Climate Action Stokesley and Villages
Think Global Act Local
Tuesday 16th December 7:30 – 9:00pm, The Globe Community Library, North Road, Stokesley.
All are welcome to a pooled festive buffet with mulled wine. No formal meeting, just a chance to reflect on and celebrate our year of eco action and look ahead to the next.
Bring along something sweet or savoury to share, mulled drinks will be provided.
Supporting local action for a sustainable, greener and more resilient Stokesley & surrounding villages.
December brings a flurry of festive events and convivial gatherings for you with nature and sustainability in mind – eco / upcycled crafting, Christmas jumper swaps, sustainably seasonal market stall, our eco tree on display, monthly Repair Cafe and our whole group festive gathering plus we look ahead to a revitalising nature walk on New Year’s Day. We wish you all a joyous time!
Diary 1: CASaV / local (details below in newsletter)
Monday 1/12 – 22/12 Xmas Xchange at Stokesley Community Library & Discovery Centre, Great Ayton
Tuesday 2/12 15.30 – 17.00 Eco / upcycled Christmas crafting workshop, Stokesley Community Library
Wednesday 3/12 (last day to comment) York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority Retrofit Strategy consultation
Friday 5/12 8.30 – 13.00 Sustainable Christmas & Eco living stall at Stokesley market
Saturday 6/12 12.00 – 14.00 Opening of the Stokesley Christmas Tree Festival featuring the CASaV ‘Nature & Sustainability’ tree, Stokesley Parish Church
Monday 8/12 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall
Tuesday 9/12 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party
Tuesday 9/12 19.00 – 20.30 Waste & circularity group meeting by zoom
Saturday 13/12 10.00 – 12.00 Christmas Repair Cafe with festive refreshments, Stokesley Community Library
Thursday 18/12 15.00 Nature group meeting with mince pies & sherry, face to face at Stokesley Community Library
Thursday 1/1 10.30 – 12.30 New Year’s day nature walk & bloom hunt, Cod Beck main car park
Thursday 14/1 19.00 Himalayan balsam Group meeting, Stokesley Town Hall
Tuesday 20/1 19.30 Talk on Flood Resilience by Frayer Fletcher from the Environment Agency & short monthly CASaV meeting, Stokesley Community Library
Saturday 24/1 14.00 – 16.00 Stokesley Clothes Swap, Stokesley School
Friday 5/12 World Soil Day world-soil-day
Saturday 6 – Sunday 7/12 Yorkshire Robin Festival robin-festival
CASaV is part of the Friends of the Earth local action network so we aim to share important updates and campaign information.
Local environmental data: “Friends of the Earth have built a new tool that gives you extensive details on environmental issues – including flood risk, air pollution and sewage leaks – for every constituency, local and mayoral authority in England. As well as highlighting risks, it tracks how environmental matters show up in our daily lives – from access to green space and transport use to public attitudes on renewable energy. local-data-tool
Government Climate Plan published: The government has just produced a new climate plan which it was legally obliged to do following the High Court ruling that the previous climate plan, produced under the previous government, was not fit for purpose. Friends of the Earth and others successfully took the previous government’s climate plans to Court because they just weren’t good enough and didn’t meet the requirements of the UK’s Climate Change Act. This new climate plan – officially called the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan – is stronger on carbon reduction delivery and stronger on making life much better for people with lower bills, cleaner air, warmer homes, etc. But the new climate plan is far from risk free, particularly with overly optimistic expectations for new technology. And even though it is fairer than previous plans, it still falls short of what it could do to address deep inequalities in the UK. And for the UK to do its fair share globally it should be aiming at deeper emissions cuts.”
All are welcome to a pooled festive buffet with mulled wine. No formal meeting, just a chance to reflect on and celebrate our year of eco action and look ahead to the next.
Bring along something sweet or savoury to share, mulled drinks will be provided.
York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority wants your views on its draft Retrofit Strategy, which is about reducing
fuel bills and making homes more comfortable through energy-efficient technology.
You can find out more about the strategy and have your say on the combined authority website (the consultation closes at 11.59pm on 3 December). retrofit-strategy/
Research shows that we spend around £220 million on Christmas jumpers each year in the UK and at least a quarter of those are only worn once and will end up in landfill. This year aim to avoid this unnecessary waste, wear what you already own or bring last year’s jumper & accessories to our collection points at Stokesley & Great Ayton Community Libraries November’s Repair Cafe where you may pick up something new to you all for free or a donation to your local library would be welcome. On Thursday 11th December it is Save The Children’s Christmas Jumper Day so why not pick up a new to you jumper and donate the cost of the one you might have bought to this important cause. Any jumpers remaining just before Christmas will be donated to charities supporting vulnerable local people.
Love decorating your home for Christmas but hate the waste and the cost? Want to learn new crafting skills to make memorable sustainable decorations for years to come? Come along to our crafting workshop where all materials and tuition are provided for FREE (donations to the library welcome). Suitable for all ages and skill levels (under 12s must be accompanied by an adult). We will be creating with resources that might otherwise have gone to waste like old library books and natural items like pine cones, transforming them into unique Christmas decorations and ornaments like stars, angels, jolly gnomes and light catchers.
Friday 5/12 8.30 – 13.00 Sustainable Christmas & Eco living stall at Stokesley market
It’s time again for our Seasonally Sustainable Stall! Come along to pick up your early Christmas gift of a FREE upcycled draught excluder to keep you cosy and save energy costs, be inspired by our waste free wrapping and home decorations (make one to take home!), chat to our festive recycling expert on how to reduce waste, leaflets available on seasonal cooking & cutting energy bills and talk to us on how we can all take steps to live more sustainably and protect nature this Christmas and the coming year.
The Stokesley Christmas Tree Festival will open on Saturday 6th December and continue through December,
celebrating dozens of community organisations. This year, as well as our upcycled sustainable decorations, the CASaV tree is focused on nature and fighting biodiversity loss. Bridget’s heirloom artificial tree is going beautifully strong and having been reused for decades is now much more sustainable than a real tree. Come to view all the creations but most importantly – VOTE FOR OUR TREE!!
All are warmly welcome to join the Mending Circle which meets every second Monday early evening. Learn sewing / mending super powers from scratch or get help and inspiration with your current sewing project. Mending clothes has a significant positive climate impact by reducing waste and conserving resources, as extending a garment’s life by just nine months can lower its carbon, water, and waste footprints by 20–30%.
The main task will be tidying up the main beds but making sure to leave some places for insects to hibernate in over the winter. Just turn up and join in on the day and enjoy time in a beautiful garden.
