Welcome to September’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
(details of all events below in Newsletter section)
Act Local
- Tuesday 17th September 19.30 Whole Group Annual Meeting, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
- NB Please note that unfortunately the planned Osmotherley Nut Fest on Friday 6th September is cancelled due to illness
- Monday 9th – Monday 22nd September Stokesley Fair Trade Fortnight
- Tuesday 10th September 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden working party, Great Ayton
- Now until 16 September North Yorkshire Council ‘Let’s Talk Rubbish’ survey
- Thursday 19th September Food Group Meeting 19.00 by zoom (link below)
- Nature Group meeting, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley: date to be confirmed
- Saturday 21st September 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe, Swainby Village Hall, High Street, Swainby
- Tuesday 8th October 19.00 CASaV Waste Group meeting by zoom (link below) NB no meeting in September
- Apple pressing dates in September / October to be confirmed
Think Global (details below)
- #Secondhand September – Oxfam campaign for planet friendly shopping
- 2 – 6th September Zero Waste Week (see Waste Group section)
- 7-8th September RHS Harlow Carr: Festival of Flavours – celebration of home growing and seasonal cooking
- Can agriculture and solar panels work together? Understanding agrivoltaics
- Just published: the Soil Association FREE Digital Organic Living Guide
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
#Secondhand September – Oxfam campaign for planet friendly shopping
Second Hand September is a moment for all of us to come together to choose a more planet-friendly way to shop. There was a time when what we wore meant something. It said something about us and our community. But what does it mean today? A throwaway culture? Planet wrecking waste? This September, take a stance against the impact of fast fashion by shopping second hand. Reclaim what style stands for. Dress for the world you want to see.
Explore slow fashion, sustainable fashion and ethical fashion, shop and donate second hand and help create a fairer world.
oxfam.org.uk/get-involved/second-hand-september/
Agrivoltaics: can farming and solar panels work together?
It is well established that we need to move away from using fossil fuels for energy production and use renewables as our long term sources of energy not only for energy security but more importantly to reduce the impact of climate breakdown. Alongside wind turbines, tidal and river turbines, solar (voltaic) panels are a key energy source. Siting the solar panels has become a issue for complex discussion. Although using domestic and commercial rooftops is now commonplace, using land with potential for agriculture as solar farms is heavily debated.
In 2022 Greenpeace published information on how farming and solar panels can work together farming-and-solar-panels-can-work-together and in 2023 the first Global Agrivoltaic conference took place, highlighting how agricultural production, such as crop or livestock production or pollinator habitats can successfully take place underneath or adjacent to solar panels. You can see the proceedings of this conference here
The Council for the Preservation of Rural England (CPRE), although highly supportive of renewable energy and of solar panels on buildings, expresses concern about the use of countryside for solar farms cpre solar-energy-the-countryside
What are your thoughts?
Soil Association: Organic Living Guide just published
The Soil Association has created this Organic Living Guide to celebrate all things organic, and provide you with tips for living a life in harmony with nature. The FREE digital guide is packed with top tips and advice from our team of experts at the Soil Association. It also includes features from special guests who have shaped the organic movement.
Inside this guide you will find: advice for choosing animal products which work with nature, not against it, how to buy, plant and harvest in tune with the seasons, tips for avoiding greenwashing and your guide to planting for pollinators.
You can obtain your FREE guide here: organic-living-guide/
7-8th September RHS Harlow Carr, Harrogate
Festival of Flavours
Growing and cooking your own food is not only delicious and healthy but is also good for climate change. Enjoy a relaxed day out at this autumn food event – Festival of Flavours – from 7 to 8 September. Get take-home tips from chefs and local food producers, browse food and drink stalls and take Kitchen Garden tours, while relaxing to live music in the beautiful surroundings.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/harlow-carr/whats-on/festival-of-flavours
“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 17th September 19.30-21.00
Globe Community Library, Stokesley
Our next whole group meeting is on Tuesday 17th September, at the newly updated Globe Community Library, Stokesley from 19.30 until 21.00.
All welcome to come and discuss all things climate change and biodiversity loss, updates from the sub groups and planning for future activities
We’re a friendly bunch and we welcome everyone!
Monday 9th – Monday 22nd September
Fair Trade Fortnight (Stokesley and Ayton FairTrade Group)
What is the link between Fair Trade and climate breakdown? The impact of climate breakdown is often experienced more harshly on the most vulnerable global communities. Fairtrade aims to promote sustainable food production and environmental protection through a number of strategies including adhering to the Fairtrade standards and to be certified as a Fairtrade producer, farmers must improve soil and water quality, manage pests, avoid using harmful chemicals, manage waste, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect biodiversity. Production wise, Fairtrade supports and incentivises agroecology principles to transition toward more resilient farming practices and implement climate change adaptation plans. Fairtrade is also actively involved and advocates for better climate justice in trade by reviewing legislation that aims to tackle the negative impact of trade practices on the environment. This also includes working with traders and retailers to be accountable for their climate commitments and environmental due diligence.
