Sustainable Woodstock
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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
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Sustainable Woodstock Noticeboard for more info
Sustainable
Woodstock News
October 2018
Hi Everyone,
In this issue, we discuss why we think it's a good idea for as many as
possible to feed into the upcoming Community Plan in Woodstock so
that our interests and priorities are heard. We also let you know
about government grants available to those thinking of changing to an
electric or hybrid car, we remind everyone to help reduce pollution by
not idling, give you 9 reasons to refuse single-use plastics, introduce
a new Zero Waste shop in Eynsham, and the UK government
potentially encouraging farmers to grow more clover and other herbs to
not only improve soil but also improve air and water quality. We're also
saying thanks to the Bluebell planters and asking for any surplus tools
and whether you'd like to sponsor a tree in the Community Orchard.
Hope you enjoy the autumn colours.
Hilary Brown Chair of Sustainable Woodstock.
"Gibsons Wonderful Woodstock Jigsaw Puzzle, 1000 piece" available from
The Woodstock Bookshop
Making a Positive Contribution
How do you see Woodstock
in years to come - what are the missing pieces?
Common to sustainable development and democracy is participation –
people coming together and getting involved in decisions about how we
live and the goals, as a society, we'd like to achieve. Engagement with
us, the public, can be hard work and requires certain skills but most of
all it needs all of us to take an interest.
For any community planning to work it should be a long term and ongoing
process of planning, delivering and reviewing and should aim to improve
the effectiveness of public services for meeting people’s needs, support
the development of Woodstock and improve the quality of life for all of
us.
The creation of a Community Plan for Woodstock has been proposed and the
plan may help to prioritise money that will become available
from the new housing development.
We should take up the opportunity for community and voluntary groups and
local councillors to work together to ensure community needs are
known, understood and hopefully end up being tackled. Woodstock Town
Council September meeting minutes (WTC70/18) shows their willingness to
facilitate meetings and the intention to engage with the community and
they have appointed Cllr Mathew Parkinson to the Community
Planning Steering Group.
Look out for future meetings, questionnaires, etc and participate where
we can to help shape our futures in Woodstock.
Ditch the Single-Use Plastics?
We're still planning for Woodstock to become a single-use plastic free
town and so we continue to visit local businesses, schools, etc. This
week we visited Marlborough School to hear how they are trying to make a
difference. Woodstock Live is aware of plastic use at their event and
will be looking at alternatives for next year. We took along our own
re-useable glasses......any bright ideas from you will help them.
Here are 9 reasons to think about refusing single-use plastic.
We couldn't help notice how many exit our lovely local Co-op with a new
single-use plastic bag, especially men it seems buying lunch. Come on
guys - treat yourself to a re-useable canvas Sustainable Woodstock bag
available from Martin's Newsagents, Hampers and the Post Office.
Other re-useable bags are available!
If you're finding it difficult how about starting with Fridays
...click on single-use
plastic free Fridays
.... and progress from there.
Does
Clover
Improve
Our Air & Water Quality?
Do our farming practices affect air and water pollution? The short
answer is Yes!.
And in answer to ..... "will clover improve air and water quality"? The
short answer again is Yes!. To halt pollution caused by chemical use and
to improve our soils, experts recommend extending areas called nitrate
vulnerable zones to the whole of the UK. This would reduce
dependency on artificial nitrogen fertilisers that will improve water
and air quality. A new Agriculture Bill emphasises the need to protect
our air and waterways from pollution and government will hopefully
encourage a wider shift towards ecological techniques.
Supporting crop rotations using herbal leys that include clover will
increase the soil’s natural nitrogen levels while offering forage for
livestock.....much more sustainable. For more click the link
HERE
from the
Sustainable Food Trust.
Thanks 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!
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
Quit
Idling - Please -
If you have to drive loved ones to school, work, etc - please turn off
the engine when stationary ..... please don't idle. The things you
can't see are doing just as much damage to your body.
We
Want Your Seeds!
Watch this space and Facebook, etc - we hope to plant seeds in the near
future....we'd love you to be in on it.
We plan to enhance the community orchard grassland with a range of
locally collected native flowering plants that are known to be benefit
bees, moths and butterflies.
Please try to keep seeds of different species separate, place in a re-used envelope, secure and label with species and locality of collection.
Call/text David Rees on 07801337382 or email sustainablewoodstockuk@gmail.com if you have seed to offer. If you would like to know more or get involved in some other way, lets talk.
Plastic
Hint of the Month
...plus A5 for A4?
Please try not to laminate posters for noticeboards unnecessarily. Some
are there for just a month and thrown away. Please use where necessary
only e.g. permanent notices in cafeterias etc where they need
wiping daily.
Try to use A5 notices instead of A4 and give all comers a chance.
Surplus
Tools?
Can you donate any?
It’s always satisfying to find a good home for tools no longer used or
are surplus. If you have tools that you think might be of use in
gardens, woodland or orchards and still in good order, please get in
touch by
CLICKING HERE
Would
you like to sponsor a tree in the Community Orchard?
Over 50% now sponsored.
You can sponsor as a gift, amongst friends, colleagues or dedicate in memory of a loved one.
How to Pay?
Costs £30 (single payment) 1) BACS payment. 2) Cheque For
details contact as below.
Thinking
of Going Electric or Hybrid?
Car dealerships and manufacturers can get grants to reduce the price you
pay for brand new electric and hybrid vehicles. You do not need to do
anything if you want to buy one of these vehicles - the dealer will
include the value of the grant in the vehicle’s price. Click on links
for more info.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles
ALSO:- The OLEV Grant also known as Electric
Vehicle Homecharge Scheme provides £500 off the cost of purchasing &
installing a home charging point. Available for most electric
cars and plug-in hybrid cars. You can claim one charging per
eligible vehicle and up to two charging points per
household. lick on links for more info. https://www.gov.uk/plug-in-car-van-grants
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.