Sustainable Woodstock

We aim to raise public awareness among the residents of Woodstock and beyond on the issues of climate change, energy conservation, waste reduction, recycling, bio-diversity, sustainable economics and respect for the planet. 
We are working in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, local schools and churches, Blenheim Palace and the Farmers Market and the Woodstock trade association, Wake Up to Woodstock


 

Welcome to Sustainable Woodstock's
Home and News Page

To learn more about Sustainable Woodstock go to "About Us" page

To read Hilary's monthly news digest read on below:- 
 or  Go direct to the Sustainable Woodstock Noticeboard for more info

Schools Strike for Action on Climate Change.  Colin Carritt, SusWoo Vice-chair, on why the striking schoolkids are heros

 

Sustainable Woodstock News
 March 2019 

Hi All, 

A little late this month as we had some very sad family news.

Hope you can join in the Litter Pick or are able to do your bit locally. If you've cleared an area/road please let me know so we don't send people off to clean areas. Some individuals have already been busy doing badly polluted areas, and Blenheim are planning to clear from Hensington Gate to Bladon roundabout and Duke of Marlborough to Woodstock sign. Owen Mumford and the schools are also having a go.  

Hope you are also  thinking of ways to reduce your single-use plastics and there are some more hints included. 

Woodstock in Bloom are also after volunteer hours if you can spare to make our environment even better for us and the bees and other insects. 

Hope all is well with you all and your families. 

Hilary Brown  Chair of Sustainable Woodstock.

WOODSTOCK ...It's Not Just About Straws 
 
When I recently mentioned kicking the single-use plastic habit, somebody answered "oh that's the straw thing, isn't it". Last week's school strike demonstrated, this isn't just about straws ..... it’s about kicking our addiction to avoidable single-use plastic and changing the systems that produce it. The school children were striking because they felt adults like us and politicians are just not doing enough or even getting "it". It's their future we're spoiling and we all need to start doing something about it now. 
 
Let's get serious about our children's & grandchildren's future Woodstock and get busy avoiding single-use whenever and wherever we can.

Start by thinking about your own purchases, and emailing people like Mr Gove (Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), your MP, school heads, managers and CEOs of our supermarkets or whoever you think needs to be told. It doesn't need to be an essay, get to the point....do things differently ..... without single-use plastic.
   

"Buy a Long Life Fairtrade Bag"

Sustainable Woodstock bags available from Mary & Martin's newsagent, our Post Office, Hampers and mnay other outlets.
AND AT THE FAIRTRADE COFFEE MORNING!
If you'd like some for your business email us at  Sustainable Woodstock.

 

 

Thanks
Oxfordshire Museum, King's Arms & The Woodstock Bookshop
for Offering Water Refills.

Helping us kick the plastic

Join the Refill Revolution!

Refill is an award-winning campaign to prevent plastic pollution at source by making it easier to reuse and refill your bottle instead of buying a new one.

 If you are a Woodstock business and wish to offer refills go online https://refill.org.uk . If you're feeling inspired, download the Refill app and make refilling the new normal!

Producing bottled water creates 500 times more CO2 than tap water. That’s why Refill Oxford has created a network of Refill stations where you can fill up your water bottle for free to reduce plastic pollution. Look out for a business with Refill stickers. There are now over 14 thousand Refill stations all over the UK and if Woodstock restaurants, schools, cafes or pubs would like to sign up to be a Refill station and help reduce plastic pollution just email refill.oxford@gmail.com and they'll do the rest.

 Refill Oxford is part of City to Sea’s national campaign to promote the use of free tap water to reduce plastic waste. In Oxford, there is a network of nearly 150 Refill stations in places such as cafes, bars, pubs, restaurants, bus stations, hospitals, community centres and hairdressers all over the city. So now you can refill your water bottles whenever you need to, rather than buying a new plastic bottle. 

 Save money, stay hydrated and prevent plastic pollution at source by using the free Refill App on the go, OR look for the Refill droplet in shop windows. This will dramatically reduce the use of the billions of single-use plastic water bottles bought in the UK every year. 

Keep Woodstock in Bloom 
and Keep those Bees and Insects Happy
 
Last year the Bloom volunteers kept Woodstock's flowers blooming through a record long hot summer. It cannot be as hot and dry as that again can it?