Our festive & friendly pink T-shirted volunteers will be here again to fix your household items in time for Christmas! Bring in your electrical appliances (fairy lights, electric blankets?), toys & bikes, blades in need of sharpening (scissors for wrapping duties & carving knives for your Christmas roast?), clothing & textiles (party outfits?), wooden furniture, laptops & mobile phones. Running monthly now for nearly four years, well over 2000 household items have been saved from going to waste by our Repair Cafe – saving our local community the cost of buying new, allowing them to carry on using their cherished items for longer as well as reducing carbon emissions from manufacture & landfill waste or incineration.
Everything is free including this month festive sweet treats and mulled beverages as well as Fair Trade tea and coffee. A great opportunity to meet with friendly, like minded people and learn new repair skills.
November’s Repair Cafe at Swainby was super successful with over 50 people bringing over 70 items to mend, 25 volunteers assisting & refreshing our visitors and fixing their items.
New repair and reception volunteers are always welcome – come along, have a cuppa and a chat or email simongibbon. If you are not sure come and bring an item to be repaired to get a feel for the Repair Cafe.
All are invited to a revitalising nature walk on New Year’s Day to learn about local wild flowers with an opportunity to contribute to a regional biodiversity database by recording any plants in bloom. You will be invited to take photos & identify their location (grid references will provided during the walk) and then upload data to add to NEYDC records (North & East Yorkshire Data Centre). Just turn up on the day wearing suitable clothing for the weather and location.
This subgroup focuses on reducing waste through circularity: rethinking & reducing consumption; and repairing, repurposing and recycling materials that might otherwise go to landfill or incineration.
Please join us at this month’s zoom meeting on Tuesday 9/12 19.00-21.00: contact email Simon Gibbon for a zoom link
Our knitting and crochet collective have been busy over the last few months using up yarn which would otherwise have gone to waste to make blanket squares for local vulnerable people who are without secure accommodation. They completed four beautiful & cosy blankets and delivered these to the Redcar Palace collecting point where they were treated to a personal tour of the arts centre by the head curator.
Our next project is creating special ambulance packs of premature baby clothing with repurposed baby wool.
Medication blister packs – collection boxes now at Stokesley Community Library & the Discovery Centre, Great Ayton collected for recycling at Boots
Plastic milk bottle tops – Rea Funeral services, Stokelsey, raises funds for cancer research
Spectacles – Cooper & Barr, Stokesley collects unwanted spectacles to repurpose for good causes
Bras – donate usuable condition bras to raise funds for breast cancer research, collection boxes at Hutton Rudby GP Surgery as well as Mowbray House Surgery, Northallerton
Used postage stamps, used but clean aluminium foil, children’s wellies, good condition underwear – all being collected locally for good causes contact Louise
Small electrical appliances – the Mind charity shop, Stokesley collects these for sale after safety testing
This subgroup focuses on discovering more about and supporting biodiversity and our living environment. Face to face festive meeting with mince pies and sherry Thursday 18th December 15.00 at the Globe Library, Stokesley. Contact Bridget Holmstrom for more information.
Following the interesting talk on invasive species at November’s whole group meeting, a group has been formed of those interested in managing Himalayan Balsam which has been reducing local biodiversity. The group’s first meeting will make plans for the year ahead including identifying areas along the river Leven and elsewhere where volunteers can use a range of strategies for reducing the impact of this invasive species. If you would like more information or to join the group please email Bridget.
This subgroup focuses on food & its impact on climate change – from growing your own and eating seasonally to reducing food going to waste. Meetings held bimonthly, next meeting online January, date tbc contact Wendy Smith for a link to join
Many people say they want to gift more sustainably this year and homemade edible gifts could be the answer.
Recipes for sweets, truffles, biscuits, jams and chutneys, to homemade booze and cooking kits here: edible-gift-recipes
Other ideas for sustainable giving here: https://hubbub.org.uk/actions-and-tips
Foodshare – nightly food redistribution
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 to those in need. This is fresh food such as fruit, veg and bread, NOT tins and dried food that are needed by Food Banks. Our group collects 40-60 kilos of food every day with a value of approx £250, worth £78,000 every year.
What can I do now? 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.
This subgroup focuses on low carbon travel solutions
Suggest locations for electric vehicle charging points
Do you know a good spot for an on-street electric vehicle charger? If so, North Yorkshire Council wants to hear from you. You can submit your suggestion through their request tool (below) and they’ll consider it when planning future installations.
Barry Warrington is following up with the council to see when we should expect the planned EV chargers in Stokesley and Great Ayton to be in operation that were stalled due to the installation company going bust but if you know know of other suitable places please use the council’s request tool: roads-parking-and-travel/electric-vehicle-charging
Environment Climate Osmotherley (ECO) meets regularly and holds events which raise awareness and address local environmental issues such as becoming a Dark Skies Village and increasing local biodiversity.
Contact Becci Wright for more information
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (January’s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Sunday 28th December
Kate Gibbon,
on behalf of the Climate Action Stokesley and Villages Steering Group Steering group:
Bridget Holmstrom, Caryn Loftus, Ron Kirk, Barry Warrington, Helen Almond, Simon Gibbon
Supporting local action for a sustainable, greener and more resilient Stokesley & surrounding villages.
This month world leaders are meeting for the United Nations Climate Action Conference COP30 to focus on the need to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C with the presentation of new national action plans and you can catch up on these and more news as it happens at our COP30 information display at our monthly Repair Cafe. The clocks have gone back bringing earlier twilight – time to observe the beauty of starling murmurations like the one pictured below at Ripon Wetlands Nature Reserve and elsewhere, info in our Nature Group section. Treat yourself to evenings out stimulating your mind at our two local environmental talks and we also look sustainably forward to the festive season with our eco upcycled decorations workshops and our Christmas jumper switch collection at this month’s Repair Cafe
Diary 1: Local / CASaV (details below in newsletter)
Monday 10/11 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall
Tuesday 11/11 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party
Tuesday 11/11 19.00 – 20.30 Waste & Circularity Group Meeting by zoom
Friday 14/11 15.30 & 17.00 Upcycled / Eco Xmas Decorations Workshops Great Ayton Discovery Centre
Saturday 15/11 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe & Climate Coalition Day Info Display, Swainby Village Hall
Wednesday 19/11 19.30 – 20.30 ‘Lower River Tees Pollution: impact on seals & crabs’ – talk with Ayton Wildlife Association, Friends Meeting House, Great Ayton
Thursday 20/11 15.00 Nature Group Meeting face to face, Stokesley Community Library
Thursday 20/11 19.00 Food Group Meeting by zoom
Friday 5/12 9.00 Sustainable Christmas & Eco Living Info Stall, Stokesley marketplace
Saturday 1 – to Sunday 30/11 World Vegan Month world-vegan-month
Saturday 1 – Sunday 30/11 Buy Nothing New Month buy-nothing-new-month
Monday 10th – Friday 21st November United Nations Climate Change Conference COP30 climatechange/cop30
Saturday 22 – Sunday 30/11 National Tree Week national-tree-week
Friday 28/11 Buy Nothing Day buynothingday
Newsletter
This month all are welcome to our environmental action talk by Chloe Lawrence, Tees River Trust, on how non native plant species have colonised the banks of our local river, the Leven, severely impacting on native plants and affecting biodiversity. She will also explain what actions are being taken to manage this and how everyone can help. We will then spend a short time on updates of activities.
