Caring about the future of our community
in Thornbury and the surrounding villages

ST Bulletin

Contents

This Bulletin includes news about:

• The Energy Project;
• The Thornbury Give'n'Take website;
• Thornbury Community Plan;
• Discussions and planning;
• Grow Your Own Food;
• Forthcoming dates.

The Energy Project

We are planning some work on energy topics in the Thornbury area. We expect to include:-

• helping community groups;
• setting up demonstration homes;
• learning about energy;
• publicising energy matters;
• offering basic advice;
• publicising grants, loans and sources of more detailed advice;
• working with Gloucestershire and Bristol community energy groups.

The Chantry

We have started working with The Chantry to improve the energy performance of their buildings. These buildings are 'hard to treat', because of their age and conservation status, but we have a list of potential improvements they could make.

Demonstration homes

We want to start a demonstration homes project. We are hoping to work with the Bristol Green Doors project. They organise open days of buildings across Bristol that have energy improvements to look at. Members of the public can arrange to be guided round, and can ask the owners questions about the practical details. If you would like to offer your home as a demonstration home then please email energy@sustainablethornbury.org

Local statistics

Local statistics on energy use are now on a web site and can be seen by the public. We will be looking closely at these to see if they give us any insights into local energy use. The data comes from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, and gives gas and electricity use for some parishes, including Thornbury, and other data for South Gloucestershire. The latest data is for 2010. The data has been put into a readable form by Converging World and can be seen on their energy hub.

Energy saving tips

We have a page of energy saving tips on our website. These will be updated soon. If you have any tips please send them to energy@sustainablethornbury.org.

Want to help?

If you would like to offer your home as a demonstration home or help with the energy project in any way then please email energy@sustainablethornbury.org or ring Alan on 416778.

Thornbury Give'n'Take website

The Give'n'Take website is now up and running! Many thanks to MyThornbury for setting it up. The idea is to find new homes for useful but unwanted things that you would otherwise throw away. Everything is free. It is a similar idea to our Give-It-Away Take-It-Away Days.

The website is a bit like Freecycle or Freegle, but covering only Thornbury and the surrounding area. This means less travelling to collect things, so if you want you can put on items that are bulky or of low value but usable.

We think it is very easy to use. You will need to register to use the website. You choose a username, so you can be more or less anonymous. You can either post things you have or things you want. The taker then normally collects the item, but you can arrange to meet somewhere.

Thornbury Community Plan

Thornbury Town Council is starting a process to draw up a Community Plan for Thornbury. They held a public meeting on 10th May to gather ideas for the plan. The plan will be written by the community, approved (or not) by a local referendum and carried out by the community. ST wants to contribute to the plan to ensure it is sustainable, and expects to be involved in its implementation.

Facebook

We have a Facebook group and a Facebook page. If you are on Facebook, do have a look, join the group, like the page and share with your friends. If you are not on Facebook, you can still see the Facebook page.

Discussions and planning

The next three meetings are on Wed 28 November (looking at carbon footprints), Wed 12 December (a social meeting - all welcome) and Wed 23 January.

We have discussions and plan what we are doing at meetings on the fourth Wednesday of most months at 7:30pm at The Chantry. The first hour or so is often a talk or general discussion that we call Sustainability Forum. Then we have a tea break and talk about what the project groups are doing. All are welcome.

Grow Your Own Food

The Grow Your Own Food group has a meeting most months, usually on a Thursday at 7:30pm. The next meeting is Friday 14 December, a social meeting at 44 Castle St. Click here for meetings after that or ring 01454-412165. The Grow Your Own Food group also has an email group; to subscribe email gyof-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Dates

Wed 28 Nov: ST general meeting, 7:30pm, The Chantry. Forum topic: carbon footprinting.

Wed 12 Dec: ST Christmas social, 7:30pm, Stuart Room at The Chantry.

Fri 14 Dec: Grow Your Own Food group - 7:30pm. Christmas social and quiz.

Sun 13 Jan: Grow Your Own Food group. Seed potato and veg shopping day, Windmill Hill City Farm.

Wed 23 Jan: ST general meeting, 7:30pm, The Chantry.

Thu 14 Feb: Grow Your Own Food group - 7:30pm. Getting a garden going.

Wed 27 Feb: ST general meeting, 7:30pm, The Chantry.

This email was sent by info@sustainablethornbury.org, telephone 01454-416778. To unsubscribe, email info@sustainablethornbury.org.