Moorsbus
- Saturday 31st August 9.00-17.00 CASaV & recycling stall at the Bilsdale Show
- Thursday 19th September Food Group Meeting 19.00 by zoom (link below)
Think Global (details below)
- Now until 30th September Bugs Matter, nationwide
- Now until 31st October Sunset Bat Survey, nationwide
- 20-23rd September Great UK Waterblitz (register now)
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.
“Think global”
National and global climate action news and campaigns
Citizen Science: local, national and global environmental monitoring to help fight biodiversity loss
Biodiversity loss is happening at a greater and greater rate. Currently 16% of all species in Great Britain (where sufficient data is available) are threatened with extinction. But you can help address this by becoming a Citizen Scientist.
Citizen Science, also known as Community Science, is a way anyone can help gather scientific information in their local surroundings or the comfort of their own home. Citizen Science initiatives focusing on the environment are becoming more common – such as the loved Big Garden Birdwatch – and with technological innovations increasing the ways in which individuals can participate, projects can even become global in scale, long-term, and engage hundreds of thousands of volunteers. The information Citizen Scientists gather is hugely valuable for furthering our understanding of the impact of climate change on biodiversity for example. People taking part as Citizen Scientists feel closer to nature and get great satisfaction of doing something valuable and purposeful.
Some Citizen Science environmental information gathering you can take part in now:
Sunset bat survey now – 31st October
Did you know that there are eleven different species of bats living in North Yorkshire, according to the North Yorkshire Bat Group north-yorkshire-bats/
The Sunset Survey (running from now – October) organised by the Bat Conservation Trust brings you a perfect opportunity to get together with family/friends and discover bats and other wildlife in your local area. This is ideal for you if you don’t have previous bat surveying experience. Just spend an hour from sunset (or before sunrise) and let us know what you see/hear from your window, balcony, garden or local green space. More information here:
national-bat-monitoring-programme
Bugs Matter now – 30th September 2024
The Bugs Matter citizen science survey is an important initiative measuring insect splats on vehicle number plates as a marker of insect abundance. In previous survey years, with the valuable contributions of citizen scientists across the UK, we have made significant strides in understanding the challenges facing our insect populations.
This year, we need your help, once again, to build on our knowledge and make our impact even greater. Sharing the findings from your journeys will help us understand more about our insect populations, as growing evidence highlights their declines on a global scale.
Your participation in this nature survey is vital for us to monitor population trends, address causes of insect loss, halt and reverse them. It’s really simple to take part, involving cleaning your number plate before you set off on a journey and counting the number of bug splats after the journey, then logging the data online. info here: bugs-matter
Great UK Water Blitz 20 – 23rd September
The Great UK WaterBlitz is a biannual campaign calling on everyone to go out and test the quality of their local freshwater including rivers, streams and lakes. This helps to build a national picture of water quality across the UK.
Our rivers and freshwater habitats are at crisis point and we need urgent action. Join us this September to add your data to the fight for healthy freshwater. You can register here now to take part: greatukwaterblitz
“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 Whole Group Meeting
Tuesday 20th August 19.30-21.00
Globe Community Library, Stokesley
Our next whole group meeting is on Tuesday 20th July, at the newly updated Globe Community Library, Stokesley from 19.30 until 21.00.
All welcome to come and help plan a programme of talks and other activities following our AGM last month (see below for links and information).
We’re a friendly bunch and we welcome everyone!
Saturday 10th August 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe, Stokesley Globe Community Library
Our monthly Repair Cafe will be on Saturday 10th August 10 – 12 at the Globe Community Library, Stokesley.
Our pink T shirted repair volunteers will be eager to fix your household items – clothing & textiles, electrical appliances, wooden furniture, toys & bikes, laptops & mobile phones, blades needing sharpening – as well as give you hands on demonstrations to encourage us all to extend the life of things we own by mending them when they get damaged or wear out, saving money from not buying new, saving resources used to make new and also reducing carbon emissions in manufacturing.
Bicycle Health Expert Andy from Sustrans is joining us again this month to provide free bicycle ‘health checks’ – a thorough check over of your bike to check it’s road worthiness plus small repairs and advice.
As usual, 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 and a great opportunity to chat with friendly, like minded people.
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.
Tuesday 13th August 1.30 – 3pm Yatton House Community Garden Working Party
The Yatton House Community Garden is now open most weekdays, weather permitting. Do call in and have a look. There is even now a solar powered water feature to accompany the planting. The next working party will be on Tuesday 13th August, from 1:30 – 3:00 pm.