All residents of Woodstock are welcome to join them either by going to their annual planning meeting at the Town Hall on Friday 15th March at 2 pm or by contacting Robert Edwards on wredwards6@gmail.com or 811616. Some water, some plant bulbs and some dead-head the annuals without which Woodstock would not look like Woodstock.  

Let's Brighten the Place Up
 Diary Date Deferred - Look out for further announcements
 
Thanks to the many in Woodstock who, last summer, gathered wildflower seeds for the Community Woodland and Orchard and Wildlife Haven.

We'd like to invite you to scatter the seed in the Woodland and Orchard ...  and why not  join us later in the summer to see how successful we are. Try and name all the plants that have successfully grown next summer.  

 Hopefully, we will help to increase biodiversity but why should we care? 

 We are surrounded by greenery here in Woodstock but most of the agriculture is sprayed with herbicides and pesticides throughout the growing season which destroys much of our local eco-systems. It's become clear that we depend on biodiversity to survive. Life as we know it is only made possible due to the complex interactions between the different lifeforms that live on earth. We rely on certain plants and animals for the food we eat, while trees and other plants produce the oxygen we need to breathe and remove harmful pollutants from the air. Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play.

Home Delivery?

People frequently ask about doorstep deliveries of milk and other goodies.  You could try Milk and More who support local British farmers and producers. Perhaps you've been thinking  about vegetable boxes or meat delivery and this link may give you some ideas. 

Be Prepared & Quit Idling

This winter remember to take a coat, hat and gloves the next time you know you will be sitting in a car for a while so that you can turn off the engine. The smoke and fumes you can see are bad enough but it's the gases you can't see that are doing even more damage to you and the environment. 
Around our schools, our streets, our shops and just about everywhere..... please cut your engine. Remember.....Drivers who don't cut their engines are actually breaking the law and risk being fined.

Invest in Green Energy?

If you're looking for investments
you may be interested in the Community Energy Fund. 

 Low Carbon Hub wants to strengthen and grow community owned energy in Oxfordshire. Energy that's good for people, and good for the planet. Join almost a thousand like-minded investors and put your money to work tackling climate change.
- Earn up to 5% interest on your investment* - capped at 4% for the first four years of investment
- Help fund more solar panels on schools and organisations across                     Oxfordshire
 - Keep money in the local economy through community ownership
 - Tackle the global issue of climate change on a local level
 - 100% of our surpluses support further local action on climate change
* INVESTMENTS CAN GO UP OR DOWN - TAKE ADVISE
 
                                                 WATCH THE VIDEO 

 

Sponsor a Tree in our Community Orchard? 
Over 50% now sponsored. You can sponsor a tree as a group, with friends, colleagues. You will receive a certificate and can dedicate if you wish. 
How to Pay?
Costs £30 (single payment)
1) BACS payment.  
2) Cheque   
For details contact as below. 
Questions ? Call 01993 811975 or email  sustainablewoodstockuk@gmail.com

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/dc6e6d1c45fda196d563a1d74/images/59d8975f-106e-4f83-bea5-ebb14ae4ef08.jpgThanks for the Bluebells

 Woodstock in Bloom and Sustainable Woodstock thank all volunteers for their time....and their effort. A total of 4000 Bluebells have now been planted in the Community Woodland!

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/dc6e6d1c45fda196d563a1d74/images/a86a5f0c-f72d-40e9-ba94-b632901d0a37.png


 Zero Waste Shopping  - Market Garden is Open!

Eynsham's Zero Waste shop is now open (see Eynsham's site by  CLICKING HERE).
 Look them up, next time you're passing.. Perhaps somebody is willing to consider opening a shop here in Woodstock? 

Opening Times    Monday-Thursday 9am-6pm;     Friday 9am to 6.30pm    Saturday 9am to 6pm
Contact /Address   01865 604571    41 Mill St,     Eynsham, OX29 4JX



Sustainability is often defined as meeting the needs of present generations without risking the ability of futures generations to meet their own needs and should lead to a better quality of life for everyone, now and for generations to come.   Local actions are now influencing changes nationally and internationally and by working with our community, our projects and campaigns have a greater likelihood of success. We are interested in raising awareness on issues such as climate change