Welcome to February’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’re celebrating the Climate Coalition’s ‘Show the Love’ with a host of activities and events where you can explore beautiful environments with free entry to protected wetlands (World Wetlands Day), learn about pollution in our local environment (River Tees Talk and Meeting), do your bit for biodiversity by helping plant new hedgerows (hedgerow planting at East Angrove), get close to nature and pick up new gardening skills (Yatton House Community Garden pruning skills activity), share and learn yarn and textile crafts and mending (Osmotherley Mending Group) and extend the life of your cherished possessions (Repair Cafe) where you can also get yourself a FREE Show the Love goody bag full of sustainable living treats and ideas to protect the planet you love.

Diary dates

details of all events below in Newsletter section)

Tuesday 18th February 19.30 – 21.00 River Tees Pollution & Marine Die Off Talk & Whole Group Meeting, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley
1st – 28th February Climate Coalition’s Show the Love month
Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd 10.00 – 13.00 Hedgerow planting at Great Ayton, volunteers needed
Sunday 2nd February World Wetlands Day
Wednesday 5th February 19.30 ECO (Environment Climate Osmotherley) Meeting, Osmotherley Methodist Chapel
Saturday 8th February 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe & Show the Love goody bag giveaway, Globe Community Library, Stokesley
Tuesday 11th February 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party – learn pruning skills
Tuesday 11th February 19.00 Waste Group (incl Repair Cafe) Zoom Meeting (see Waste Group section below)
Friday 14th February – Sunday 2nd March North York Moors Park Dark Skies Festival, various locations
Thursday 20th February 15.30 Nature Group meeting, the Globe Community Library (see Nature Group section below)
Monday 3rd March World Wildlife Day

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”

1st-28th February The Climate Coalition’s ‘Show the Love’ month

For ten years, The Climate Coalition (which also organises the Great Big Green Week) has united communities behind the power of green hearts every February. Show The Love has grown public support for climate action through local events, heartfelt conversations and green heart craftivism in every corner of the country.

Groups and individuals across the UK who are already taking action for the people and places they love are encouraged to showcase their activities and stories to others, to government and to other national and local decision makers through the ‘Show the Love’ campaign.

The Climate Coalition believes stories are powerful; they believe every action people take together is a story that can inspire others and spark more actions. Starting this month they plan to bring these stories of hopeful action together to demonstrate to politicians that we are a nation of green hearts.

To celebrate ‘Show the Love’ month our February Repair Cafe will be making and giving away fabric goody bags full of treats and ideas for more sustainable living – see February Repair Cafe info below.

World Wetlands Day Feb 2nd

Photo from Jenny Earle of wetlands in Dubai taken this year

Wetlands are super powered, flood-busting, nature-boosting, carbon-sinking and mood-lifting habitats, that burst with life. World Wetlands Day, established in 1971, is celebrated on the second day of February every year. This day aims to highlight the significance and positive influence that wetlands have on the world, not only for people but for the planet. Community protectors and environmental enthusiasts all come together on this day to celebrate their love for for these valuable but threatened environments.

In the UK the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) are inviting nature-lovers to enjoy a free visit to their protected wetlands anytime from Friday 31st January – Friday 7th February. Claim your free ticket here: world-wetlands-day

Our nearest WWT centre is at Washington WWT, County Durham.

Other beautiful and nature filled local wetlands include RSPB Saltholme rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/saltholme and Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Ripon City Wetlands ripon-city-wetlands

Monday 3rd March World Wildlife Day

To raise awareness of endangered species and what we all can do, the UN is celebrating World Wildlife Day (WWD) on March 3, marking the day in 2013 the group signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. The WWD 2025 Theme is Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet. For more information and events see wildlifeday

Growth vs Post Growth – a way forward

Noting the WWD theme of finance and investment (see above) it is interesting that the current Chancellor has said that the need for growth is a higher priority than working towards net zero.