Steering Group updates: We thank Joanna Whitwell for her input to the steering group but she has decided she would prefer to help CASaV in other ways so has stepped down. We welcome Helen Almond to the steering group to represent Environment Climate Osmotherley (ECO) who are now formally a sub-group of CASaV. The group meets regularly and holds events which raise awareness and address local environmental issues such as becoming a Dark Skies Village and increasing local biodiversity.
COP30 is taking place in Belém, Brazil, appropriately within the Amazon. Calling COP30 “the implementation COP” identifies that we know what has to be done and have tools to address the climate emergency.
The geopolitical machinery has been created by the COPs since the first in Berlin in 1995. COP3 in 1997 created the Kyoto Protocol which bound developed nations to emission-reduction targets. COP21 delivered the Paris Agreement, with all nations agreeing a common goal of holding global warming “well below 2°C”. Even COP28 held in Dubai, a fossil fuel state, concluded the first-ever “Global Stocktake” and for the first time, called for “transitioning away from fossil fuels.”
Each successive COP was underpinned by growing scientific certainty about what happens as greenhouse gases increase in the atmosphere. One of the biggest changes since COP1 has been in public understanding and perception of climate change, meaning that politicians across the world have been forced to act as over 60% of their populations consider climate change to be a top priority, continuing pressure on politicians should now drive implementation. While COPs have been going on, technology has advanced from renewable energy and battery technology which are now the cheapest forms of energy, to new approaches in agriculture which offer the opportunity to feed the world and still leave space for nature. Every month we see the effects of climate change from catastrophic flooding in Valencia, to the devastating hurricanes in the Caribbean. Local effects may be less extreme but they are extensive with both increasing flooding and wildfires, and seeing biodiversity change as white egrets on our rivers are now common as swallows are now more rare.
So it is essential we don’t miss opportunity that COP30 offers to accelerate implementation through the clear agenda which stresses ambition, finance and adaptation: ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) which must be plans not just pledges; New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) a climate finance target of $1.3 tillion annually to help developing nations; Global Goal on Adaptation to ensure the world’s most vulnerable communities get the resources to survive the impacts we can longer prevent. The UK is seriously stepping up to the challenge of COP30, with our Prime Minister going to attend and the government having just published its climate and green energy plan (the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan).
Hopefully you can now see the importance of COP30, but even if you are not convinced that the world will step up to the opportunity which COP30 offers to ensure a better future for humanity, everything you have done and will do to reduce your impact on the environment and nature, will make the world better for future generations.
Running monthly now for more than three years, well over 2000 household items have been saved from going to waste by our Repair Cafe – saving our local community the cost of buying new, allowing them to carry on using their cherished items for longer as well as reducing carbon emissions from manufacture & landfill waste or incineration.
Our incredible pink T-shirted volunteers will endeavour to fix your items – including electrical appliances, wooden furniture, toys & bikes, clothing & textiles, laptops & mobile phones. Plus we have blade sharpening so bring along your garden and home tool blades to give them a new edge!
Everything is free including refreshments of Fair Trade tea, coffee or juice as well as cakes and biscuits and a great opportunity to chat with friendly, like minded people and learn new repair skills.
There will also be a display with information about UN Cop30 as part of the global day of climate action and how you can use your voice to influence the future.
October’s Repair Cafe at Stokesley was a bumper session with over 50 people bringing nearly 100 items to mend, 25 volunteers assisting & refreshing our visitors and fixing their items.
What can I do now?
Come along with your item in need of repair and sit with our skilled repairers as they share their fixing knowledge with you. New repair and reception volunteers always welcome – come along, have a cuppa and a chat or email Simon Gibbon. If you are not sure come and bring an item to be repaired to get a feel for the Repair Cafe.
This month’s working party will be working in the perennial vegetable area. The garden is being much appreciated by visitors, both young and old, throughout the year. They particularly like being able to taste some fruit or even take some away to eat later.
What can I do now? Just turn up and join in on the day and enjoy time in a beautiful garden.
CASaV is partnering with Great Ayton Discovery Centre to bring you two hands on eco / upcycling crafting sessions, making festive decorations from resources that might otherwise go to waste.
Everyone welcome, including children with an after school session and a later session at 17.00.
Save money, learn craft skills, protect the planet and make your home more beautiful this festive season!
What can I do now?
Book at place at the Discovery Centre or just turn up on the day.
On Thursday 19th November at 7.30pm, Simon Gibbon a member of the North East Marine Research Group and CASaV will present his talk “The Lower Tees and its Coast – The Risks that Industry, Dredging and Development Pose to Crabs and Seals” to the Great Ayton Wildlife Association at the Friends Meeting House in Great Ayton. Simon became aware of the risk that the marine environment faced in the Tees when he was asked to help the North East Fishing Collective understand why all the crabs died around the Tees estuary and the local coast in late September 2021. The talk will explain the nature of the River Tees and the chemical legacy that over 150years of heavy industry has left in the river. The talk will explore how this chemical legacy presents challenges to the marine ecosystem, focusing on the benthic flora and fauna, while highlighting their influence on both crabs and local harbour seals.
This subgroup focuses on reducing waste through circularity: rethinking & reducing consumption; and repairing, repurposing and recycling materials that might otherwise go to landfill or incineration.
Please join us at this month’s zoom meeting on Tuesday 11/11 19.00-21.00: contact email Simon Gibbon for a zoom link
Creative and caring CASaV knitters and crochetters have been busy over the last few months using up yarn which would otherwise have gone to waste to make blanket squares for local vulnerable people who are experiencing homelessness. These will be taken to the collection point at the Redcar Palace Community Arts Centre for distribution before the last day for collection Sunday 9th November. If you have spare time and spare yarn join us to knit (or crochet) as many colourful squares (20cm square) as you can and add them to the collection.
