Recycle week 25th Sept to 1st Oct

~ hexhamstuart ~ Leave a comment

It’s Recycle Week and from 25 September to 1 October, organisations and individuals across the country are celebrating this year’s theme, ‘Recycling – it’s worth it!’

Recycle Week is organised by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). WRAP, a registered charity, works with businesses, individuals and communities to achieve a circular economy through helping them reduce waste, develop sustainable products and use resources in an efficient way.

Take a look at the WRAP website at http://www.wrap.org.uk/, where there’s lots of interesting and hopefully inspiring info on WRAP’s 3 priority areas: electronics and electricals; clothing and textiles; food and drink.

Edible Hexham – prizewinners !

~ suehick ~ Leave a comment

On the 5th July four stalwart members of Edible Hexham travelled to Alnwick Gardens to learn they had been awarded first prize in the ‘Urban” category of the annual NCC competition ‘Love Northumberland”

Pictured receiving their certificate and award of 350 pounds from the Duchess of Alnwick are Elizabeth Leonard, Sue Hick, Rosemary Theobalds and Wendy Breach.

The awards are given every year to community groups and schools for their work in the environment in Northumberland and improving their local area and community.

The prize money will be put towards more herbs and veg for new planters in 2018 amd for extra signage.

Congratulations to all !

Vertical Veg Talk – 20th June

~ Pat ~ Leave a comment

Rearranged to 20th June

Vertical Veg Talk.png

Come to a free talk by a well-known expert on growing veg in tight outdoor spaces.

For a windy balcony or concrete yard, get all the best tips on nurturing your crop. Mark Ridsdill-Smith lives in Newcastle and has been featured in the Guardian.

Tuesday 20th June 2017 7pm – 8pm

Hexham Trinity Methodist Church, Beaumont Street, Hexham, NE46 3LS

Donations are invited and all are welcome.

Free refreshments.

www.verticalveg.org.uk

 

Download the poster here

Annual plant swop stall

~ suehick ~ Leave a comment

tt-seedling-swap-2017 (2) (1)

Oue annual plant swop stall at the farmers market will this year be on May 13th. Bring any  spare veg, or fruit seedlings or seeds to the stall to swop with something you don’t have. This is a good chance to try something knew or replace failed crops, you never know what you might find !

This year we are also asking for pollination plants for bees and other insects. If you have nothing to swop don’t worry – just give a donation !

 

Corbridge Cycle Lanes: latest

~ tedliddle ~ 1 Comment

Once you saw them – now you don’t. Gone from the south side entirely and double yellow lines should stop thoughtless parking which used to endanger cyclists’ lives and risk  vehicle collisions. Time will tell if NCC has at last got the right balance.

Hopefully a future post soon will be informative re the new cycle paths around the A68 roundabout east of Riding Mill. NCC have been asked to provide the rationale.

 

The value of green spaces

~ tedliddle ~ Leave a comment

Well maintained green spaces perform important functions which have an economic value, such as absorbing pollution, which provides people with clean air and reduces pressures on public services. These functions are known as ‘ecosystem services’.

By understanding what an area of land is made up of, its quality, how it is managed, used and the functions it performs, we can better understand the value it provides to a local or wider area, to businesses, communities and society. Natural Capital Accounting is a recognised way of demonstrating this in physical and monetary terms.

http://thelandtrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/The-Hidden-Value-of-our-Green-Spaces-Jan-17.pdf

TT meeting March 1st 2017

~ suehick ~ Leave a comment

TT Meeting-Forum Cinema 1st March 2017-03-02

Present

Sue H-Chair

Kate B

Wendy B

Jane B

Phil C

Matty

James S

 

1-Battle Hill Shop Window Display-Update. Going to be there until 28th April-Sue, Kate and Laura Hull have been instrumental in setting it up. TT contact details discussed. Former Pudding Parlour shop in Fore St may become available in future. No potential new TT members at the meeting.

 

2-Car Club Update. 1 new potential member has been referred. Newsletter imminent. All TT members to use word of mouth to try and increase take up. Kate to look at leaflets and posters held and decide if info still correct and best way to distribute/display. Jane B to contact Co-Wheels to get redundant sign at Wentworth CP re-sited or removed. Helen Graysham of BID to be contacted by Sue/Wendy to see if BID could promote to businesses or even themselves become a member.  James to contact Blackall Mill Community Group to find out their experience.