Saturday 31st August 9.00-17.00 CASaV & recycling stall at the Bilsdale Show
The Waste group are organising a stall at the great Bilsdale Agricultural Show on Saturday 31st August 9.00 – 17.00 advising on ways we can all take to help fight climate change and biodiversity loss alongside supporting the show to encourage recycling to reduce waste going to landfill and incineration.
We are also going to be joined by John and Edith Reeve from local Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) who will be showcasing SAS’s fantastic programme of education and activism not just aimed at cleaning up our seas but also our rivers as these all eventually flow into the sea – more information here: SAS sewage and water quality
Thank you to all who have already volunteered to help run the stall. It should be a great day out for all ages and interests and if you visit the show, please pop by and say hello to us on the CASaV stall!
Meet the CASaV people!
At CASaV we are very fortunate to have a super range of tremendous people from all walks of life who give their time, skills, passion and knowledge, thinking globally and acting locally to help fight climate change and biodiversity loss. Meet just a few:
Phil ‘Blades’
Meet Phil, the sustainable alternative to Jay Blades at our monthly Repair Cafés.
Phil got involved via his brother who volunteers at a Repair Café in the south of England.
Phil can sharpen most blades including knives and scissors but particularly enjoys working on
gardening tools including secateurs, shears and lawnmower blades. We are a nation of gardeners and he is usually in high demand, over two years he has saved many hundreds of Repair Cafe visitors the cost of replacing equipment and the environmental impact of blunt tool disposal.
Quite a few different things get brought along to the Repair Café but his most memorable was the 2 foot long machete which he wasn’t sure whether to sharpen or hand into the police.
When not bringing new life to blunt blades Phil is an aviation fanatic, he is secretary of ‘Guisborough Model Flying Club’ and also has a share in a light aircraft syndicate. He has even persuaded his good lady wife into joining the Repair Café as a ‘front of house’ volunteer.
Dante
Dante is one of the hard working volunteers at the Foodshare. As with the other Foodshare volunteers, Dante collects surplus food in the evening from stores in Great Ayton and Stokesley and takes it to groups who support vulnerable people locally who cannot afford to buy food. Dante is so committed to this project that he actually volunteers for two nights every week so many families have him to thank for being able to sit down to have a meal each day.
Dante’s most memorable Foodshare collection was picking up twenty four cases of mince pies with fifteen pies in each case (360 mince pies in total!) and struggling to fit them all in the car. Dante notes “It was hilarious, I’d never seen that many mince pies before and it was like something from a comedy sketch”. A happy Christmas for quite a few people thanks to Dante!
Dante is also tremendously fit and active, and is now setting himself mountain hiking challenges and, as in his Foodshare work, he always goes the extra mile.
Setting his sights on the highest peaks in the UK Dante says “My initial idea was to climb every peak three times using different routes until I realised there’s eight routes up Snowdon so in July, last month, I completed all eight routes in four days, doing two routes a day.
So far I’ve hiked up Ben Nevis once but I’m going back in November when there’s snow blizzards and bad weather to complete it twice more. I completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks three times in one week and I plan to do Scafell Pike this year, likely October. I don’t want to follow others just do my own thing and next year I have my focus on Everest base camp”.
Dante says in his spare time he combines his interests in all things food together with adventuring by hunting for Paddington bear and his marmalade sandwiches. A trip to Darkest Peru soon?
Tracey
Tracey’s day job is Service Improvement Officer for North Yorkshire Council but she is also active out of hours supporting CASaV, specifically advising on all things waste and recycling.
Tracey says “Having worked for several years as a Recycling Officer and then a Recycling and Climate Change Officer in North Yorkshire I’ve had several opportunities to work with CASaV either through Recycling Talks, Climate Change events or through the Waste Group’s monthly meetings, as well as arranging for group members to visit recycling and energy from waste projects. I love talking rubbish and in my new role I think it important the Council maintains links with community groups to see what opportunities may arise to help achieve the shared goal of reducing waste and empowering communities.
In my spare time I am busy with a multitude of pets which include cats, a dog, bearded dragon, giant African land snail, giant millipede plus more, my daughter is studying Zoology so mum gets to look after all her hobbies while she’s away!”
Barry
Following the moving on of Jack Turton from the steering group due to other commitments we are delighted to announce that Barry, CASaV Transport lead has stepped up to join the steering group. Barry was active in the formation of CASaV over 5 years ago and took on the responsibility of leading the Transport focus of the whole group in which role he has championed the Endeavour Way, an active travel route as an alternative to private vehicle and public transport between Stokesley and Great Ayton, been active in the development of North Yorkshire Council’s Transport Strategy, organised the ‘Route Ahead to Sustainable Transport’ day event in Stokesley and lobbied NYC on ‘Twenty’s Plenty’ among other sustainable actions local and county wide.