More info here: blankets-for-the-world/ and redcarpalace
As part of Buy Nothing New month and following our successful Halloween Switch event last month we will be collecting your unwanted Christmas jumpers (all ages / sizes) for free distribution via our festive clothing drawers at Stokesley & Great Ayton Community Libraries. Research shows that we spend around £220 million on Christmas jumpers each year in the UK and at least a quarter of those are only worn once and will end up in landfill. This year aim to avoid this unnecessary waste and wear what you already own or bring last year’s jumper to our collection point at November’s Repair Cafe after which they will be available to take away at our local libraries all for free or a donation to your local library would be welcome.
Any jumpers remaining just before Christmas will be donated to charities supporting the homeless locally.
Winter coats & clothing – Stokesley Rotary is linking up with Wrap Up UK who are collecting serviceable warm winter coats to distribute to homeless shelters, refugee centres, women’s refuges, children’s centres & other charities locally and have collecting points at Stokesley Methodist Church, Stokesley Sports Club & Stokesley Town Hall
Medication blister packs – collection boxes now at Stokesley Community Library & the Discovery Centre, Great Ayton collected for recycling at Boots
Plastic milk bottle tops – Rea Funeral services, Stokelsey, raises funds for cancer research
Spectacles – Cooper & Barr, Stokesley collects unwanted spectacles to repurpose for good causes
Bras – donate usuable condition bras to raise funds for breast cancer research, collection boxes at Hutton Rudby GP Surgery as well as Mowbray House Surgery, Northallerton
Used postage stamps, used but clean aluminium foil, children’s wellies, good condition underwear – all being collected locally for good causes contact Louise
Small electrical appliances – the Mind charity shop, Stokesley collects these for sale after safety testing
This subgroup focuses on discovering more about and supporting biodiversity and our living environment. Face to face meeting Thursday 20th November 15.00 at the Globe Library, Stokesley. Contact Bridget Holmstrom for more information.
Hedgehogs
Bonfire Night is coming up. If you are having one please remember to check your bonfires for hibernating hedgehogs. keep-hedgehogs-in-mind-this-bonfire-night/
Starlings
Starling murmurations are starting to happen. These very dramatic events are well worth seeing. RSPB Saltholme is the nearest location that you can see them but it is also worth checking starlingsintheuk to see where murmurations are occuring. Though these murmurations can comprise many thousands of Starlings, the species is on the red list in the UK.
Here is some advice from the RSPB on what we can do to help support these birds
Starlings are regular garden visitors though, so there are ways you can help your local birds:
Keep a natural grass lawn so Starlings can forage for invertebrates in the soil. Starlings need short grass to keep watch for predators whilst feeding, so mow the lawn now and again.
Put up a nest box in a suitable position, following the RSPB’s easy guidance. Be sure to choose a box with a 45mm entrance hole as this is the ideal size for these birds.
Provide fresh clean water in a shallow dish throughout the year as natural water sources can be harder to find during hot weather and harsh freezes.
Fungi
November is an important time of year for seeing fungus. Local woods are fantastic places to go and see the huge variety of colours, shapes and sizes. Don’t forget to look up into trees. This is the jelly ear, often seen on Elder trees.
Although fungi are beautiful and fascinating, many are poisonous so be safe by observing & taking photos but don’t touch them. Find out more info here poisonous-mushrooms
This subgroup focuses on food & its impact on climate change – from growing your own and eating seasonally to reducing food going to waste. Meetings held bimonthly, next meeting online Thursday 20th November 19.00 contact Wendy Smith for a link to join
To celebrate World Vegan Month make more of beans in your diet which are healthy, nutritious and affordable, more info here campaign-launched-double-bean-consumption
Some fantastic bean recipes here: beanspo-recipes
Recipe of the month: Red pepper & Carlin Pea Winter Stew
Carlin peas are a traditional British legume with a nutty, earthy flavour. They are now being grown in the UK again and can be found dried or canned, serving as a lower carbon alternative to e.g. chickpeas. carlin-pea-stew
Plant based diets are not only better for you but also the planet. The Lancet has recently published this article
lancet-commission-warns-food-systems-breach-planetary-limits/
further summarised here:
digest-eat-lancet-1-the-headlines/
and condensed onto a film here
What are the benefits of growing your own? As well as health & economic benefits, the environmental benefits are: you can avoid pesticides and herbicides, which pollute the air and water, you can practice water conservation, you reduce food miles, you help pollinators by providing food for them.
What can I do now? November is time to plant garlic. Be aware that while ordinary eating garlic from the shop will grow, it may well have been treated to discourage this so source your garlic bulbs carefully.
Early November you can also plant onions, spinach, kale, and broad beans for overwintering and prepare the soil by adding organic matter. You can also start preparing for next year by sowing green manures and planning for spring crops.
Foodshare – nightly food redistribution
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 to those in need. This is fresh food such as fruit, veg and bread, NOT tins and dried food that are needed by Food Banks. Our group collects 40-60 kilos of food every day with a value of approx £250, worth £78,000 every year.
What can I do now? 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.
Environment Climate Osmotherley (ECO) meets regularly and holds events which raise awareness and address local environmental issues such as becoming a Dark Skies Village and increasing local biodiversity.
Contact Becci Wright for more information
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (December’s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Friday 28/11
Kate Gibbon,
on behalf of the Climate Action Stokesley and Villages Steering Group Steering group:
Bridget Holmstrom, Caryn Loftus, Ron Kirk, Barry Warrington, Helen Almond, Simon Gibbon
This month all are welcome to our environmental action talk by Chloe Lawrence, Tees River Trust, on how non native species have colonised our local river, the Leven, severely affecting biodiversity.
She will also explain what actions are being taken to manage this and how everyone can help. We will then spend a short time on updates of activities.
Our October monthly meeting will be on Tuesday 21st October in The Globe Community Library, North Road, Stokesley from 7:30 – 9:00pm. We will discuss different ways other organisations are engaging with their local communities so that we can share across Stokesley and Villages area the work we undertake linked to our wider aim, find out who else is taking action in our area and encourage others to take action on existing or new activities.
All welcome.
Supporting local action for a sustainable, greener and more resilient Stokesley & surrounding villages.
There’s a chill in the air this month so keep warm with a free draught excluder from the Repair Cafe, work up a sweat at the Yatton House Community garden working party, wrap up warm and venture out at night to a dark Skies Fringe Festival event or try a slice of spicy apple cake, the October recipe of the month.
Diary 1: Local / CASaV (details below in newsletter)
At our AGM we amended the aim of CASaV to “The aim of CASaV is to help the communities in Stokesley and the surrounding villages to take action on the interlinked crises of climate, food security, biodiversity, pollution and inequality by supporting and developing local initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, adapt to the changing climate, increase biodiversity and reduce pollution in an equitable way.”
