Welcome to September’s Update

from Climate Action Stokesley & Villages

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)

Tuesday 16th September 19.30 – 21.00 Whole Group Meeting & talk about ‘The Big River Watch’ citizen science project at the Globe Library, Stokesley

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

Newsletter

Tuesday 16/9 Whole Group Meeting & Big River Watch Project presentation 19.30 Globe Library, Stokesley

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.

Friday 5/9 10.00 – 14.00 CASaV information & action stall at Stokesley & Great Ayton Multi Agency Community Action Day, Stokesley Town Hall

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

Saturday 6/9 Kildale Agricultural Show CASaV Information & Action Stall

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

Tuesday 9/9 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party

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.

Sunday 14/9 10.00 – 14.30 (& Friday 10/10) Apple Pressing, Carlton

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

Saturday 20/9 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe with free Patchwork Packs giveaway & crafting demonstrations, Swainby Village Hall

https://casav.uk/repaircafe

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.

Stokesley Clothes Swap September 27th 13.00 – 16.00, St.Joseph’s Church Hall, Stokesley

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

Ideas & news from the groups: Waste & Circularity (including Repair Cafe)
https://casv.uk/waste

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

Recycling news

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.

22 – 28/9 Recycling Week: displays and competition quiz

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.

Zero Waste: soft toys for Ukraine

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.

Zero Waste: fabric for draught excluders

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.

Zero Waste: knit blankets for the homeless locally – last date for collection 9/11

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.

Zero Waste: small electrical appliances wanted for Mind charity shop, Stokesley

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.

https://www.ywt.org.uk/

Ideas & news from the groups: Food Group

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

Growing Your own: September Tips of the Month

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:

Seasonal eating

How to eat seasonally

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

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

Signing off

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

Hope to see you at the whole group meeting Tuesday 16/9 19.30 at the Globe 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, Joanne Whitwell, Simon Gibbon

Welcome to August’s Update

from Climate Action Stokesley & Villages

Supporting local action for a sustainable, greener and more resilient Stokesley & surrounding villages.

One great way of making the most of August’s warm days is tending to and harvesting your own grown crops – and also a valuable way of reducing carbon emissions. Allotments enable so many of us to access own grown food and this month Allotment Week celebrates this valuable resource. August’s warm nights are a perfect time to be outside after dark and observe bats and on International Bat Night there are local events which enable you to find out more and how to protect one of our most incredible and endangered species. Late summer / early autumn features agricultural shows like Bilsdale Show where we will have an information stall spreading the word on how we can all play our part in fighting climate change and addressing biodiversity loss.

Diary dates: local events & activities

(details in newsletter)

Tuesday 19th August 19.30 – 21.00 Whole Group Meeting

at the Globe Library, Stokesley

Wednesday 6th August 11.00 – 12.00 Big Butterfly Count All Saints Church, Great Ayton

Saturday 9th August 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe and information stall on local Flood Resilience, Globe Library, Stokesley

Monday 11th August 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall

Tuesday 12th August 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party, Great Ayton

Tuesday 12th August 19.00 Waste & Circularity Group meeting by zoom (see Waste & Circularity Group section below)

Sunday 17th August 18.00 Foodshare volunteers Summer Supper Topcliffe House, Great Ayton (see Food Group section below)

Saturday 30th August CASaV information & action stall at Bilsdale Agricultural Show

September Events – save the dates!

Saturday 6th September CASaV information & action stall at Kildale Show

Thursday 25th September 19.30 ‘Brink of Extinction’ talk by conservationist Megan McCubbin at Georgian Theatre, Richmond (part of the Richmond Walking & Book Festival 19th – 28th September)

Saturday 27th September 13.00 – 16.00 Stokesley Clothes Swap St Joseph’s Church Hall, Stokesley (see Waste & Circularity Group section below)

Diary dates: regional, national & global events & campaigns

Now until 2026 Friends of the Earth ‘Planet Over Profit’ campaign – local activities

Now until August 10th The Big Butterfly Count – local activities

Now until August 11th North Yorkshire and York Local Nature Recovery Strategy consultation

11th – 17th August National Allotments Week – regional event

30th – 31st August International Bat Night weekend – regional events

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 / regional 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”

Friends of the Earth ‘Planet over Profit’ Campaign & webinar 27th August

At a recent CASaV monthly meeting we were joined by Simon Bowens, Friends of the Earth Yorkshire Campaigns Organiser who gave us an overview of the support he can provide to CASaV as a member of the Local Action Group network, the work of Friends of the Earth internationally and the latest campaigns. The campaign that those present were most interested in supporting was Planet Over Profit.

This campaign highlights that UK companies are profiting from supply chains that destroy precious forests worldwide, threaten wildlife, accelerate climate change, and violate the rights of local communities. FOE say we need a new law that requires UK companies to prevent harm to communities and the environment in their supply chains, wherever they operate. A comprehensive Business, Human Rights, and Environment Act would go far beyond the limited protections in existing legislation, requiring companies to actively prevent environmental and human rights abuses, rather than merely reporting on it after the damage is done.

What can I do now: Friends of the Earth local action groups have a critical role to play in the Planet Over Profit campaign. Local action groups like ours are needed to build support for the new law in their communities. There will be petition postcards to write and sign at our whole group meetings, August Repair Cafe and agricultural stalls in August & September

You can also attend a webinar on 27th August via link here:

planet-over-profit-building-towards-cop30

More information here:

introducing-our-planet-over-profit-campaign

take-action/planet-over-profit-take-action-summer

Now until August 10th The Big Butterfly Count

The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide citizen science survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world’s biggest survey of butterflies. Over 64,000 citizen scientists took part in 2022, submitting 96,257 counts of butterflies and day-flying moths from across the UK. The Big Butterfly Count 2025 is now on until 10th of August.

Counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature and we depend on you, our citizen scientists, to help us assess how much help nature needs. The data from this and other counts will also help us to identify important trends in species that will assist us in planning how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understanding the effect of climate change on wildlife.

What can I do now?

Simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright (preferably sunny) weather during the Big Butterfly Count. This time of year has been chosen because most butterflies are at the adult stage of their lifecycle, so more likely to be seen. Records are welcome from anywhere: from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields and forests.

You can download free identification guides & record your findings here:  

bigbutterflycount

You can also join in a group count at All Saints Church, Great Ayton, see below for details and also a report of our Big Butterfly Count group count in July at Great Ayton.

Now until 11th August Local Nature Recovery Strategy Public Consultation

Under the Environment Act 2021, every county in England must produce a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. The strategy is intended to drive nature recovery, along with associated environmental benefits.

North Yorkshire Council is the responsible authority for the preparation of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for North Yorkshire and York. Its main purpose is to identify appropriate actions and suitable locations to enhance existing habitats or create new habitats, where this is most likely to provide the greatest benefits for nature and the wider environment.

There is currently a public consultation which allows you to provide your views on the draft strategy, before it is published towards the end of 2025, but you only have until 11th August to give your views.

If you would like to get your voice heard then do respond to the strategy. Whilst it is a very detailed and informed document, it may be of interest to those who live in the CaSAV area that there seems to be little that the Council is proposing to do in this area. Indeed even the River Leven is given only a passing mention. So even more important that we let the council know nature is hugely important to us here!

Read the draft strategy and comment here:

north-yorkshire-and-york-local-nature-recovery-strategy-consultation

11th – 17th August National Allotments Week

Harrogate Allotment Show 17th August

Allotments play a positive role in mitigating and adapting to climate change by providing green spaces, promoting sustainable food production, and fostering biodiversity. They can act as nature-based solutions to carbon sequestration and flood risk reduction, and offer recreational opportunities for local communities. On our doorstep we are fortunate to have allotments at Stokesley and Great Ayton although they are so in demand that there are only waiting lists to join if you want to take on an allotment.

What can I do now?

If you are interested in knowing more about allotments the Harrogate & District Allotment Federation will be holding its 64th Annual Allotment Show on 17th August 11.00 – 16.00 at the Sun Pavilion, Valley Gardens, Harrogate

The Show provides an opportunity for plot holders from across the district—Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough, and Boroughbridge—to showcase their best vegetables, flowers, baking, and preserves. Charity stalls, craft stalls, a coffee van, produce and plant stalls run by the Federation, a tombola, and a raffle will also be there. More info here: thenas.org.uk/NAW-Yorkshire

International Bat Night weekend 30th – 31st August

Yorkshire Bat Night 30th August Moorlands Nature Reserve

International Bat Night is an annual event celebrating bats and promoting their conservation, held on the last full weekend of August. It’s a time when nature conservation agencies and NGOs organize events like bat walks, workshops, and exhibitions to promote a positive image of bats and raise awareness about their crucial role as pollinators and indicators of biodiversity.

What can I do now?

Locally there will be a Bat Night event at the Moorlands Nature Reserve near Wigginton, York (What3Words control.backhand.rainbow) on Saturday 30th August 20.00 – 21.30 run by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Join their team for a stroll around the Moorlands Nature Reserve on the search for some of the fascinating resident bats and learn more about them including how to use a bat detector. More info here:

bat-night-moorlands-nature-reserve

“Act Local”

This month’s local activities

Tuesday 19th August Whole Group Meeting 19.30 Globe Library, Stokesley

Everyone is welcome to our monthly whole group meeting in the relaxed surroundings of the Globe Library, Stokesley. The garden / allotment produce sharing table at the library is now available again so if you have a glut of veg or fruit to share, bring these along or help yourself to the fresh, local produce. We hope to have a talk from a local allotment initiative and you will hear updates from the subgroups and discuss plans for activities for the autumn and beyond.

Annual General Meeting 2025 Update

Many thanks to those that were able to make our AGM on Tuesday 15th July. Having filled our plates with tasty dishes from the pooled supper, we held a short AGM (minutes here: casav-minutes-of-agm-15th-july-2025

– we reminded ourselves about the activities undertaken in the past year, summarised in our annual report and accounts

– the steering group members were re-elected and elected Barry who had been co-opted the previous year;

– we voted to increase the annual membership to £10 (as a member you now won’t need to remember to bring a contribution to cover the costs of room hire for meetings (new membership form here: forms)

– the resolution to widen the aim of the group is now passed.

Following Joanna Whitwell offering to be co-opted to the steering group for a year to provide a link with the support offered by Labman, the members of the steering group have welcomed her joining the team.

Unfortunately due to the weather we were unable to have a walk round the community garden but fortunately Jonathan Stephenson, manager at Yatton House, had taken photos earlier. He gave us an interesting overview of the work at Yatton House to make the fabric of the building more energy efficient and the work with members on issues related to the climate and nature emergencies. We thank him for this hospitality.

Wednesday 6th August 11.00 – 12.00 Big Butterfly Count session

All Saint’s Church, Great Ayton

(photo by Martin Partridge, Butterfly Conservation, Yorkshire Branch Chair)

Everyone is welcome to join in a group butterfly count (as part of the Big Butterfly Count) at All Saint’s Church churchyard, 1 Low Green, Great Ayton TS9 6NN. No experience needed, just come along and spend 15 minutes (or more) observing nature, identifying butterflies (with help if needed) and contributing to valuable data collection to benefit our understanding of the changing climate on one of our most beautiful creatures.