Barry’s skills and interests extend to being a guitar genius and his guitar group entertained visitors to the transport event in Stokesley.
Anne
Anne has been involved in CASaV, specifically the Nature group, since the very beginning. As a botanist with extensive experience across the globe she has brought her skills and knowledge on natural history to our group through the seasonal nature and wild flower walks and talks she regularly leads locally.
Anne says “My original research was with the British Antarctic Survey mapping the two flowering plants of the Antarctic, unfortunately at a distance, from records, as females were not allowed to work there in those days! I did work in situ on forestry projects in Zambia and later in Northern India, while more mundanely I ran a gardening club and took children on nature walks while at a bush camp in the Congo! And grew vegetables in the sand of the Sahara dessert with camel manure and water while living in Mauritania!
Now I work on maintenance of my old Forest Garden at Natures World (one of the oldest in existence in the UK, now 30 years old) as well as a wildlife area there. I am Chairman of Great Ayton Wildlife association, weekly talks during the winter months. I help with the Brighten Up Great Ayton and Yatton House Community Garden groups Tidy up Great Ayton and Ayton. I am involved with Esk Valley ‘Community Earth Project’, the ARK, ( acts of restorative kindness to nature) and I write regularly for the ‘Esk Valley News’ . I am a member of the North York Moors Association, go on their walks and write regularly for their ‘Voice’ magazine. I belong to a Great Ayton Churches Together Group and am helping to give advice for some local churchyards to be managed in a more wildlife friendly way. A rather sensitive subject!
How about you?
If you are interested in playing a more active role in thinking globally, acting locally to fight climate change and biodiversity loss please visit our website and look at the volunteer opportunities or pop along to one of our meetings – whole group and Food, Nature & Waste sub groups – and have a chat!
You need to talk about climate change
Book of the month: A Gift for Conversation
One of the biggest impacts we can each have on climate change is to have conversations about climate change. None of us can solve climate change alone, and while we are continually exposed to climate change denial and delay, there is not the pressure from everybody on industry and governments to stop damaging the climate and instead act with the urgency necessary. Real conversations about climate change and what we can do about it help to counter the drip feed of denial and delay.
Conversations about climate change are challenging as none of us knows everything in this complex area, so Dr Louis Keal has written a short book for people to give other people you would like to have a climate conversation with “A Gift for Conversation: Let’s discuss climate change: Why it matters. What to do about it.” In this spirit of giving, the book is available to read or listen to on our website, reading or listening to it will help you have conversations about climate change. The book addresses in a clear way what we need to be able to talk to other people about how climate change is happening now, how we caused it, how we’re sure we caused it, how climate change is bad and how there is still time to act to avoid a terrible future.
Please have a look at the book on our website (or buy a paper copy) and let us know about your climate change conversations.
Recent events
There were several events in late June and July including:
CASaV AGM
The CASaV AGM took place at Howard’s Court, courtesy of Caroline Kitching and members enjoyed a shared picnic before having a tour of the tree planting areas.
The annual report is here
The financial report is here
Poetry Walk at the Great Ayton Floodplain Meadow
Whilst on the CASaV organised walk round Great Ayton floodplain meadow at the end of June, listening to a selection of poems by Margaret Mawston, the participants contributed their thoughts to compose the following poem in the style of Margaret Mawston:
“A walk around Great Ayton Floodplain Meadow June 2024
How can people have such contempt for the countryside when,
we see beauty all around us at any time of the year.
Give yourself time to enjoy something – a plant or a bird song you’ve not noticed before. Give yourself time for companionship in enjoying the scenery and plant life.
Listen to the tranquil birdsong, although is the chiff chaffing of the Chiffchaff tranquil? Once heard you will hear it all summer.
Moving on, a profusion of feathery wafts of heady scent from the Meadow Sweet and high grasses –calm scents surround
Crested Dogs Tails and Timothy jostling each other to get to the sun, fleeing from the Himalayan Balsam.
Spear Thistles stand proud next to the gift of Creeping Thistle – food for butterflies, bees and birds.
Under lichen covered branches we talk about the importance of ‘weeds’ and times past, memories unfurled.
How can people have such contempt for the countryside?”