The evaluation report we had undertaken on our first 5 years reinforced the need we were aware of to reach a wider audience. Therefore during our October monthly meeting we will discuss different ways other organisations are engaging with their local communities so that we can share across Stokesley and Villages area the work we undertake linked to our wider aim, find out who else is taking action in our area and encourage others to take action on existing or new activities. The steering group are currently thinking of a leaflet to send to all households in the area followed by an event to help develop a vision for 2030 for our area. Barry Warrington is going to lead a sub-group to help take this forward. If you are interested but can’t make the meeting please get in touch with Barry
At our November meeting (18th November) Chloe Lawrence from the Tees Rivers Trust will come and talk about their work on invasive species and how people can get involved.
Membership – If you would like to be a formal member of CASaV, the annual membership is now £10 for 2025-26. As a member you now won’t need to remember to bring a contribution to cover the costs of room hire for meetings and can vote at general meetings. To renew or join for the first time please complete membership form and make a bank transfer using the details given in the form.
All slots are now fully booked but if you would like to join a waiting list in case we get any cancellations please contact Caryn Loftus tel. 0777 3048250 or email
NB We no longer able to loan out our equipment for use elsewhere.
To date over 2000 household items have been saved from going to waste by our Repair Cafe – saving our local community the cost of buying new, allowing them to carry on using their cherished items for longer as well as reducing carbon emissions from manufacture & landfill waste or incineration.
This month you can also make your own bespoke draught excluder (or choose a ready made one!) to keep your house warm, cut your energy bills and also save scrap fabric going to waste! Circularity in action!
Our incredible pink T-shirted volunteers will endeavour to fix your items – including electrical appliances, wooden furniture, toys & bikes, clothing & textiles, laptops & mobile phones. Plus we have blade sharpening so bring along your garden and home tool blades to give them a new edge!
On average, we manage to fix 75% of items, give advice on possible repair steps for 10% and how best to recycle the 10% that are sadly beyond repair (statistics). But 100% of attendees are offered free refreshments of Fair Trade tea, coffee or juice as well as cakes and biscuits and a great opportunity to chat with friendly, like minded people and learn new repair skills.
September’s Repair Cafe at Swainby was well attended with over 50 items saved from landfill, thanks to all who came!
Windows 10 automatic free security updates stop on 14th October, so find out what you need to do before then, come along to the Repair Cafe and get advice on what you can do to keep on safely using your computer by updating to Windows 11, or if your computer isn’t upgradable we can show you the options that won’t involve you having to buy a new computer. Read more about Windows 10 options here too – https://casav.uk/windows10.
What can I do now?
Come along with your item in need of repair and sit with our skilled repairers as they share their fixing knowledge with you. New repair and reception volunteers always welcome – come along, have a cuppa and a chat or email Simon Gibbon. If you are not sure come and bring an item to be repaired to get a feel for the Repair Cafe.
The Stokesley Mending Circle continues, a monthly textile mending group where the purpose is to reduce textile waste, encourage sustainable consumption, and celebrate the art of mending through free face to face hand mending support where you can learn and share sewing and darning skills including how to mend holes, sew up seams and hems, alter and adapt your existing clothing, sew on buttons and patches.All materials will be provided or you can bring an item you are working on. Session is free but donations to cover costs welcome. More info email mending@casav.uk
The Mending Circle co-ordinators, Jo & Jane, also organised the first Stokesley Clothes Swap on 27th September which attracted 60 customers who swapped 255 items of clothing, promoting textile circularity, reducing waste and gathered lots of compliments. Jo & Jane are hoping to organise another event soon, details in subsequent newsletters and their social media.
The garden is being much appreciated by visitors, both young and old, this summer. They particularly like being able to taste some fruit or even take some away to eat later.
What can I do now?
This month’s working party will be Tuesday 14th October from 1:30-3:00pm. The main task will be preparing the perennial vegetable area ready for some new planting at the October working party. Just turn up and join in on the day and enjoy time in a beautiful garden.
This subgroup focuses on reducing waste through circularity: rethinking & reducing consumption; and repairing, repurposing and recycling materials that might otherwise go to landfill or incineration.
Please join us at this month’s zoom meeting on Tuesday 7/10 19.00-21.00: contact email Simon Gibbon for a zoom link
Winter coats & clothing – Stokesley Rotary is linking up with Wrap Up UK who are collecting serviceable warm winter coats to distribute to homeless shelters, refugee centres, women’s refuges, children’s centres & other charities locally and have collecting points at Stokesley Methodist Church, Stokesley Sports Club & Stokesley Town Hall
Medication blister packs – collection boxes now at Stokesley Community Library & the Discovery Centre, Great Ayton collected for recycling at Boots
Plastic milk bottle tops – Rea Funeral services, Stokelsey, raises funds for cancer research
Spectacles – Cooper & Barr, Stokesley collects unwanted spectacles to repurpose for good causes
Bras – donate usuable condition bras to raise funds for breast cancer research, collection box at Mowbray House Surgery, Northallerton
Used postage stamps, used but clean aluminium foil, children’s wellies, good condition underwear – all being collected locally for good causes contact Louise
Small electrical appliances – the Mind charity shop, Stokesley collects these for sale after safety testing
This subgroup focuses on discovering more about and supporting biodiversity and our living environment. Face to face meeting 16th October 15.00 at the Globe Library, Stokesley. Contact Bridget Holmstrom for more information.
Enjoy time in nature this October!
The more we connect with nature, the more motivated we are to protect it. Lots of ideas for getting up close to nature on the North York Moors National Park here: northyorkmoorsoctober
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust website is also a great place to find ideas of ways to connect with nature. You can find the nearest reserves including those of Tees Valley Wildlife and Durham Wildlife Trusts. A great resource https://www.ywt.org.uk/ Look out for fungus forays throughout this month across Yorkshire and Teesside.
This subgroup focuses on food & its impact on climate change – from growing your own and eating seasonally to reducing food going to waste. Meetings held bimonthly, next meeting online in November, date tbc contact Wendy Smith for a link to join
What are the benefits of growing your own? As well as health & economic benefits, the environmental benefits are: you can avoid pesticides and herbicides, which pollute the air and water, you can practice water conservation, you reduce food miles, you help pollinators by providing food for them.
What can I do now? In October, focus on planting cool-season vegetables like garlic, onions, spinach, kale, and broad beans for overwintering or quick harvests, and prepare the soil by adding organic matter. Protect newly planted crops from frost with cloches or fleece and harvest winter crops like pumpkins. You can also start preparing for next year by sowing green manures and planning for spring crops.
Foodshare – nightly food redistribution
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 to those in need. This is fresh food such as fruit, veg and bread, NOT tins and dried food that are needed by Food Banks. Our group collects 40-60 kilos of food every day with a value of approx £250, worth £78,000 every year.