Stokesley and Ayton FairTrade Group are holding the FairTrade Fortnight 9-22nd September, especially with the support of all our local Co-op stores, in which they’ll have displays, information and a FREE raffle, (though it will be necessary to answer one question about FairTrade!) The group are striving to enable local people to see reasons to choose FairTrade and support FairTrade producers who will be the first to be struggle with Climate Change.
More information on the links between Fair Trade and climate breakdown Fair Trade Climate Issues
Tuesday 10th September 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party
Yatton House Community Garden working party 10th September 1:30 – 3:00pm
Looking forward to picking french beans and mangetout during the September working party. The garden is now open weekdays unless raining so call in and enjoy sitting in the restful space.
North Yorkshire Council: Let’s Talk Rubbish survey
now until 16th September
NYC collects around 310,000 tonnes of household waste each year from over 300,000 properties. About 45 per cent of this is reused, recycled or composted.
The Let’s Talk Local and Let’s Talk Money feedback to NYC requested that the council should focus on providing the best value for money and tackling climate change. NYC notes that the formation of North Yorkshire Council has brought together seven different ways of collecting household waste and recycling. By reviewing the different recycling collection services, they aim to become more efficient and cost-effective.
NYC currently (until 16th September) has an online survey (can also be completed on paper) asking for YOUR thoughts, wishes and ideas on rubbish collection and recycling.
Make your voice heard! letstalkny survey-rubbish
Saturday 21st September 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe,
Swainby Village Hall, High Street Swainby
Our monthly Repair Cafe will be on Saturday 21st September 10 – 12 at Swainby Village Hall, High Street, Swainby
As always, 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.
Apple Pressing coming soon!
CASaV will be running a couple of apple pressing sessions in Faceby this autumn. Dates coming soon. Check our apple pressing website page in early September for details https://climateactionstokesleyandvillages.org/food/apple-pressing/
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. Last month we started a new series highlighting the great work our volunteers and project supporters do, this month we continue:
Katy
About a year ago Katy came along to the Stokesley repair cafe because she wanted her faulty toaster fixed. During her visit she noticed there was a sewing section and that was it – she was hooked, in more than one way as she can use a crochet hook!
Katy is a very busy woman! She is the Founder Director of a literacy company called Lexonik. She, along with her Lexonik staff passionately believe ‘nobody should be limited because they can’t read.’
Sewing, knitting, crocheting and cooking have been her hobbies since childhood. She also taught food and nutrition, child development and textiles in Secondary schools before changing her teaching career to specialise in Special Educational Needs. Her literacy work has taken her to California, Florida, Georgia and Middle East. Having the opportunity to travel for work may sound exciting perhaps even glamorous but Katy says “It’s just a very long way to go to the office!”
When she was younger she spent time dressmaking, and loved working with quality fabrics making wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses but now she prefers smaller projects and crafting. In the last few years she has also learned how to cane chairs, thanks to YouTube videos and has beautifully restored a number of cane seats brought to the Repair Cafe in varying states of disrepair!
She really enjoys being part of the CASaV team and gets great satisfaction from working on damaged often cherished possessions, bringing them back to life. But she also enjoys her CASaV time because, in her words “we basically laugh a lot, chat a lot and mend a lot.” She is also fearless and undaunted by one of the most frequent and biggest challenges faced by the sewing repairers – broken zips!
One type of mend she would like to see more of is turning collars and cuffs on shirts which are otherwise in perfect condition as it makes those favourite shirts as good as new again.
David
David has attended many Repair Cafes as a repairee as well as joining Waste group meetings, attending walks organised by the Nature group and was a key speaker at the CASaV Environment and Farming event. As a local farmer and councillor at North Yorkshire Council he was delighted to be elected as Climate Change member champion. His interest in climate change goes back to 2008 when he travelled extensively overseas while researching a paper titled “The Carbon Footprint of British Agriculture”. Since then he has farmed with climate change in mind and was one of the first farmers in the UK to adopt the practice of mob grazing.
While there were agricultural reasons for putting himself forward for this council role, David notes that it was his occasional forays to CASaV which provided the spark. His travels back in 2008 starting by studying the Peatlands of The Peak District so he greatly enjoyed joining the CASaV trip to Rosedale peat restoration earlier this year.
The member champion role is relatively new in North Yorkshire having been introduced early in the new Council when members declared a climate emergency. David sees his role as working with the Assistant Director of Environment and Executive member who have responsibility for climate change in their portfolios.The role is a cross party one as he will see all 90 members as champions. Already he has taken a request to the Scrutiny Board from a member who believes we should be managing highway verges in a more nature friendly way. David notes that he is looking forward to working with the family of climate action groups in the county and make them feel part of the NYC climate change strategy.