This approach is very troubling for many people who are concerned about climate change and biodiversity loss. An alternative approach advocated by Hans Stegeman, Chief Economist for Triodos Bank is the concept of ‘post growth’ who has written an article on this with suggestions of practical steps to take: post-growth-in-action-insights-from-triodos-banks-chief-economist

In the article Hans says “It can feel overwhelming to know where to start when it comes to taking action in our everyday lives, especially when the problem can seem so huge and out of our hands at times”

Below he outlines some steps you can start to take to advocate for a post-growth transition.

Check what your pension is funding
Reduce how much you’re consuming
Vote for people whose values align
Invest in your local community
Focus on what is possible today

In the Invest in Your Local Community section the article suggests: “Community can be a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and creating grassroots initiatives that support people and the planet. Supporting your local repair shop, youth group, community garden and more can be an empowering way of adopting a post-growth mindset into your everyday life.”

A great reminder of the benefit of the activities that CASaV is undertaking – read on!

“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

Tuesday 18th February 19.30 Pollution of the River Tees & impact on marine life talk followed by whole group meeting, Globe Community Library, Stokesley

The first of this year’s bi-monthly talks is titled “The Lower Tees and its Coast – The Risks that Industry, Dredging and Development Pose to Crabs and Seals”, followed by our whole group meeting on Tuesday 18th February at the Globe Community Library, Stokesley from 19.30 until 21.00.

Simon Gibbon, retired industrial research chemist and current environmental researcher will deliver the talk. Simon started looking at the Tees after the mass crab die-off in autumn 2021, as a retired industrial chemist he has had to learn about how the river works in all senses (industry/nature) in order to be able to start to understand the challenges which the environment and industry face. From an environmental viewpoint his talk will tell us about what goes on in the lower Tees and along its banks, talk about recent studies into the high seal mortality and explain why perhaps the official explanation of the crab die-off needs further investigation.The river Tees as an industrial / post-industrial river is not unique to the UK, Europe and even globally, so these parallels will be highlighted as well.

All are warmly invited to this fascinating and important environmental talk, staying for the general meeting afterwards is optional although all are very welcome to share thoughts on all things climate change and biodiversity loss with updates from the sub groups.

Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd February 10.00 – 13.00 Hedgerow planting at East Angrove Farm, Great Ayton

Hedgerows are vital features in our landscape and are more than an essential refuge and corridor for wildlife. Small but mighty, they also clean our air, capture carbon and reduce flooding. Three new long hedgerows of predominantly hawthorn and blackthorn are planned at East Angrove Farm, near Great Ayton and volunteers to help with planting are now being urgently sought.

If you can spare three hours on either (or both!) Saturday and Sunday 1st & 2nd February please email Hello@howardcourt.co.uk

It would be helpful if volunteers bring gardening gloves, a spade and water to drink – free hot drinks, cake and biscuits will be provided.

Saturday 8th February 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe & Show the Love goody bag giveaway, the Globe Community Library, Stokesley

Valentine’s month’s Repair Cafe celebrates LOVE!

Show the LOVE for your treasured household items in need of repair by bringing them to be fixed by our (Valentine’s) pink T-shirted volunteers.

Feel the LOVE for the climate and the earth’s natural resources by reducing waste going to landfill or incineration and reducing the need to manufacture new

We will share the LOVE with you by giving all visitors to the Repair Cafe a handmade fabric goody bag (upcycling fabric which would otherwise go to waste) filled with treats and ideas for more sustainable living.

Household items for repair can include: clothing & textiles, electrical appliances, wooden furniture, toys & bikes, laptops & mobile phones, blades needing sharpening.

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 (including vegan!) made with Fair Trade ingredients, kindly donated by Stokesley Co-op.

New repair and reception volunteers always welcome – come along, have a cuppa and a chat or email Simon Gibbon.