This follows an earlier butterfly count held on 31st July at the floodplain meadows where a CASaV gathering was given a guided tour by Dr Martin Partridge (Yorkshire Branch Chair of Butterfly Conservation).

The group were helped to identify a range of species not only by their appearance but also by their behaviour and typical habitats. Species spotted included the purple hairstreak butterfly, only very recently recorded locally for the first time. Martin also shared a range of resources including identification guides, a recording app and the importance of conserving and protecting these fascinating wildlife nature/butterflies

Saturday 9th August 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe with display on local Flooding Resilience at the Globe Library, Stokesley
https://casav.uk/repaircafe

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 9th August 10-12 at the Globe Library, Stokesley. You can also find out all about local Flood Resilience and chat to specialists from the Environment Agency who will have an information stand including maps of flood risk areas around Stokesley.

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.

We are also hosting an information stall on local Flood Resilience by the Environment Agency so make the most of this opportunity to find out what measures are being taken locally to prevent flooding and how you can volunteer as a local flood warden.

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.

Monday 11th August 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. The emphasis is on skill sharing so all are welcome – complete beginners, experienced needle crafters and anyone interested in fun with fabric.

What can I do now?

All materials will be provided or you can bring an item you are working on. All participants will also receive a free mini sewing kit to carry on your sewing superpowers at home (while stocks last!). Session is free but donations to cover costs welcome. Come along to find out more or email mending@casav.uk with any questions

Tuesday 12th August 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party

There will be a working party at Yatton House Community Garden on Tuesday 12th August from 1:30 – 3:00pm. It is time to tackle the creeping buttercups now they have finished flowering and the Discovery apples could well be ready so bring a bag!

What can I do now?

Just turn up and join in on the day and enjoy time in a beautiful garden.

Bilsdale Agricultural Show 30th August /
Kildale Agricultural Show 6th September

CASaV Information & Action Stall

As summer draws to a close, we’re excited to announce that Climate Action Stokesley and Villages will once again have a presence at two fantastic local events:

Bilsdale Agricultural Show (bilsdaleshow : Saturday, 30th August

Kildale Agricultural Show (kildaleshow) : Saturday, 6th September

These 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?

To make these days a success, we’re looking for volunteers to help on our stalls.

This is a really rewarding role and you don’t need to be a climate expert! It’s mainly about being a friendly face for CASaV, welcoming people to our stall, and sharing information. We’ll provide all the materials and support you need, and you’ll be paired up with another volunteer.

We are asking for volunteers to cover a shift of a couple of hours. In return for your valuable time, your admission to the show will be free, leaving you with plenty of time to explore and enjoy the rest of the day’s attractions. It’s a great way to support a vital local cause while still being part of a fun community event.

Ready to get involved?

If you can spare a few hours to help us at either show, we would love to hear from you.

Please email Simon Gibbon at simongibbon@casav.uk and stating which show(s) you can attend and your general availability on the day.

Your support makes a huge difference. Thank you!

Ideas & news from the groups

Waste & Circularity (including Repair Cafe)
https://casv.uk/waste

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 12th August 19.00-21.00: contact email Simon Gibbon for a zoom link

Aiming for zero waste: round up of local options for reduced packaging shopping

A simple step you can take to reduce single use plastic is to use shop refill stations for household cleaning liquids, beauty products and some foods. Also aim to buy loose fruit and vegetables rather than plastic wrapped prepacks

Some local heroes reducing the need for single use plastic:

Tindalls Hardware, Stokesley

Tindalls stock a wide range of eco household cleaning products which you can either buy in bulk or refill existing smaller containers to reduce single use plastic waste. Their range includes laundry liquid, washing up liquid, liquid hand soap, toilet cleaner, fabric conditioner, all purpose surface cleaner and dishwasher tablets.

Roots Farmshop, East Rounton

Roots Farmshop encourages you to bring your own containers to fill and refill to reduce plastic waste. Their extensive range of zero waste products includes frozen foods (fruit, vegetables, pastries, deli items), cooking oils, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. You can also use your own containers for fresh fruit and vegetables or paper bags are provided. They also sell plastic free toothpaste, soaps and other beauty products.

A little further afield but worth visiting if you’re in the area:

Refill Save Weigh, Billingham

Supplies refill / zero waste food and household cleaning products.

Earth Warriors, Darlington

Supplies plastic free food and household cleaning and beauty products. Also sells a good range of organic wines and organises wine tasting evenings.

Off the Scale, Castleton

Supplies refill / zero waste food products specialising in home baking ingredients.

The Old Weigh, Pickering

Supplies refill /zero waste food products as well as household cleaning and toiletries.

Clothing circularity: Stokesley Clothes Swap September 27th 13.00 – 16.00, St.Joseph’s Church hall, Stokesley

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 have any spare clothes rails or would like to volunteer to help or 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

Nature Group

This subgroup focuses on discovering more about and supporting biodiversity and our living environment. There is no group meeting in August so we will meet again in September, at the Globe Library, Stokesley date TBC. Contact Bridget Holmstrom for more information.

Fire risk on North York Moors continues

First and foremost, although we have had some rain, the North York Moors remain at extreme risk of fire.  

Bridget Holmstrom, Nature group lead, notes: “Although we vehemently disagree with land managers and owners on the causes of the fuel load on the moors and uplands, I am sure that we all agree that it is vital that wild fires are dangerous and very damaging. So please, no fires, BBQ’s, or smoking on the moors. As the NYM Park Ranger states, it only takes a spark to ignite a wild fire and it is almost invariably a human that provides the spark. Any fires seen on the moors should be immediately reported with a 999 call.