David says he is proud of his fifteen years of service representing local villages on four different Authorities. However it doesn’t always go to plan – when as Chairman of Hambleton District Council he put the case containing the Mayoral Chains on the bonnet of his car while checking the cows after a function. They were later retrieved by a police officer in the middle of the night from Faceby water splash! David notes “To add to my embarrassment this even made the local radio news the following day.”
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!
Issues / ideas from the groups: Nature
This month’s Nature Group meeting will be at the Globe Library In Stokesley, date to be confirmed
Contact Bridget Holmstrom for information
Last week Becci of the Environment & Climate Osmotherley and Bridget the Nature group lead organised a very popular ‘Bat Night’ in Osmotherley. Rebecca started the evening with a inspiring illustrated talk about these amazing mammals then the group was shown how to use bat detectors and we set off for a fascinating walk around Osmotherley using the detectors to identify at least four different species of bats as they flew around us on their night time hunting forays! The evening was so well enjoyed another is planned to take place in Great Ayton in the coming months, watch out for details.
Ideas from the groups: Food
Next Food Group meeting Thursday September 19th at 7pm by zoom contact Wendy for a link to join
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.
September 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.
Fruit and vegetables in season this month include: apples, artichoke, aubergine, beetroot, bilberries, blackberries, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, celeriac, celery, chard, chestnuts, chillies, chives, cob nuts, coriander, courgettes, cucumber, damsons, elderberries, fennel, french beans, garlic, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce & salad leaves, mangetout, marrow, mint, onions, oregano, pak choi, parsley, pears, peppers, plums, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, raspberries, redcurrants, rocket, rosemary, runner beans, sage, shallots, sorrel, spring onions, sweetcorn, thyme, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, wild mushrooms
September’s seasonal recipe: Preserved pears for Christmas
Use up a glut of freshly harvested pears with this tasty recipe:
preserved-pears-a-lovely-recipe-an-even-better-gift/
Wendy from the Food Group notes”If you are fortunate enough to have an excess of fruit and all your friends have plenty too, you could preserve some for use in the winter, Freezing is possible, but why not try bottling (Boyes sell Kilner jars) or dehydrating. If you do not have an Aga, dehydrators cost about £45. Dried fruit can be stored in any airtight jar or tin. Storing in these ways uses no electricity.”
Ideas from the groups: Waste
NB No Waste group meeting in September, next meeting Tuesday 8th October 7.00pm CASaV by zoom – contact Simon Gibbon for a link to join
2nd – 6th September Zero Waste Week
Every year, millions of people all around the world commit to reducing their landfill waste for a week during September – saving money, preserving resources and having fun in the process.
It’s simple to take part in Zero Waste Week: Choose an action which will help you reduce your waste, do it every day throughout Zero Waste Week in September and share your experience with others in person or online using the hashtag #ZeroWasteWeek.
More information: zerowasteweek
Good (recycling) news for coffee lovers!
Coffee lovers can now dispose of their used pods in an environmentally friendly way as part of a new service aimed at reducing waste by North Yorkshire Council. They are is working with Podback, a coffee pod recycling service, to offer the containers at our household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). Used coffee pods, as well as tea, milk, and hot chocolate pods, are accepted. The plastic or aluminium pods need to be collected separately, as they are recycled at different facilities. As part of the scheme, pods will be sent to specialist recycling plants and be transformed into new products such as packaging, car components and building products.
Coffee grounds will be treated by anaerobic digestion to create soil improver and renewable energy. The containers are available at all household waste recycling centres in North Yorkshire excluding Leyburn, Settle and Wombleton. More information here
Updates on zero / reduced waste packaging
Sadly another local zero waste store has now closed, 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/).
Waste group events in August:
August Repair Cafe
August’s Repair Cafe at the Globe, Stokesley was predicted to be a quiet affair with many people on holiday but in fact it turned out to be the busiest Repair Cafe of the year so far! Over 86 items in need of repair were seen by our intrepid pink T-shirted volunteer repairers and the majority were fixed to the delight and gratitude of their owners who were also treated to free Fair Trade cuppas and edible treats.
Bilsdale Show stall & litter picking
The beautiful weather on Saturday 31st August brought hundreds of folk of all ages to the beautifully located Bilsdale Agricultural Show, many of whom engaged with interest with our environment and climate ‘zone’ which included the North Yorkshire Rotters and Surfers Against Sewage alongside our CASaV stand promoting simple but effective ways that everyone can take action on climate change and biodiversity loss. Our volunteers in their bright yellow high vis ‘Act Local’ vests also litter picked around the showground, encouraging everyone to think about recycling and reducing waste.
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, Becci 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.”
Becci is a great source of wildlife expertise delivered a fascinating talk and a bat walk last week, more planned for the future. 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 (October) update please email Kate Gibbon by the end of September
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 17th September 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 