Tuesday 11th February 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party

The focus of this month’s working party will be pruning the apple and pear trees in the Yatton House orchard, weather permitting. Meet in the car park at Yatton House, Guisborough Road, Great Ayton at 1:30pm. It would be great to have as much help as possible. If you are not sure how to prune fruit trees, come and learn about the 3 Ds and an X and have a go!

The North York Moors Park is celebrating the 10th anniversary Dark Skies Festival between 14th February and 2nd March. The North York Moors National Park has been a Dark Skies International Reserve since 2020, one of only 21 across the planet. There are plenty of events happening and they can be found on the North York Moors website. Looking forward to some clear nights (it will be cold so wrap up well)

14th February – 2nd March Dark Skies Festival: North York Moors events, various locations

darkskiesnationalparks.org.uk/north-york-moors-events

Ideas & news from the groups

1. Nature Group

Nature Group meeting: Thursday 20th February 15.30, Globe Community Library, Stokesley Contact Bridget for information

The next Nature group meeting will be held face to face in the Globe Library on Thursday 20th February at 3.30pm. Come and join us to find out what we are doing locally for biodiversity and spreading the climate action message.

Planting Trees in January

Thank you to all those that braved the cold to help plant trees in Faceby. We got at least 130 native trees planted and the others are heeled in ready to be planted as time allows.

Heather burning: Community Earth Project

The Community Earth Project (CEP) based in the Esk Valley on the North York Moors is trying to collect data across the North York Moors for particulate matter (PM) levels during heather burning events. PMs are known carcinogens as are associated chemicals in smoke from burning organic matter. CEP is installing sensors which will contribute to the sensor.community database of global air quality measurement and hopefully will be used to increase awareness of the health issues caused by moor burning. You can see the local measurements here.

At January’s whole group meeting Mike Ford from CEP updated the group on the project’s progress. Data from sensors across the North York Moors is now being submitted which will be analysed. Mike noted that he is now talking with local MPs and raising awareness of the issue more widely.

CEP is still looking for people who would be prepared to ‘host’ a PM sensor to monitor this year’s burning season. For more information contact cep.nature.recovery@gmail.com

Ban driven grouse shooting petition

One of the reasons heather is being burned is to facilitate grouse shooting. Some environmental organisations have concerns about driven grouse shooting in which several dozen shooters wait in a line for the birds to be chased over their heads by a line of ‘beaters’ who walk through the moorland flushing out the birds in the direction of the shooters. A collaboration of concerned environmental groups have created a petition to ban driven grouse shooting because of these concerns:

– the scale of (legal) killing of Red Grouse – around 500,000 birds in an average year

– the scale of (legal) killing of Carrion Crows, Foxes, Stoats etc to ‘protect’ Red Grouse for a few weeks so that they can be shot in the shooting season

– the scale of illegal killing of birds of prey such as Golden and White-tailed Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and Hen Harriers and mammals such as Badgers and Hedgehogs

– the use of lead shot as the ammunition of choice which affects the environment and contaminates any Red Grouse which enter the human food chain

– damage to protected upland habitats through burning and drainage to attempt to engineer a heather monoculture for Red Grouse for shooting

NB This petition is not about banning individuals from shooting game.

If you feel strongly about this, consider signing the active petition started in January which has already reached nearly 50,000 signatures. If it reaches 100,000 the matter will be debated in parliament. Driven Grouse Shooting Ban Petition

2. Ideas from the groups: Food Group

Meetings bimonthly, next meeting March (date tbc) by zoom contact Wendy for a link to join

Growing Your own: February Tips of the Month

Be extra vigilant checking your stored home grown fruit and vegetables (onions, squash, roots, apples etc) this month. The short growing season last year means they may have been less mature when harvested so keep less well.

Finish winter pruning of fruit trees and plant new fruit trees, bushes, canes and vines if the soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen.

As long as the ground isn’t frozen, you can prepare seedbeds this month. If it’s a new plot, test your soil before the season starts. It’s also your last chance to winter prune fruit.

Chit early seed potato tubers as soon as you have them.