In addition to the obvious fire risk, please also remember that using disposable BBQ’s on the ground burns the grass underneath and will impact the soil underneath.  Once the soil reaches a certain temperature, all the seeds within it are killed, as are the fungi and other tiny living things that support the plant growth you see above ground.  

The picture shows the impact of a BBQ on the Low Green in Great Ayton. Please keep your BBQ’s at home.”

It is important to note that a human is responsible for virtually all wildfires.

What can I do now? Enjoy visiting the moors this summer but refrain from lighting barbeques or fires. Any fires that are seen should be reported immediately to the fire service.  

north-york-moors-announce-fire-alert

Enjoy time in nature this August!

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.

https://www.ywt.org.uk/

Food Group

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 September, date tbc contact Wendy Smith for a link to join

Foodshare Volunteers Summer Supper Sunday 17th August 18.00

All the Foodshare Volunteers are warmly invited to a pooled super/tea at Topcliffe House, Great Ayton on Sunday 17th August at 18.00. If it is fine we will be outside, but inside if too cool. Please let Jenny Earle know if you would like to come.

How extreme weather is driving food prices

The Financial Times publishes a weekly Climate Graphic (available free if you sign up for their email), this week focusing on climate change and food prices. ClimateGraphicFoodPrices

Growing Your own: August Tips of the Month

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?

August is a great time for harvesting summer produce and planting for autumn and winter harvests. Focus on consistent watering, especially for newly sown seeds and heat-sensitive crops, and consider planting quick-growing crops like salad leaves, spinach, and fast-maturing brassicas. Don’t forget to harvest summer favourites like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, and start planting garlic and other overwintering crops.

Garden Share Scheme

Gardening can be a solitary activity, and for many people, the lack of community gardening can be great, but if you have trouble getting there or you want more say in what you want to grow that’s where garden sharing comes in.

Locally, there are currently many people on allotment waiting lists, and some who have gardens are struggling to manage them alone. Garden sharing with others can help to reduce costs, save time and resources, and build a sense of camaraderie around the joy of gardening.

The Food Group are currently trying to set up a Garden share scheme – those without a garden help those for whom their garden has become too large, by using it for their mutual benefit.

What can I do now? If you are without a green space to grow your own or have a garden that you struggle to manage alone and are interested in this scheme, please contact Wendy Smith

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.

August Seasonal Eating

Eating food in season (local as far as possible) can have substantial positive impact on climate breakdown by reducing high-energy input from artificial heating or lighting needed to produce crops out of the natural growing season.

In August the summer harvest continues with a multitude of fresh, local fruit and vegetables to enjoy including:

Vegetables: new potatoes, beetroot, cauliflower, carrots, spinach, cabbage, courgettes, green beans, turnips, aubergine, peas, spring onions, bell peppers, radish, and cucumbers. For fruits, blackberries, blackcurrants, cherries, damsons, greengages, and raspberries are in season.

Recipe of the month: Courgette & Lime Cake

courgette-lime-cake

More information here:

Seasonal eating

How to eat seasonally

Fruit and vegetables in season in August – ready to harvest or buy locally in your greengrocers or farm shop: Baby carrots, Broad beans, Chard, Courgettes and summer squash, Currants, Gooseberries, Lettuce, Parsley, Radish, Rocket, Spinach, Spring cabbage, Spring onions, Strawberries

‘Taste not Waste’ Recipe leaflet with recipes created by Stokesley School Students

In the UK, an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food waste is generated annually. As well being shocking in a cost of living crisis where families go hungry each day, this waste contributes to climate changing emissions harming the planet. Members of the CASaV Waste and Food groups recently worked together with Stokesley School Green Group’s staff to invite school students to create tasty recipes with a focus on reducing waste. These have now been compiled into a free leaflet which will be launched to celebrate Great Big Green Week.

What can I do now? Pick up your free booklet from the Globe, Stokesley and the Discovery Centre Great Ayton or download (save paper!) here: https://casav.uk/tastenotwaste

Ideas from the groups: Transport

Low carbon travel: Moorbus

Moorsbus operates a bus network servicing the North York Moors National Park in summer, from now until September 28th, with services on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. For very low cost you can travel across the moors from Stokesley & Great Ayton to visit Castle Howard, Danby Lodge, Malton, Easingwold, Rosedale Abbey and more.  

This year there are some service expansions, but also unfortunately some service withdrawals, so please check the soon to be uploaded timetables carefully, as there are some significant changes since last year.  

Moorsbus is run by a group of volunteers aiming to create an affordable transport system to and around the North York Moors. They want to help locals, as well as visitors from home and abroad, to travel without cars. In 2014 they formed the Friends of Moorsbus and the Moorsbus Community Interest Company as not-for-profit organisations, working with communities and other groups to develop and promote local bus services. They depend on donations to keep the services running as the fares and the low pass reimbursement only pay for about half the bus costs each year.

What can I do now? Check out the Moorsbus website for timetables and updates and start planning your car free travels around the beautiful moors this summer, information here:

moorsbus.org/timetables

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

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

Signing off

If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (September‘s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Thursday 28th August.

Kate also helps promote activities via Facebook so let her know if there is anything that you would like shared via our Facebook page if you are not a Facebook user.

Hope to see you at the whole group meeting Tuesday 19th August 19.30 at the Globe 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, Joanne Whitwell, Simon Gibbon

Welcome to July’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.