What can I do now? 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.
Use up some of those windfalls in this tasty vegan cake: vegan-apple-cake
Environment Climate Osmotherley (ECO) meets regularly and holds events which raise awareness and address local environmental issues such as becoming a Dark Skies Village and increasing local biodiversity.
Contact Becci Wright for more information
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (November’s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Monday 27/10
Kate Gibbon,
on behalf of the Climate Action Stokesley and Villages Steering Group Steering group:
Bridget Holmstrom, Caryn Loftus, Ron Kirk, Barry Warrington, Simon Gibbon
Come and see Climate Action Stokesley and Village’s recycling displays this week in the Globe Library in Stokesley and Discovery Centre Library in Great Ayton.
You can find links and information from the displays below.
We need to conserve the earth’s limited natural resources, decrease pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, save energy and money, and minimise waste sent to landfills & energy from waste plants.
Powerful ways we can all do this are by reducing, reusing & recycling to protect the planet by lessening our impact on the environment, addressing climate change, and ensuring precious resources are available for future generations.
You can now recycle more plastic in your kerbside collection including empty toothpaste tubes as well as trigger cleaning fluid bottles and yoghurt pots in addition to the more usual plastic drinks bottles etc.
You can pick up a leaflet at our displays which tells you what is recycled or find all the information about Bins and Waste on the North Yorkshire Council website – https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/bins-recycling-and-waste.
Soft plastics – plastic films – most supermarkets now have collection points – make sure it pings back, then rinse it out and recycle it.
Blister Packs – Boots and Superdrug (stores with pharmacies).
Milk bottle tops – The Yorkshire Charity Bottle Top Collection is an independent scheme that collects and recycles plastic milk bottle tops to raise funds for life-saving charities, primarily supporting Yorkshire Cancer Research. Locally Rea Funeral Service, Stokesley is a collecting point for your clean plastic tops or you can contact lcoidan@yahoo.com for local collection.
Electrical applicances – Any item with a plug, battery or cable can be reused or recycled – electric toothbrushes, kettles, cameras, clocks – even light bulbs. Most of the materials in them can be made into new products, saving the earth’s resources and saving the planet from dangerous waste. Stokesley Household Waste Recycling Centre (and other North Yorkshire Council run centres) have a collection point where you can take these items for free (if you live locally) or you can look for more specialist recycling here www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk
While recycling is good, if possible it is better to keep things in use for longer.
Clothes – bring your clothes to our Clothes Swap on Saturday (27th 1-4pm St Joseph’s Church Hall), donate them to one of the many local charity shops or sell them on sites like eBay or Vinted.
Fabric – come and make a draught excluded at our Repair Cafes in October in Stokesley and November in Swainby, or pick up a free patchwork pack from one of the displays (while stocks last) WikiHow has instructions on how to make your patches and how to create things from patches wikihow.com/Make-Patchwork.
Underwear – Your good quality used bra can be repurposed AND raise funds to fight breast cancer via special bra banks. Locally Mowbray House GP Surgery, Northallerton has a collection box, for other collection points see www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk/recycling/bra-recycling .
Clean, reusable underwear is also being collected locally – email lcoidan@yahoo.com
Prescription Spectacles – Many opticians collect and repurpose glasses, often for vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas. Take your glasses locally to Cooper & Barr Opticians, Stokesley or most Specsavers have a collection container.
Packaging – Refilling your existing containers locally saves you money as well as saving resources and preventing waste.
Children’s Wellies – Swainby Church is collecting unwanted, usuable children’s wellies of all sizes (shapes and colours!) to enable disadvantaged children to have splashy paddling days out. Drop off at the church or email l.coidan@yahoo.com for collection.
Bikes – Unwanted bicycles, even if they are in need of repair, are needed by disadvantaged individuals and groups. You can drop off your bicycles at your local Household Waste Recycling Centre, take them to collection points at Halfords in Stockton, or look for specialist bicycle refurbishment organisations like www.recyke.bike or https://thebikeproject.co.uk
Electronic equipment – Most people can take being able to access the internet etc for granted and easily upgrade electronic equipment – mobile phones, tablets, ebooks, laptops – when they become outdated for our needs. But your unwanted electronic equipment (mobile phones, tablets, ebooks, laptops) are so valuable to those who cannot afford to buy new. Organisations like Furbd in Middlesbrough (furbd.org.uk) will take your unwanted electronic items, securely remove all your personal data then refurbish them to make them affordable and accessible to individuals and groups who would otherwise not have any digital access. The Hub at Hutton Rudby will take your unwanted electronic equipment to Furbd if you are unable or you can also bring them along to the Repair Cafes at Stokesley & Swainby to be repurposed.
Laptops – On 14th of October Microsoft will stop automatic security updates for Windows 10 computers and many people find that their computer is unable to run Windows 11. If you find you are in this position, please don’t just go out and buy a new computer, you have several options which will keep you computer running securely for many years – Microsoft will make updates available if you sign-up to a new scheme, third party software is able to install Windows 11 or computers that don’t quite meet the official Microsoft specification or you can escape the Windows cage and give your computer a new lease of life with Linux. Come to our Repair Cafes to discuss the alternatives and for help, or go to the Monday afternoon computer sessions in the Hub at Hutton Rudy or talk to Stokesley / Great Ayton Library.
Everyone is welcome to our monthly whole group meeting in the relaxed surroundings of the Globe Library, North Rd, Stokesley, starting at 7:30pm.
This month there will be a short presentation on taking part in the Big River Watch, a national citizen science project run by the Rivers Trust, followed by updates from the sub groups.
All welcome to come and chat – apple cake too!
Leave a bit of extra time to get to the library as the High Street end of North Rd will be closed in preparation for Stokesley Fair.
This year, CASaV will be running a couple of public apple pressing sessions in Faceby. The sessions are a bit earlier than usual due to the weather this summer.
For further information, contact Caryn Loftus tel. 0777 3048250 or email.
We no longer loan out our equipment for use elsewhere.
There is a suggested contribution of £5 per slot to cover costs and you will need to bring your own bottles.
If you would like to help run the sessions please get in touch.
Supporting local action for a sustainable, greener and more resilient Stokesley & surrounding villages.
September has arrived with apples aplenty so book a slot at our apple pressing session this month or next to get your crop pressed into juice and save waste. Whilst you’re in the gardening mood consider Seed Gathering for cultivating in the future or lend a hand at the Yatton House Garden Working Party. Another chance for some great citizen science with the Big River Watch later in the month and lots of opportunities to be live more sustainably with this month’s Clothes Swap, Zero Waste Week, Second hand Month and Recycle Week. As the nights draw in consider an indoor crafting hobby like the Craft Forward project of knitting squares for blankets for the homeless in Teesside or pick up a free patchwork kit from this month’s Repair Cafe to repurpose textiles that would otherwise go to waste.