From mid-February onwards sow tomato, chilli, cucumber and aubergine seed for greenhouse growing.

Plant out garlic and shallots in light soils only; heavy soils need longer to warm up.

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.

Foodshare collects 40 – 60 kilos of food each day with a value of approx £250. This is £78,000 worth in a year!

Jenny is always keen to recruit more volunteers to support the foodshare so if you feel this is something with which you could help, please contact Jenny here Jenny Earle.

February 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.

Seasonal eating

How to eat seasonally

Fruit and vegetables in season in February include

UK-grown Apples, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Celeriac, Chicory, Jerusalem Artichokes, Kale, Leeks, Mushrooms, Onions, Parsnips, Pears, Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Salsify, Savoy Cabbage, Spring Greens, Spring Onions, Squash, Swedes, and White Cabbage.

Go Bananas!

Although we aim to eat locally and seasonally, the UK isn’t well suited for growing bananas but we’d hate to go without this tasty treat. Jenny from the Food Group notes that she has just received some wonderful organic bananas from crowdfarming

This company distributes organic produce, which is as local as possible and fairly traded.

Do you know the ethical and environmental record of your bananas? Ethical consumer has done the hard work for us so you can easily find out.

ethicalconsumer.org/food-drink/shopping-guide/bananas

3. Ideas from the groups: Waste

This month’s Waste Group (including Repair Cafe) Meeting Tuesday 11th February 7.00pm by zoom – contact Simon Gibbon for a link

A Small Step Forward in Reducing Waste

After a long wait (first proposed in 2018 with a start date of 2021) finally the deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers will start on 1st October 2027. The law has now been passed with England, Scotland and Northern Ireland working in unison but Wales will make their own plan.

After many delays, in December 2024 the government advertised for an organisation to run the scheme – the Deposit Managements Organisation (DMO) – and this will be appointed in April 2025. So it is now only a matter of getting the details right – what’s in and what’s out (bottles, cans, glass, etc), who does what (retailers, drinks producers, suppliers), how the scheme is measured and enforced.

So after 7 years of waiting, only two and a half to go!

Meanwhile…..a Plastic Free Community for Stokesley & Villages?

At our November meeting Edith Reeve told us all about the Plastic Free Communities (PFC) network, created by Surfers Against Sewage to tackle plastic pollution at source – from beaches and green spaces right back to the brands and businesses that create it – read about it here.

Would you be interested in helping to set up a Plastic Free Community in Stokesley & Villages (Great Ayton, Hutton Rudby, Great Broughton & Kirby, Seamer, Swainby, Osmotherley, Picton, Rountons) to support individuals, businesses, schools and organisations work towards reducing single use plastics? If so contact Kate

Refurbished tech helps the planet

Backmarket is a buy and sell used (aka preloved!) platform with a difference – it specialises in refurbished electronic goods and their tagline is “We believe in a world that does more with what we already have.” As well as being able to pick a ‘new to you’ laptop they also provide lots of useful tips on how to make your gadgets last longer e.g. how to charge your phone to extend the life of your battery.

https://www.backmarket.co.uk/

Waste group events in January: Repair Cafe

January’s Repair Cafe at the Swainby Village Hall was well attended with nearly 50 items in need of repair dealt with by our ever ready pink T-shirted volunteer repairing heroes and the majority were fixed to the delight and gratitude of their owners who were warmed up with cosy beverages and tasty treats.

4. Ideas from the groups: Environment & Climate Osmotherley (ECO) Group

Wednesday 5th February 19.30 ECO (Environment Climate Osmotherley) Meeting, Osmotherley Methodist Chapel

All welcome to our monthly meeting to plan and discuss events and activities, meet at Osmotherley Methodist Chapel.

Signing off

If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (March’s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Monday February 25th

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 River Tees pollution and marine die-off talk & whole group CASaV meeting on Tuesday 18th February 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

CASaV Update – February 2025