July welcomes the start of the Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count, a key Citizen Science project to not only monitor these beautiful insects but to also track how climate change is impacting on wildlife generally. We have an opportunity to join in a group count locally as well as counting in your own garden or nearby green space. Plastic Free July invites everyone to make a personal pledge to be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Read on for a round up of local zero waste businesses which help reduce all waste including plastic as well as nearby opportunities to act on waste plastic.

Diary dates: local events & activities

Tuesday 15th July 19.00 – 21.00 Annual General Meeting & pooled picnic supper, Yatton House, Great Ayton

Saturday 5th July 13.00 – 17.00 Bric-a-brac stall by Environment Climate Osmotherley (ECO) at Osmotherley Summer Games

Tuesday 8th July 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden, Great Ayton working party

Tuesday 8th July 19.00 Waste & Circularity Group meeting by zoom (see Waste Group section below)

Monday 14th July 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall

Tuesday 15th July midnight Last date to respond to North Yorkshire Council’s Local Plan (see Nature group section)

Thursday 17th July 15.00 Nature Group meeting at the Globe Library, Stokesley (see Nature Group section below)

Saturday 19th July 10.00 – 12.00 Repair Cafe with display on local Flood Resilience followed by volunteers garden lunch 13.00

Thursday 31st July 18.30 Food Group Face to Face Meeting at Wendy’s allotment (see Food Group section below)

Diary dates: regional, national & global events & campaigns

July 1st – 31st Plastic Free July:

• Saturday July 5th 10.30 Saltburn monthly beach clean
• Saturday 19th July 19.00 ‘A Plastic Ocean’ film screening, Saltburn

Ongoing until 2026 Friends of the Earth ‘Planet Over Profit’ campaign – with local activities (see below)

July 18th – August 10th The Big Butterfly Count – with local activities (see below)

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 / regional 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”

July 1st – 31st Plastic Free July

Single-use plastics significantly harm the environment by contributing to pollution, harming wildlife, and exacerbating climate change. They persist in the environment for hundreds of years, breaking down into microplastics that contaminate ecosystems and enter the food chain.

The UK generates roughly 5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. While some measures, like the plastic bag charge and bans on certain single-use items, have been implemented to reduce plastic waste, significant challenges remain in reducing overall single use plastic consumption and improving recycling rates.

This year’s Plastic Free July campaign focuses on small changes each of us can make to reduce plastic waste under the slogan “Small steps, big difference”.

What can I do now?

1. Choose one single-use plastic to avoid  The “Top 3” items are single-use plastic items we commonly use each day that most of us can be easily replaced by;

• Refilling reusable water bottles from the tap
• Bringing a reusable cup or sitting and enjoy a real cup
• Switching from plastic wrap to reusable containers or wax wraps.

2. Take the pledge to reduce plastic waste here: plasticfreejuly.org/campaigns/small-steps-big-difference/

3. Check out our latest round up of zero waste shopping packaging options available locally in the Waste & Circularity section below.

4. Saturday 19th July 19.00 at Saltburn Community & Arts Centre Plastic Free Saltburn have organised a film screening of ‘A Plastic Ocean’, an award-winning feature length documentary created by a group of dedicated scientists, film-makers, social entrepreneurs, scholars, environmentalists and journalists, that explores the fragile state of our oceans and uncovers alarming truths about the consequences of our disposable lifestyle. All welcome to attend. Get tickets on Eventbrite.

5. All summer – Take part in a beach clean

As well as beach cleans organised by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust in nearby Saltburn the Keeping It Clean At Saltburn (KICAS) group holds regular beach cleans on the first Saturday each month, next session is Saturday 5th July 10.30, just turn up, all equipment provided.

Surfers Against Sewage also arrange regular beach cleans along the north east coast, more info here: million-mile-clean/find-a-clean-near-you/

Friends of the Earth ‘Planet over Profit’ Campaign

At the CASaV May monthly meeting we were joined by Simon Bowens, Friends of the Earth Yorkshire Campaigns Organiser who gave us an overview of the support he can provide as a member of the Local Action Group network, the work of Friends of the Earth internationally and the latest campaigns. The campaign that those present were most interested in supporting was Planet Over Profit.

This campaign highlights that UK companies are profiting from supply chains that destroy precious forests worldwide, threaten wildlife, accelerate climate change, and violate the rights of local communities. FOE say we need a new law that requires UK companies to prevent harm to communities and the environment in their supply chains, wherever they operate. A comprehensive Business, Human Rights, and Environment Act would go far beyond the limited protections in existing legislation, requiring companies to actively prevent environmental and human rights abuses, rather than merely reporting on it after the damage is done.

What can I do now: Friends of the Earth local action groups have a critical role to play in the Planet Over Profit campaign. Local action groups like ours are needed to build support for the new law in their communities. There will be petition postcards to write and sign at our AGM and July Repair Cafe as well as at forthcoming market stalls and agricultural stalls in August

More information here:

introducing-our-planet-over-profit-campaign

take-action/planet-over-profit-take-action-summer

July 18th – August 10th The Big Butterfly Count

The Big Butterfly Count is a nationwide citizen science survey aimed at helping us assess the health of our environment. It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world’s biggest survey of butterflies. Over 64,000 citizen scientists took part in 2022, submitting 96,257 counts of butterflies and day-flying moths from across the UK. The Big Butterfly Count 2025 is between the 18th of July and 10th of August.

Counting butterflies can be described as taking the pulse of nature and we depend on you, our citizen scientists, to help us assess how much help nature needs. The data from this and other counts will also help us to identify important trends in species that will assist us in planning how to protect butterflies from extinction, as well as understanding the effect of climate change on wildlife.

What can I do now?