Find out more here Floodplain meadow
‘A Good Heart’ at the river Swale
Some members of CASaV went to hear Feargal Sharkey, in his capacity of vice chair of River Action UK, support Save our Swale group in their work to stop the ongoing pollution of the River Swale caused by Yorkshire Water. The event was well attended and it was good to have such a high profile ambassador in the campaign to have clean river water in the UK.
Feargal Sharkey highlights water pollution during Richmond rally | The Northern Echo
More about Save Our Swale on their Facebook page: SaveOurSwale/
More about River Action UK: riveractionuk.com/
Issues / ideas from the groups: Nature
This month’s Nature Group meeting is at 15.30, Thursday 15th August at the Globe Library In Stokesley. Please join us there.
Contact Bridget Holmstrom for information
Help a hedgehog
There is substantial evidence that biodiversity in this country is at an all time low. One of the many species that is suffering is the hedgehog particularly in rural areas. We hope to have a talk in the coming months from a local expert but in the meantime here is some information on how to help hedgehogs in your garden.
www.wildlifetrusts.org/what-do-if-you-find-wild-animal/help-hedgehog
Together with the ECO (Environment Climate Osmotherley) group, a fascinating ‘Bat Night’ is planned! Details below.
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Good news for endangered peatbogs
UK peat bogs are an essential landscape for carbon capture but sadly they have declined by up to 94% in the last century. Earlier this year the Nature group organised a fascinating tour of peat bogs under restoration on the North York Moors led by the local Yorkshire Peat Partnership
RSPB & the Co-op are working together to restore other areas of this vital resource in response to the nature and climate crises. The new partnership forms part of Co-op’s Climate Plan commitments to fund UK natural restoration and funding has been generated by sales of Co-op compostable carrier bags.
You can read more about this here
Ideas from the groups: Food
Next Food Group meeting Thursday September 19th at 7pm by zoom contact Wendy for a link to join
August’s Food Group Meeting & shared supper
We had a delightful evening in Jenny’s garden, joined by the Foodshare Volunteers. It was a shared supper and what a feast of interesting dishes we had. All veggie/vegan and delicious. And plenty of interesting conversation as well!
Food Revolution: watch ‘Eating for Tomorrow’ film
The Food Revolution Network is an organisation committed to inspiring and advocating for sustainable and ethical food through education about plant based foods. They have a film by leading environmentalists about the impact of what we eat on the environment and climate ‘Eating For Tomorrow’, narrated by Kate Winslet, available for free viewing via this link: Eating for Tomorrow
Foodshare: surplus food prevented from going to waste and helping those in need
Foodshare is a joint initiative by the Food and Waste groups and is organised by Jenny. EVERY evening at 9pm a Volunteer collects surplus food from the Ayton Coop and Premier supermarket and both Stokesley Coops and takes it to various distribution centres (often in Middlesbrough) such as Nitelight (for homeless) for use/distribution amongst those in need. This is fresh food such as fruit, veg and bread, NOT the tins and dried food that are needed by Food Banks. If you feel this is something with which you could help, please contact Jenny on jennyearle@phoneccop.coop.
August 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.
Heat-loving crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies are in their prime now. Look for locally grown aubergines and peppers, which are usually imported to the UK.
Fruit and vegetables to harvest or buy locally now:
Aubergines, Beetroot, Blackberries, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Carrots, CeleryChard, Courgettes and summer squash, Cucumbers, Fennel, French beans, Lettuce and other salad leaves, Peas and mangetout, Peppers and chillies, Plums, Potatoes, Raspberries, Runner beans, Spring onions, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes
Vegetables to sow and plant now:
Lettuce, Pak choi, Parsley, Rocket, Spinach
This month’s seasonal recipe: Fresh tomato salsa
Use up a glut of fresh tomatoes with this tasty dip:
ultimate-tomato-salsa
Ideas from the groups: Waste
This month’s Waste group meeting Tuesday 13th August 7.00pm CASaV by zoom – contact Simon Gibbon for a link to join,
Spotlight on textile waste
Fast fashion has had a big impact on how we create, buy, wear, and dispose of clothes as individuals and businesses. Clothes production and consumption levels have significantly increased over the past few decades, driven by demand, availability, low costs, and a throwaway culture. It’s also led to unstylish levels of waste.
Every year across the world we produce 92 million tonnes of textile waste. Unless big changes happen and improve how we make, use, and dispose of clothes, it’s estimated that by 2030 we’ll create 134 million tonnes of textile waste globally. And the global fashion industry is responsible for 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
As autumn approaches, particularly with the new school year in mind, think before you follow the rush to buy ‘new season’ clothing.