 

3-Edible Hexham-Saturday 4th March work party needed at Wentworth CP for tree planting being organised by Sue. So far the scheme has received approx. £500 from the Waitrose Green Tokens and £1000 from the RHS-Tesco Plastic Bag fund to be approached. Sue/Kate to explore potential Facebook presence with Laura Hull. All to note that Gareth will tweet info for TT.

 

4-Proposal for Talks and Visits –since proposal made at AGM Matty has been researching possible venues. No decisions made and options discussed. 4 potential talks discussed-Vertical Veg, a Todmorden speaker, Green Branch WEA (Matt/Energy Saving in the Home), Mark Siddell (Passifhaus). Concensus reached that Vertical Veg could be the first as it has a querky side to it . Phil has Mark Siddell contact. Discussion of relative merits of charging for tickets versus asking for a minimum donation. The QH at one end of the spectrum could both sell tickets and promote but may be expensive whilst a venue like the Trinity Methodist Hall would be relatively inexpensive but TT would need to do all the ticketing and promotion. Further proposals to come to next TT meeting.

Potential of TT members visit to look at the sustainability criteria used by ESH Homes on the Corbridge Road. Conclusion reached that individual interested members could call in any day of the week and see the show house. Do not leave it too long as only 4 homes unsold.

 

5-Venue for future TT meetings. –The relative merits and costs of various venues discussed (Forum Café, Bin 21, Heart of Northumbria, RAFA Club and the Tans Café) No conclusions reached but the Tans new meeting rooms to be appraised/costed (Helen Milner is the contact.)

 

6-Spring Festival-22nd April-Discussion of TT presence options eg Car Club promotion. Loraine to be contacted by Sue as to availability of stalls or Gazebo space.

 

7-Salmon Tails (interpretation associated with the fish pass project). HLF bid going in for interpretation and walking routes. TT asked to provide letter of support which Jane B has written. NCC currently doing some bank stabilisation works.

 

8-TT ‘Doing more stuff’– Phil introduced some ideas he had been thinking about.

  • TT facilitating an extention to Edible Hexham. How to extend the demonstration of growing ones own food from the planting box to peoples own garden, bringing /disseminating skills more widely. Various ideas were discussed including making a tie in to Hexham Hidden Gardens project.
  • TT championing vegetarian cooking/diet. Kate offered to explore vegetarian cooking courses/demos with Hexham Tans as a starting point.
  • TT championing/demonstrating sustainability through the Arts. Broad agreement that the Arts can be a strong way of getting messages across and that this idea could be developed by working in partnership with existing groups.
  • TT exploring and championing various techniques like mindfulness/meditation to help people cope with the barriers to leading a sustainable lifestyle. Idea not discussed in depth.

 

9- Variable Systems Model and other Transition organisations governance documents introduced by Phil. Not time to discuss but agreed to pick up at next meeting after attached 4 documents have been looked at.

 

 

Update March 4th 2017

~ suehick ~ Leave a comment

Another bed at the Wentworth was planted this weekend near to the existing beds by the Wentworth cafe. Thanks are due to Northumberland County Council staff for clearing the bed for us and to Matty, Phil, Roger, Ted and Angus who gave up their Saturday afternoon to help plant it up.

This is a fruit bed with apple trees, blackcurrants, gooseberries and strawberries to look forward to in the autumn !

Two new planters are also planned for Priestpopple this year – look out for them later in the spring.

New Edible Hexham bed planted

~ suehick ~ Leave a comment

On March 4th the great Edible Hexham volunteers planted up the 3rd bed at the exit of the Wentworth car park. The latest bed has 2 apple trees, black and redcurrants, gooseberries and strawberries in it – lots of delicious fruit for everyone to try.

Hexham was once a famous fruit growing area with many market gardens and orchards – in fact the present Wentworth car park is built upon former allotments and Tesco was a market garden and nursery only 30 years ago. Our 3 Wentworth beds are a tribute to these days and a reminder that anyone can grow their own fruit on their own garden–its so easy !

Many  thanks are due yet again to Ted and Angus, Matty, Roger and Phil for their great efforts. We are always looking for more volunteers so if you are interested in helping please email Sue at suehick3@gmail.com

 

3rd wentworth bed empty
before

 

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planted !

 

3rd ww bed 2
Congratulations on a job well done ! Time for a well earned cuppa!