Simply count butterflies for 15 minutes during bright (preferably sunny) weather during the Big Butterfly Count. This time of year has been chosen because most butterflies are at the adult stage of their lifecycle, so more likely to be seen. Records are welcome from anywhere: from parks, school grounds and gardens, to fields and forests.

You can download free identification guides & record your findings here:  

bigbutterflycount

CASaV will be organising a visit to the floodplain meadow in Great Ayton to count the butterflies on a sunny afternoon during the Big Butterfly Count. If you would like to take part please contact Caryn.

Several counts will also take place in the Butterfly Conservation Trust Wild Space at Great Ayton Station. The planting in the new planters at the station will hopefully attract plenty of pollinators. These new planters on the platform at Great Ayton Station, installed by Friends of Great Ayton Station, were designed and constructed by Thompsons Timberworks with funding and support from Northern and Climate Action Stokesley and Villages. Great Ayton Station is designated as a Butterfly Conservation Trust ‘Wild Space‘ so plants were chosen to attract pollinators.

“Act Local”

This month’s local activities

Tuesday 15th July Annual General Meeting 19.00 Yatton House,

Great Ayton

(Artwork for the community garden created by children from Marwood School, Great Ayton)

Our AGM will be at Yatton House, Great Ayton on Tuesday 15th July, starting at 19.00. We warmly invite everyone to come whether you are a formal member, a supporter or just interested to hear more about our work.

We will start the evening with the formal AGM over a pooled picnic supper. This will be followed by talk about the work of Yatton House including having a look around the beautiful community garden that CASaV helped develop (weather permitting).

Please bring something to share for the picnic supper.

NB Registered members: As a change is being proposed to the constitution (see recent email to registered members only dated 1/7/25 regarding AGM) it is essential that registered members vote as the proposal needs 75% in favour to make the change. If you are a registered member and unable to attend the AGM please respond to the email with your decision to support or reject the proposal.

Tuesday 8th July 13.30 – 15.00 Yatton House Community Garden Working Party

Thank you to the group of children from Marwood CoE Infant School who recently came to help in the garden. They sowed some vegetable seeds, planted out some flowers, weeded one of the paths and hunted for bugs. They also brought along their fantastic design for a sign for the reflective space in the garden.

The next working party will be on Tuesday 8th July, from 1:30 – 3:00pm. Come and help get the garden ready for summer visitors and our AGM.

Monday 14th July 17.00 – 19.00 Stokesley Mending Circle, Stokesley Town Hall (every second Monday monthly)

After delivering two sewing / mending lesson sessions in May, in June textile artist and mending tutor Jane and sewing and alterations businesswoman Jo launched the Stokesley Mending Circle, 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. The emphasis is on skill sharing so all are welcome – complete beginners, experienced needle crafters and anyone interested in fun with fabric.

What can I do now? All materials will be provided or you can bring an item you are working on. All participants will also receive a free mini sewing kit to carry on your sewing superpowers at home (while stocks last!). Session is free but donations to cover costs welcome. Come along to find out more or email mending@casav.uk with any questions

Saturday 19th July 10.00-12.00 Repair Cafe with display on local Flooding Resilience at Swainby Village Hall followed by garden lunch for repair volunteers

Since we started over three years ago our incredible volunteers have fixed over 1500 items, saving their owners 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.

Our July Repair Cafe includes free Fair Trade beverages and vegan treats to refresh you whilst our wonderful volunteer repairers meet your fixing needs. Bring along your treasured household items in need of repair on Saturday 19th July 10-12 at Swainby Village Hall.

Our 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: clothing & textiles, electrical appliances, wooden furniture, toys & bikes, 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.

We are also hosting an information stall on local Flood Resilience by the Environment Agency so make the most of this opportunity to find out what measures are being taken locally to prevent flooding and how you can volunteer as a local flood warden.

Following the Repair Cafe there will be a garden lunch for volunteers and their families. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer you are warmly invited to join us.

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.

Ideas & news from the groups

1. Waste / Circularity (including Repair Cafe)

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 8th July 19.00-21.00: contact email Simon Gibbon for a zoom link

1. Plastic Free July: latest round up of local options for zero waste packaging shopping

For Plastic Free July a simple step you can take to reduce single use plastic is to use shop refill stations for household cleaning liquids, beauty products and some foods. Also aim to buy loose fruit and vegetables rather than plastic wrapped prepacks

Some local heroes reducing the need for single use plastic:

Tindalls Hardware, Stokesley

Tindalls stock a wide range of eco household cleaning products which you can either buy in bulk or refill existing smaller containers to reduce single use plastic waste. Their range includes laundry liquid, washing up liquid, liquid hand soap, toilet cleaner, fabric conditioner, all purpose surface cleaner and dishwasher tablets.

Roots Farmshop, East Rounton

Roots Farmshop encourages you to bring your own containers to fill and refill to reduce plastic waste. Their extensive range of zero waste products includes frozen foods (fruit, vegetables, pastries, deli items), cooking oils, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner. You can also use your own containers for fresh fruit and vegetables or paper bags are provided. They also sell plastic free toothpaste, soaps and other beauty products.

Guisborough Refill, Gallaghers Hairdressing, Guisborough

Guisborough Refill supplies refillable, vegan friendly toiletries to reduce single use plastic including a range of shampoos, conditioner, facial cleanser, moisturiser and hand soap.

A little further afield but worth visiting if you’re in the area:

Refill Save Weigh, Billingham

Supplies refill / zero waste food and household cleaning products.

Earth Warriors, Darlington

Supplies plastic free food and household cleaning and beauty products. Also sells a good range of organic wines and organises wine tasting evenings.

Off the Scale, Castleton

Supplies refill / zero waste food products specialising in home baking ingredients.