1. The most sustainable clothing are the items you already own. Have a look through your wardrobe and rediscover your existing clothes. If they need a button sewing on, a zip replacing or a seam strengthening remember to pop along to our monthly Repair Cafes.
In Stokesley Feet First, 53 High St, Stokesley can bring new life to your worn out footwear.
Or use your creativity to transform your existing clothes into something new. Look here for idea: upcycling-clothes-ideas
2. Preloved, vintage, second hand. Someone else’s unwanted item is your ‘new to you’ clothing. As well as charity and vintage shops also look at preloved on ebay and Vinted. Ask at your children’s school for second hand uniforms for example Stokesley School maintains a stock of second-hand uniform which is available for parents/carers upon request. The school encourages all parents/carers to donate any outgrown or unwanted uniform items to the school if they are able. For other schools, have a look here: uniformd.co.uk/schools
Some local charity clothes shops:
- Teesside Hospice Shop, 1 Bridge Road, Stokesley & 125 Hight Street, Great Ayton
- Mind, 12, Bridge Road, Stokesley
- Herriott Hospice Homecare, 8 High Street, Stokesley
- Cancer Research, 38, High Street, Stokesley
- Age UK, 51 High Street, Stokesley
3. Swap your unwanted clothes for vouchers
Don’t consign your unwanted clothes to landfill or incineration – H&M, M&S. Schuh, John Lewis, River Island and New Look all have schemes that let you swap your unwanted clothes for vouchers and they’ll find new uses for your surplus items.
4. Buy sustainable
If you really have to buy new, consider purchasing from the most sustainable UK brands you can find, some ideas here:
slow-and-sustainable-clothing-directory
Updates on zero / reduced waste packaging
Sadly another local zero waste store is closing, the great Earth Unwrapped, Barkers Arcade, Northallerton but there are still lots of local options for shopping with less waste using local greengrocers and market stalls by reusing bags to put your fruit and vegetables in as well as existing zero waste shops.
A number of local shops allow you to refill your own containers to reduce waste:
Roots Farm Shop & Café, East Rounton DL6 2LE;
Fletchers Farm Shop, Woodhouse Farm Great Ayton TS9 6HZSpilman’s Farm Shop, Church Farm, Sessay, ThirskYO7 3NBFive Houses Farm Shop, Crathorne TS15 0AYDL7 8LNSweet Treats (refill section), 59 Market Pl, Thirsk YO7 1TFOff the Scale, 28 Church St, Castleton, YO21 2EQ
Guisborough Refill, Tony Gallagher Hairdressing, 12 Chaloner St, Guisborough TS14 6QD
Slightly further afield, but if you’re in town, pop in to the brilliant Earth Warriors, 76a Skinnergate, Darlington for zero waste and plastic free items.
And of course don’t forget your refillable water bottle, which you can find places to refill locally using the Refill app (https://www.refill.org.uk/).
Issues / ideas from the groups: Environment & Climate Osmotherley (ECO) Group
Environment & Climate Osmotherley (ECO) is now an established part of Climate Action Stokesley & Villages.
ECO is a group of like-minded villagers with shared concerns around our environment & climate change. Their lead, Rebecca Wright notes “We meet once a month & also have four sub-groups exploring Decarbonisation, Sustainability, Flora & Fauna who meet regularly. We hope to encourage other residents & visitors to our village to adopt a more thoughtful & sustainable approach to our environment, and also work with the relevant local authorities to promote sustainable living.”
Rebecca is a great source of wildlife expertise and is planning a fascinating talk and a bat walk, weather conditions permitting. Date and time will be announced soon on the to the CASaV Facebook page and website.
Contact for more information
Ideas from the groups: Transport
Holiday time? Ideas for lower carbon travel
Moorsbus 2024: now until end of October
Running on weekends and bank holidays from now until the end of October and run by volunteers, the Moorsbus covers so much of the beautiful North York Moors, great walking and carrying bicycles as well. Plan a day out in nature! More information here moorsbus
The Man in Seat 61
Thinking of travelling further afield this summer? Have a look at The Man in Seat 61 website for detailed itineraries of how to travel across Europe and even worldwide without flying. Train travel can be a more rewarding alternative to flying which reduces our contribution to climate change and brings us closer to the countries we visit. This site explains how to travel comfortably & affordably by train or ferry, rediscovering the pleasure, romance & adventure of the journey. More information here: seat61
Signing off
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (August) update please email Kate Gibbon by the end of August
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 whole group CASaV meeting on Tuesday 20th August 19.30 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, Ron Kirk Barry Warrington and Simon Gibbon
Climate Action Stokesley and Villages 