Diary dates: local, regional & national events & activities
(details via links or in newsletter)
1 – 5/ 9 Zero Waste Week – national campaign, local solutions see CASaV Waste & Circularity Group below
1 – 30/9 Organic September– Soil Association national campaign with free organic living guide to download
1 – 30/9 Mindful September – mindful events to connect with nature organised by North York Moors National Park
1 – 20/9 Second Hand September – Oxfam national campaign
Now – 13/9 North Yorkshire Nature Children’s Photography Competition – see CASaV Nature Group below
Now – 9/11 Craft Forward knit Blankets for Middlesbrough Homeless – see CASaV Waste / Circularity Group below
Wednesday 3/9 18.00 – 20.00 People Planet Pint Northallerton – local meet up with like eco minds and free drink for first 10 to register, all welcome
Friday 5/9 10.00 – 14.00 CASaV information & action stall at Multi-Agency Community Action Day, Stokesley Town Hall – organised by Broadacres to support the local community
Saturday 6/9 CASaV information & action stall at Kildale Agricultural Show – CASaV
Monday 8/9 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall
Tuesday 9/9 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party – CASaV
Tuesday 9/9 19.00 – 20.30 Waste & Circularity Group Meeting by zoom – CASaV
Sunday 14/9 10.00 – 14.30 CASaV Apple Pressing, Faceby – CASaV
Thursday 18/9 15.00 Nature Group Meeting face to face, Stokesley Community Library – CASAV
19 – 25/9 The Big River Watch – Rivers Trust, national citizen science project for all
19 – 28/9 The Great British Beach Clean – Marine Conservancy Society, national activity for all
Saturday 20/ 9 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe and Patchwork Pack Giveaway, Swainby Village Hall – CASaV
20 – 21/9 Festival of Thrift Billingham – free festival for sustainable living – CASaV Repair Cafe volunteers invited to gathering there of all local Repair Cafes on 21/9
22 – 28/9 Recycle Week – national campaign run by Recycle Now – CASaV recycling displays in local libraries
Thursday 25/9 ‘Brink of Extinction’ book presentation by Megan McCubin Richmond Book Festival
Saturday 27th September 13.00 – 16.00 Stokesley Clothes Swap St Joseph’s Church Hall, Stokesley
27/9 – 5/10 Sustainable Fashion Week – national campaign with local activities
There will be a short presentation on taking part in the Big River Watch, a national citizen science project run by the Rivers Trust, followed by updates from the sub groups. All welcome to come and chat – apple cake too!
CASaV membership
Thank you for reading this free monthly Update on all things climate, nature and more both local and further afield which we send out to our mailing list of 567 (August 2025). We appreciate all the support people give us whether it is through undertaking actions highlighted in the Update or helping with one or more of our many activities.
Following our AGM, we are now in a new membership year of 2025-26. If you would like to be a formal member of CASaV, the annual membership is now £10. As a member you now won’t need to remember to bring a contribution to cover the costs of room hire for meetings and can vote at general meetings. To renew or join for the first time please complete our membership form here https://casav.uk/join) and make a bank transfer using the details given in the form.
Broadacres, in collaboration with agencies such as North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Council, and Citizen’s Advice has been running these sessions for local groups to engage with the community for two years. CASaV will have a stall providing information on locally living more sustainably and ways everyone can take action to protect the environment and address climate change.
What can I do now?
Come along to chat to us or volunteer if you have an hour free to help, please contact Simon Gibbon
Following our successful stall at Bilsdale Agricultural Show in August, Climate Action Stokesley and Villages will also be at Kildale Agricultural Show (kildaleshow) on Saturday, 6th September with their information and action stall.
Our local agricultural shows are a highlight of the local calendar and a brilliant opportunity for us to connect with our community. In previous years, our volunteers have had a wonderful time chatting with visitors, helping with on-site recycling, and sharing the positive work CASaV is doing.
This year, our stall will be a hub for friendly conversations about the climate and nature. We’ll be letting people know about our popular activities like the Repair Cafe, our guided nature walks, and the work of our active groups focusing on waste, transport, energy, food, and nature.
We will also be supporting Friends of the Earth’s national ‘Planet over Profit’ campaign, gathering support for a new law to ensure companies are legally required to protect our environment.
What can I do now?
Come along to the show and have a chat! Thank you to all the great folk who have volunteered to staff the stall but if you’d like to help please email Simon Gibbon at simongibbon@casav.uk .
Monday 8/9 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall (every second Monday monthly)
The Stokesley Mending Circle continues, a monthly textile mending group where the purpose is to reduce textile waste, encourage sustainable consumption, and celebrate the art of mending through free face to face hand mending support where you can learn and share sewing and darning skills including how to mend holes, sew up seams and hems, alter and adapt your existing clothing, sew on buttons and patches to make your cherished clothing or textile items last longer, giving them a new life and saving textile waste.
What can I do now?
All materials will be provided or you can bring an item you are working on. Session is free but donations to cover costs welcome. More info email mending@casav.uk
The garden is being much appreciated by visitors, both young and old, this summer. They particularly like being able to taste some fruit or even take some away to eat later.
What can I do now?
This month’s working party will be Tuesday 9th September from 1:30-3:00pm. The main task will be preparing the perennial vegetable area ready for some new planting at the October working party. Just turn up and join in on the day and enjoy time in a beautiful garden.
Yes, it is that time of year again. This year the fruit seems to be riper earlier than usual so the sessions will be run earlier than normal. CASaV will again be running a couple of public apple pressing sessions in Faceby.
Sunday 14th September: slots available to book from 10.00 with last slot starting at 14.30
Friday 10th October: slots available to book from 10.00 with last slot starting at 14.30
For further information, contact Caryn Loftus tel. 0777 3048250 or email
NB We no longer loan out our equipment for use elsewhere.
There is a suggested contribution of £5 per half hour slot to cover costs and you will need to bring your own bottles.
If you would like to help run the sessions, please contact
To date over 2000 household items have been saved from going to waste – saving our local community money and allowing them to carry on using their cherished items for longer as well as saving waste from landfill or incineration and so reducing carbon emissions.
Bring along your treasured household items in need of repair on Saturday 20/9 at Swainby Village hall. This month you can also pick up a FREE patchwork pack of fabric squares and our volunteers will show you how to turn them into useful items for your home whilst also saving a valuable textile resource from going to waste. Circularity in action!