The Old Weigh, Pickering

Supplies refill /zero waste food products as well as household cleaning and toiletries.

2. The Restart Project Brings Repair Back to Westminster

Our Stokesley and Villages Repair Cafe co-ordinator, Simon Gibbon, joined 40 members of UK Repair Cafes and Restarters to “Bring repair back into Parliament“.  Simon says, “We went to Parliament to make sure that repair moves up the legislative priority list, so it was great that we were joined by 35 MPs and the Minister for Circularity, Mary Creagh.  Our nearest MP was Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) who agreed to sign the Repair and Reuse Declaration after very little perssausion. Mary Creagh was amazed to hear that even in rural North Yorkshire, people needed and were using repair cafes, such that Stokesley and Villages Repair Cafe had the most recorded repairs of any UK Repair Cafe in 2024.”

The presence of Mary Creagh highlighted the growing importance of the circular economy in the UK, giving added momentum to Repair Cafes and Restarters, who focus on repair and reuse initiatives. While Repair Cafes are looking at increasing repair generally, Restarters highlight the environmental urgency posed by electronic waste (WEEE) and the associated carbon emissions, alongside the significant economic opportunities that a shift towards repair and refurbishment will create, including job growth and financial benefits. Jeremy Vine had personal experience of the challenges posed by manufacturers who design products that are difficult to mend, leading him to celebrate the vital role of community-led repair cafes and government commitment, symbolised by the Minister for the Circular Economy, in fostering this transition.

The Restart Project aims to tackle the climate emergency by making electronics work for people, for the planet, and for longer as well as supporting Repair Cafes and other initiatives across the UK. The UK is the second highest producer of electronic waste per capita in the world. So Restart is calling on politicians to make the UK a leader by removing barriers to repair and reuse. Their Repair and Reuse Declaration has been signed by hundreds of community groups, allied organisations and businesses and endorsed by a growing list of MPs. The Repair and Reuse Declaration has five asks:  1. Make repair affordable (repair vouchers, reduce VAT on parts), 2. Make repair easier (right to repair), 3. Help people choose repairable products (repair stars on product like energy), 4. Reduce waste through reuse (targets for reuse not just recycling), 5. Create green jobs (fund and accredit repair training). All of which could be easily accomplished through appropriate legislation / government action.

Mark A Philips was there as the official photographer, his website unbroken.solutions uses his photographs to explore the impact and our systemic solutions to waste.

What can I do now

Come along to our Repair Cafe to have your household items fixed or think about becoming a volunteer – lots of roles as fixers, reception / admin or refreshments. Read more about the event, our Repair Cafe and Restarters  : https://casav.uk/repaircafe

3. Clothing circularity: New to You Clothes Swap Event in September – equipment & volunteers & participants needed

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.

Jane and Jo, Repair Cafe textiles specialists, are hoping to address this locally and are currently planning a new to you good quality clothing swap event on 27th September 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 have any spare clothes rails or would like to volunteer to help or 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

2. Nature Group

This subgroup focuses on discovering more about and supporting biodiversity and our living environment. Please join us at our next face to face meeting on Thursday 17th July 15.00-16.30 at the Globe Community Library, Stokesley. Contact Bridget for more information.

1. Tuesday 15th July midnight last date to respond to North Yorkshire Council’s (NYC) Local Plan

The new North Yorkshire Local Plan will guide future development and conservation in the area until 2045. This plan covers North Yorkshire, excluding the North York Moors and Yorkshire Dales National Parks, and outlines our priorities for land use and development.

NYC has started an Issues and Options Consultation. This consultation is running now until midnight on Tuesday 15 July 2025.

NYC is asking for your views on the priorities and issues the North Yorkshire Local Plan should address, the future of places and spaces in the area, and how the new plan can influence that. Read about the Local Plan and have your say here:

https://northyorks-consult.objective.co.uk/kpse/event/28CE99ED-5D9F-4FD4-8B95-120E888E26EA

2. Wednesday 9th July 19.00-20.00 North Yorkshire & York Local Nature Recovery Strategy webinar

North Yorkshire Council is responsible for putting together the local strategy that will improve nature locally. They are holding a webinar on Wednesday 9th July 7pm – 8pm where you can learn about the strategy and how to have your say in making the strategy as helpful to nature as possible. Follow these links to learn more about the Strategy (north-yorkshire-and-york-local-nature-recovery-strategy) and to attend the Webinar (attend the webinar)

3. Fire risk on North York Moors continues

First and foremost, although we have had some rain, the North York Moors remain at extreme risk of fire.  

Bridget Holmstrom, Nature group lead, notes: “Although we vehemently disagree with land managers and owners on the causes of the fuel load on the moors and uplands, I am sure that we all agree that it is vital that wild fires are dangerous and very damaging. So please, no fires, BBQ’s, or smoking on the moors. As the NYM Park Ranger states, it only takes a spark to ignite a wild fire and it is almost invariably a human that provides the spark. Any fires seen on the moors should be immediately reported with a 999 call.

In addition to the obvious fire risk, please also remember that using disposable BBQ’s on the ground burns the grass underneath and will impact the soil underneath.  Once the soil reaches a certain temperature, all the seeds within it are killed, as are the fungi and other tiny living things that support the plant growth you see above ground.  

The picture shows the impact of a BBQ on the Low Green in Great Ayton. Please keep your BBQ’s at home.”

It is important to note that a human is responsible for virtually all wildfires.

