Streamlined summer news: our events scheduled for September and October; invitations to collaborate with Shaftesbury Town Council and the Great Big Dorset Hedge project; other news in brief 

Shaftesbury Climate Response

 

When a group of Planet Shaftesbury volunteers got together earlier this month to think about support for people making sustainable lifestyle choices, the cost of living crisis was a central issue. Their display of suggestions will be exhibited at Shaftesbury Library from Monday to Saturday, September 12-17th and new pages responding to 'What can I do?' are also being added to the website. A survey accompanies the exhibition and will indicate where extra information could be helpful. Get involved, come along to the Library on Saturday 17th between 10am & 12noon to talk with anyone who accepts our invitation to drop in at that time.

September's monthly meeting at the Town Hall on Thursday 15th at 7.30pm also focuses on Shaftesbury's climate response and is being promoted beyond our network. A display similar to that at the Library will be on show. The discussion (in a Q&A format) will consider the 'what, when and where' that might support Shaftesbury in its move towards a more sustainable future. What information would be helpful? What role can the website play? How else could Planet Shaftesbury make helpful information accessible? Come along. Bring your questions ... and your neighbours!

Additional events around Great Big Green Week

 

An inspiring mix of free events follow the display and discussions around Shaftesbury's climate response. These span four weeks, including Great Big Green Week - the celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature which is co-ordinated by the Climate Coalition. Our dates, venues, films and presenters are all sorted. There's more yet to do. Create posters! Promote the events around the town! Offer practical help at an event! Please spread the word and volunteer where you can.

  • Film: Kiss the Ground (2020) Well reviewed film showing nature’s capacity to heal the planet. Introduction and post-film discussion with locals Linda Philp, permaculturist, and ffinlo Costain, producer of Farm Gate, the regenerative agriculture podcast. Shaftesbury Town Hall, 22nd September, doors at 7pm for 7.15pm start. Offers of help to Linda Philp at lindascabbagepatch@yahoo.co.uk

  • Discussion - a Car Club for Shaftesbury? Explore demand for an electric car rental service in Shaftesbury. Would an occasional car meet your needs and save you money? With Gustavo Montes de Oca of Tisbury Car Club, Shaftesbury Town Hall, 29th September, 7.30pm. Interested in helping? Contact Richard Eccleston, rle2rtr@gmail.com

  • Illustrated talk - The Right Light at Night Are you responsible for light pollution? Find out what you can do. With Steve Tonkin, the Cranborne Chase AONB Dark Skies Advisor, astronomer and champion for local biodiversity. Shaftesbury Town Hall, 6th October, 7.30pm. If you can help contact Rachel.Bodle@gmail.com

  • Open Homes: Shaftesbury joins in Dorset’s greener homes event: October 1st-9th. Householders open their homes, gardens/allotments on one or more days to show what they do to help them to live more sustainably. Visitors find out about making changes, from hi-tech solutions to lo-tech lifestyles, through conversations where no-one is trying to sell anything. Find out more, including how to become a host and map of local participants, at the website https://dorset.greenopenhomes.net/dorset-greener-homes-265 If you've been inspired by someone locally please ask if they'd be willing to be a host. Local contacts Rachel Bodle (as above) and Emma Smith (emmasmith07@btinternet.com). 

 

Over the four weeks there'll be few opportunities for catching up informally with others from our network between the online meeting on 1st September and our regular 3rd Thursday town hall meeting on 20th October, by which time there could be a lot to discuss!

Shaftesbury Town Council

 

... will provide the town hall without charge to Planet Shaftesbury for any public session that can demonstrably raise the awareness of climate / nature / pollution challenge.


... is changing its committee structure and looking for new ways of collaborating with the community around management of the town environment. An initial exploratory meeting has been pencilled in for 4th October. Emails have been used to share views amongst people who have previously participated in Shaftesbury Tree Group (STG) and/or Open Spaces Group (OSG) and a meeting to discuss the future relationship with Shaftesbury Town Council will take place at the Friends Meeting House, 5th September at 5pm. If interested, but not already receiving emails, you are invited to go along or to send apologies to Richard Thomas/Angela King (richardgthomas01@gmail.com).

Great Big Dorset Hedge Reaches North Dorset

 

The campaign to create a county-wide network of wildlife corridors is focusing on hedgerows along selected walking routes, including the Stour Valley Way. National Hedgerow Week is 17th-24th September - a good time to consider engaging with the project? What can you do to take part?

  • Become a hedge surveyor or a local coordinator - walk and assess 3Km lengths of the Stour Valley Way, recording your findings on survey sheets provided by the project; receive training online followed by on-site practice in various locations this autumn; see local records loaded onto the county-wide map so that planting and management projects can be discussed with landowners and researched for funding.

  • Join (or form) a local planting team

  • Help to spread the word in North Dorset

 

Find out more: website www.dorsetcan.org/hedge or email gertbigdorsethedge@gmail.com 

Other news in brief

 

Shaftesbury Homegrown: hosted a group taking part in Dreamscheme last week. Visiting children from the eastern side of town dug potatoes, picked fruit and salad crops, and saw the resident bees as they sampled activities at the community farm. Hosts and visitors all enjoyed the session.

 

Bus Back Better: the team at Dorset Council is holding online briefing sessions to provide updates on the refreshed bus service improvement plan. Sessions will be around one hour with an opportunity for Q&A. The challenges and priorities for northern Dorset will be the subject of the session on 8th September, 12-1pm. To arrange to join in, sign up here.

 

Recommended by a reader 1! Check out the website of Good Gardeners International, world leaders in localised organic waste management. https://ggi.org.uk/

 

Recommended by a reader 2! This UN Biodiversity ecosystem restoration course is online, free and participants receive a certificate of completion once they've done it. Course link here

Click for website including event details

The next monthly newsletter will appear in the third week of September.  If you have news to share please send it to planetshaftesbury@gmail.com

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