Newsletter No. 34 (May 2012)

Tuesday 22nd May 2012

22 May 2012
TranscocoCommunication

Transcoco aims to develop local solutions to local sustainability issues, helping to address the global challenges of climate change, depleting fossil fuel resources and other environmental challenges. By finding sustainable local solutions, we will help make the Area a more positive and rewarding place to live, work and visit, and contribute to creating a more sustainable future for everyone.

Our website: http://transcoco.org.uk keep up with info and dates

Thanks to funding from Wiltshire Council.

The 4tH TUESDAY OF THE MONTH IS THIS TUESDAY 22ND MAY - OPEN MEETING AT THE POUND 7.30PM – HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE ( and every 4th Tuesday)

Dear Transitioners,

Hello everybody, I am finally back on track!! A huge thank you to all the Transcoco members who have kept everything up and running while I have beenrecuperating! And a special thank you to Tricia for taking on the newsletter and doing such a brilliant job. Our last meeting was very exciting with so many projects bubbling! Food Festival, Bee Project, Give and Take Day, Jubilee Stall, Fair Trade and a Year Plan for stalls at the Farmers’ Markets. I went for a walk this Sunday at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust site north of Malmesbury. A friend of ours used to work with the Wilts Wildlife Trust and when it started there were just 3 key members and now it is a countywide organization!! So in just a few years, we have achieved so much and with our new and energetic members we can develop even more projects. Our task is to recruit new, active members to continue our work. So, if you have any ideas for doing this, please bring them along to the Open Meeting on Tuesday.

Big thanks to all of you who are taking on that bit extra:

Jane has taken over Membership from Tricia

Julia is now updating our website for us

Lu is planning a series of stalls at each Farmers’ Market

This newsletter is a bit of a transition one! As I take over from Tricia again!

Thanks for all your enthusiasm for Transcoco. Let’s get transitioning!!

Best wishes,

Nikki

PS I am changing my email address to nikkikenna@me.com (for a while both my new and old address will work, but eventually will be changing to this new address, so please amend your records!!)

We hope you have CORSHAM FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL on SATURDAY 16 JUNE in your diary. We are teaming up with the Wiltshire Farmer’s Market Association and the Corsham Fringe Festival, for a lively and food-filled day. Tricia has 37 stalls staked out and so far 33 are booked along with the Transcoco stall, Wiltshire Wildlife and our own Zero Waste Stall. Tricia has designed some amazing publicity for the event and Corsham Print are supporting the festival with printing as are Corsham Town Council who have given a generous grant of £500.00 for the event.

Contact Tricia at food@transcoco.org.uk for further details.

Also join us on FRIDAY 15TH JUNE AT THE POUND, 7PM FOR THE FREE FESTIVAL FOOD FILM - PLANEAT

CORSHAM COMMUNITY BEES
The bees have come through the winter very well and Pete Douglas has taken a swarm of bees from the Transcoco beehive based at Overmoor to establish a colony at Neston Primary School to make our 3rd Transcoco hive. Pete and Eleanor are constituting the Transcoco Bee Project, which has received generous funding from the Coop and will be very buzzy at the Food Festival, where they will launch

CORSHAM COMMUNITY BEES
There will be also be a warm buzzy feeling at the Jubilee Stall!! On Sat 2nd June, 12.00 – 4.00pm at Corsham Springfield Rec, where Eleanor will be launching a bee drawing event.

If you would like to become involved in the project, please contact Eleanor on bees@transcoco.org.uk

Big thanks to the Co-op. For more info on Plan BEE, http://www.co-operative.coop/corporate/ethicsinaction/takeaction/planbee/

Summer Jubilee Fete
Transcoco will be running a stall at The Town Council's Jubilee Fete, which takes place on Saturday 2 June, from 12-4pm, at Springfield Rec. See the Council Website for more info: http://www.corsham.gov.uk/

FOOD GROUP
The Food Group is organising the Food Festival and Food Festival Film at the moment.

The food group meets on the third Tuesday of each month 7pm at The Pound, Pound Pill, Corsham. NEXT MEETING TUESDAY 19 JUNE

ZERO WASTE GROUP
The Zero Waste Group held their second successful Give and Take Day at Selwyn Hall, Box. They are also running a stall at the Food Festival and continuing their packaging campaign.