Our incredible pink T-shirted volunteers will endeavour to fix your items, saving you the cost of buying new and protecting the climate and the earth’s natural resources by reducing waste going to landfill or incineration and reducing the need to manufacture new. Household items for repair can include: electrical appliances, wooden furniture, toys & bikes, clothing & textiles, laptops & mobile phones. Plus we have blade sharpening so bring along your garden and home tool blades to give them a new edge!
On average, we manage to fix 75% of items, give advice on possible repair steps for 10% 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 and learn new repair skills.
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.
What can I do now?
Come along with your item in need of repair and sit with our skilled repairers as they share their fixing knowledge with you. New repair and reception volunteers always welcome – come along, have a cuppa and a chat or email Simon Gibbon. If you are not sure come and bring an item to be repaired to get a feel for the Repair Cafe.
The climate impact of clothing is significant, with the fashion industry considered one of the most polluting industries globally, contributing heavily to greenhouse gas emissions through its production processes, material sourcing, and waste generation, primarily due to the high water usage, energy consumption in manufacturing, and reliance on synthetic materials like polyester which are derived from fossil fuels.
Not only this, but “fast fashion” encourages frequent clothing purchases and quick disposal whilst garment workers are often exploited with low pay, unsafe working conditions, and long hours. Fast fashion’s affordability and new trends can make consumers value clothing less so instead of taking care of our clothing and repairing any damage to extend the life of our clothing we end up buying more and more that will sit in our wardrobes and never see the light of day.
What can I do now?
– Support sustainable and ethical fashion brands and choose high-quality clothing that lasts longer.
– Recycle or repurpose clothing when it’s no longer needed.
Most of us have far more clothing stuffed in our wardrobes that we no longer wear or in some cases have never worn after an impulse buy.
There will be a new to you good quality clothing swap event on 27th September 13.00 – 16.00 at St Joseph’s Church Hall, Stokesley to coincide with Sustainable Fashion Week (27th September to 5th October) where our local community can have a wardrobe refresh by exchanging the clothes they no longer wear for ‘new to you’ clothes they would like to wear.
If you would like more information to participate please contact clothesswap@casav.uk.
Watch for updates casav.uk/clothesswap, on Facebook Stokesley clothes swap, on Instagram @Stokesley_clothes_swap
This subgroup focuses on reducing waste through circularity: rethinking & reducing consumption; and repairing, repurposing and recycling materials that might otherwise go to landfill or incineration.
Please join us at this month’s zoom meeting on Tuesday 9/9 19.00-21.00: contact email Simon Gibbon for a zoom link
North Yorkshire Council have confirmed that we can put empty toothpaste tubes in our kerbside plastic recycling bins and they will be recycled alongside pots, tubs and trays. The tubes must have the ♻️recycling logo♻️ on.
The tubes must be empty and as clean as possible. Please also ensure the top is on, as this avoids them getting lost in the sorting process.
For Recycling Week there will be displays in Stokesley & Great Ayton Community Libraries on local recycling both kerbside and specialist recycling like blister packs plus a competition / quiz.
About 80% of stuffed animals and other toys are eventually thrown away. And, according to a 2022 study, they make up 6% of plastic in landfill globally. Repurpose any unwanted and reasonable quality soft toys for a good cause by donating them to Ukranian children who have recently fled war zones to come to the UK. Slava Ukraine in Redcar are collecting these for re-distribution please contact Kate and I will collect from you locally to pass on.
Each autumn for two years the Repair Cafe has run hands on draught excluder workshops where fabric which would otherwise have gone to waste is transformed into characterful draught excluders to keep local homes toasty and cut energy bills. Our local MP Rishi Sunak even accepted a lovely grey sausage dog draught excluder from us! If you have any spare strong natural fabrics i.e. cotton / woolen mix but not 100% synthetic such as old curtains and duvet covers please contact Kate and I will collect from you locally for our next workshops at the October / November Repair Cafes.
Redcar Palace is taking part in Craft Forward’s Blankets for the Homeless initiative, appealing for local knitters (and / or those with spare acrylic yarn) to knit 20cm squares to be made up into easycare blankets for homeless people on Teesside or to donate unwanted yarn. They are also running knitting workshops every Wednesday. Please contact Kate for more info or collection of knitted squares.
The Mind charity shop in Stokesley needs your unwanted small electrical appliances to replenish their department. They have a trained PAT tester to check the safety of any donated appliances.
Ideas & news from the groups: Nature Group
This subgroup focuses on discovering more about and supporting biodiversity and our living environment. Face to face meeting 18th September 15.00 at the Globe Library, Stokesley. Contact Bridget Holmstrom for more information.
Enjoy time in nature this September!
The more we connect with nature, the more motivated we are to protect it.
Lots of ideas for getting up close to nature on the North York Moors National Park here: northyorkmoors.org.uk/blog/things-to-do-in-summer
The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust website is also a great place to find ideas of ways to connect with nature. You can find the nearest reserves including those of Tees Valley Wildlife and Durham Wildlife Trusts. A great resource.
This subgroup focuses on food & its impact on climate change – from growing your own and eating seasonally to reducing food going to waste. Meetings held bimonthly, next meeting online in October, date tbc contact Wendy Smith for a link to join
What are the benefits of growing your own?
Environmental benefits: You can avoid pesticides and herbicides, which pollute the air and water, you can practice water conservation, you reduce food miles, you help pollinators by providing food for them.
Health benefits: you can eat more fruits and vegetables, and include them in healthy meals, homegrown vegetables are more nutritious and taste better because they are free of artificial additives.
Economic benefits: you can save money on food by growing your own vegetables and be more self-sufficient in case of food shortages or price increases.
What can I do now?
Sow hardy greens, such as kale, land cress, pak choi, mizuna, lamb’s lettuce and mustard, for winter pickings
Prune out all the fruited canes of summer raspberries, cutting down to the base, and tie in new canes to supports
Pot up herbs, such as chives and parsley, and place on a sunny windowsill to use during winter
Start sowing hardy varieties of broad beans and peas for early crops next year
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!
What can I do now?
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.
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.
September is probably the most abundant month for British grown produce. Summer crops, such as salads, tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers and runner beans are still highly productive. Meanwhile autumn crops such as apples, pears, squash and leeks are nearly ready for harvesting.
More information here:
Environment Climate Osmotherley (ECO) meets regularly and holds events which raise awareness and address local environmental issues such as becoming a Dark Skies Village and increasing local biodiversity.
Contact Becci Wright for more information
If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (October’s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Thursday 25/9
Kate Gibbon,
on behalf of the Climate Action Stokesley and Villages Steering Group Steering group:
Bridget Holmstrom, Caryn Loftus, Ron Kirk, Barry Warrington, Joanne Whitwell, Simon Gibbon
Climate Action Stokesley and Villages