What can I do now? Enjoy visiting the moors this summer but refrain from lighting barbeques or fires. Any fires that are seen should be reported immediately to the fire service.  

north-york-moors-announce-fire-alert

4. Enjoy time in nature this July!

The more we connect with nature, the more motivated we are to protect it. For those of us looking for nature and biodiversity over the summer, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust website is a great place to find different locations. You can find the nearest reserves including those of Tees Valley Wildlife and Durham Wildlife Trusts. A great resource.

https://www.ywt.org.uk/

3. Food Group

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 in person meeting  Thursday 31st July at Wendy’s allotment contact Wendy for a link to join

1. Growing Your own: July Tips of the Month

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?

July is the perfect time to prepare for autumn harvesting by sowing chard, pak choi, beetroot, turnips, swede, radishes, broccoli or plant out winter cabbages, kale, and leeks for a later harvest.

2. Garden Share Scheme

Gardening can be a solitary activity, and for many people, the lack of community gardening can be great, but if you have trouble getting there or you want more say in what you want to grow that’s where garden sharing comes in.

Locally, there are currently many people on allotment waiting lists, and some who have gardens are struggling to manage them alone. Garden sharing with others can help to reduce costs, save time and resources, and build a sense of camaraderie around the joy of gardening.

The Food Group are currently trying to set up a Garden share scheme – those without a garden help those for whom their garden has become too large, by using it for their mutual benefit.

What can I do now? If you are without a green space to grow your own or have a garden that you struggle to manage alone and are interested in this scheme, please contact Wendy

3. 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.

4. July Seasonal Eating

Eating food in season (local as far as possible) can have substantial positive impact on climate breakdown by reducing high-energy input from artificial heating or lighting needed to produce crops out of the natural growing season. In July there is a multitude of fresh, local fruit and vegetables to enjoy including:

Artichokes, Courgettes, Broad beans, Aubergines, Chard, New potatoes, Onions, Spring onions, Watercress, Spinach, Parsley, Rocket, Lettuce, Raspberries, Strawberries, Gooseberries, Blueberries, Cherries, Peaches, Blackcurrants and redcurrants, Plums

Recipe of the month:

More info on seasonal eating: Minty Griddled Courgettes

Make the most of July’s bounty with this tasty side dish

minty-griddled-courgettes

More information here:

Seasonal eating

How to eat seasonally

Fruit and vegetables in season in June – ready to harvest or buy locally in your greengrocers or farm shop: Baby carrots, Broad beans, Chard, Courgettes and summer squash, Currants, Gooseberries, Lettuce, Parsley, Radish, Rocket, Spinach, Spring cabbage, Spring onions, Strawberries

5. ‘Taste not Waste’ Recipe leaflet with recipes created by Stokesley School Students

In the UK, an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food waste is generated annually. As well being shocking in a cost of living crisis where families go hungry each day, this waste contributes to climate changing emissions harming the planet. Members of the CASaV Waste and Food groups recently worked together with Stokesley School Green Group’s staff to invite school students to create tasty recipes with a focus on reducing waste. These have now been compiled into a free leaflet which will be launched to celebrate Great Big Green Week.

What can I do now? Pick up your free booklet from the Globe, Stokesley and the Discovery Centre Great Ayton or download (save paper!) here: casav-leaflets/taste-not-waste/

6. Food news

Food businesses must make it easier for customers to buy healthy food, under new government plans announced on 29th June. Supermarkets and food manufacturers in England will partner with the government to tackle obesity rates by encouraging people to make their weekly shop healthier including increasing fresh fruit and vegetables. Ministers say it will be up to food retailers to decide how they do that, but it could involve offering promotions on healthy food, tweaking loyalty points to incentivise healthy options, or changing shop layouts.

More info here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/

Consuming higher amounts of fibre reduces levels of toxic Pfas “forever chemicals” in human bodies, a new peer-reviewed pilot study suggests. The research found fibre most effectively reduces Pfos and Pfoa, among the two most common and dangerous Pfas. Each can stay in bodies for years, and federal data shows virtually everyone has the chemicals in their blood. Fibre is only found in plant based food.

More info here: theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/11/pfas-dietary-fiber-forever-chemicals

4. Ideas from the groups: Transport

Low carbon travel: Moorbus

Moorsbus operates a bus network servicing the North York Moors National Park in summer, from now until September 28th, with services on Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays. For very low cost you can travel across the moors from Stokesley & Great Ayton to visit Castle Howard, Danby Lodge, Malton, Easingwold, Rosedale Abbey and more.  

This year there are some service expansions, but also unfortunately some service withdrawals, so please check the soon to be uploaded timetables carefully, as there are some significant changes since last year.  

Moorsbus is run by a group of volunteers aiming to create an affordable transport system to and around the North York Moors. They want to help locals, as well as visitors from home and abroad, to travel without cars. In 2014 they formed the Friends of Moorsbus and the Moorsbus Community Interest Company as not-for-profit organisations, working with communities and other groups to develop and promote local bus services. They depend on donations to keep the services running as the fares and the low pass reimbursement only pay for about half the bus costs each year.

What can I do now? Check out the Moorsbus website for timetables and updates and start planning your car free travels around the beautiful moors this summer, information here:

moorsbus.org/timetables

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

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.

They will be holding a fundraising Bric-a-brac stall at the Osmotherley Summer Games on Saturday 5th July, any offers of help greatly appreciated. They need people to manage the stall on the day & people to dispose of unsold goods in the following week.

Contact Becci Wright for more information

Signing off

If you have any news or any event / activity you would like promoting on next month’s (August‘s) update please email Kate Gibbon by Tuesday 29th July .

Kate also helps promote activities via Facebook so let her know if there is anything that you would like shared via our Facebook page if you are not a Facebook user.

Hope to see you at the AGM Tuesday 15th July 19.00 at Yatton House Community Garden, Great Ayton

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