Lu of the Zero Waste group is planning a series of stalls at the Farmers’ Market to include a monthly look at each aspect of Transcoco through seasonal themes.

Zero Waste have updated their section of the website so do take a look. If you have any suggestions about how we can improve this, please let Pip Parker know - email Pip at waste@transcoco.ork.uk or 01249 712230.

ENERGY GROUP
The main focus of the energy group is working with BWCE on expanding renewable energy across Wiltshire and Bath. Following the successful fundraising we are now exploring the next round of sites, and have had meetings with Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon and Transition Marlborough about joint projects. BWCE was also awarded a DECC ‘LEAF’ grant to develop local energy efficiency schemes, which we will be doing with schools in conjunction with renewable energy installations.

www.bwce.coop

Energy Group: contact Adam Walton for more details: energy@transcoco.org.uk h: 01249 701784 m: 07980 817656

AWARENESS GROUP
The Awareness group has completed their writing project in schools. They continue to support awareness raising projects through stalls and films. Sarah is continuing to work on our behalf for press coverage.

Contact Sarah on: awareness@transcoco.org.uk to give her any stories you would like to be submitted to the press.

The Awareness Group is not currently meeting regularly. Contact Nikki Kenna for more details: Overmoor Farm, Church Rise, Neston, SN13 9TZ nikkikenna@me.com h: 01225 810493 m:07917446719

TRANSPORT GROUP
The main focus of the transport group is working with the Corsham Community Campus on the travel plan and with Corsham Town Council on the cycle network. On theCampus, the Travel Planning focus group has provided comprehensive input to the travel plan which is being adopted as part of the planning application, although the extent of provision for sustainable transport is inevitably less than we would aspire to. On the cycle network, we continue to work with the town council and hope to see the first measures implemented later this year, although the full network still requires significant additional funding which is challenging in the current climate. It looks likely new cycle signs will be put up around Corsham where appropriate. Cycle Lanes on West Wells Road, Neston are also in place. Also on Transport, the Town Council has recommended a new pedestrian crossing (Zebra) on Pickwick Road near Beechfield Rd to improve foot access to expanding services there. This will be discussed at the Amenities Meeting on 23rd May.

TRAFFIC CALMING TRIAL

A big thanks to all the Transcoco volunteers who recently undertook to count cars during the South Place traffic calming Trial, we are still awaiting news from the County Council regarding the outcome and the transport group's next meeting, hopefully on the 8th, TBC, will examine what we make of the trial figures.

Contact Adam Walton for more details: transport@transcoco.org.uk h: 01249 701784, m: 07980 817656

CORSHAM COMMUNITY CAMPUS NEWS
The major news from Springfield is that the Community Campus now has full planning permission, granted Wednesday 16th May, and ground works will go ahead soon as possible, in all likeliness beginning before June is out. Transcoco will continue to have a voice in the more detailed planning of the community campus through our statement submitted to the Operations Board and through our rep Anna Mackie and through Sally Fletcher. We are hoping the architects will come along to our next Transcoco meeting to get ideas from us.

The model for the campus is now available to view at the Tourist Information Centre in Corsham High Street. http://www.corshamheritage.org.uk/

For more information and to engage with the community operations board please visit www.springfieldccc.com

Anna Mackie will be giving an update at the next Transcoco Open Meeting.

Fair Trade for Corsham – Transcoco Members are working towards achieving Fair Trade status for Corsham.

Lu, Christine, Nikki and Adam have reviewed the Action Plan for achieving Fair Trade for Corsham and are going ahead to meet the 5 steps to obtain Fair Trade Status for Corsham. If anyone has any links with businesses, shops, churches or other establishments in the Corsham, Gastard, Neston area, please let us know by contacting Nikki: nikkikenna@me.com

SPINDLES & SPROCKETS – HAVE FOUND A NEW HOME
Spindles & Sprockets have found their new home. Thanks to an appeal from Transcoco members, they are now operating out of the rear of the Community Centre on Beechfield road.

For more info contact Edgar Stringer edgarstringer@gmail.com or visit their website:

www.spindlesandsprockets.co.uk

For the latest information about Transition Community Corsham, visit http://transcoco.org.ukThis