Transition BH Hub

After weeks of bitter cold, Saturday 9th April was a bright, sunny, relatively warm spring day.

So Friends of Turner’s Nursery in Upper Parkstone got to work on the community orchard, planting fruit trees and native hedgerow plants and tidying the area we planted in the autumn. Good connections were made. Looking forward to picnics in the summer!

Planting the “Jubilee Oak”.

Jon watering the pear.

The almond mulched with newspaper and cardboard to keep the roots moist and weedfree. This was covered with woodchip.

Jamie staking.

Gary using the boardfork made by John. It works really well, loosening and aerating the soil, allowing water to penetrate, without destroying soil structure. But unfortunately it broke so we now need a stronger version.

Transition Town Christchurch's successful bid to the

Ping Initiative g

ot written up in the Daily Echo. You can see the article here.

John's handmade apple press got its first outing at Holton Lee “Make a Difference” day in October. Fiona was weaving, a group were planting willow and we all got together to make apple juice. Sadly the apple harvest was very poor this year so the yield was not great, but the press worked spendidly with the meagre supplies of apples we ha

d.

The apple press in action

Transition BH Steering Group 15 October 2012
Gwyn's House

Harriet, Cherry, Gwyn, Andy – Poole
Kim, Theresa, Mike, Sarah – Bournemouth
Elliot – Christchurch
Apologies from Jamie and Gary

Agenda
Ping – E

lliot
Local nature partnership
TBH Website
Account
Transition message – Market penetration

Ping
One of small no 70 of thousands that got through £350 grant. Constitution doesn't mention sporting activity.
All agreed that it is an imposition to add mention, our aims shouldn't include a catchall, but that we wouldn't want to jeopardise the work, or the opportunity to support the Ping initiative. Accepted unanimously by those present.
Harriet to redraft, and send to Elliot and Andy
Andy to put revised version on Website

Funding
Total balance £2,515
Including £1,268 from Lushfest
Prospects for next year – fiancially, time, publicity
Local Green team – not currently meeting
Lush Fest Expenses – John Gillingham £250 (2 days in the rain) & Will c £100 (1 day)
Agreed

Apple Press £590 (£150 of which was BoP funding).
Generally no apples about at the moment.
Apple Expert – Downton – Gary knows
Grapes – Arts University college of Bournemouth
Wait for Green Goals decision, otherwise fund from our monies otherwise. Agreed

Display boards – problem of storage when not in use. Using DEAC boards, projector and screen.

Leaflets – colour, generic
 themed
 professionally designed – Indra did them originally
Double sided printing
200 £103
500 £125
Harriet to approach Indra
Andy to circulate themed leaflet
Printed seed packets ?
Agreed in principle
Leaflet holders – better made ? – Card, clear perspex
Good to get someone to make some, otherwise buy.
Gwyn to advertise in group

Ecohomes – Dorchester 7 homes

(250 visitors)
 5 weeks effort to organise
 aim for match funding 2013
 link to Architectural heritage event – beginning of Sep
 ? conurbation wide
 link to Covenant of Mayors declaration
 New Forest event 20/21 October
Action : Theresa to investigate

Cross conurbation events
Green Drinks Festive meal : Thurs 13th Zuccinis
Green House Hotel – would be happy to host us again

did do Picnic in Poole
Music evening

Signatories
Harriet, Theresa, Andy current signatories
Harriet away December to March
Adding Gwyn as a signatory Agreed
Harriet to leave them with Gwyn

Website
Events – keeping them on the list
Cherry, potentially Elliot, Gwyn, Mike, Sarah Andy to sort

Newsletter
6 a year – every 2 months
beginning December, Feb,

Green Drinks – fairly successful. Green Teas – difficult to get traction.

Elliot – Christchurch report
Over last year. With Ann and Rich (does website) – promotion, monthly

newsletter, events, issues etc. Doing an event every month, very conservative place, down to 3 people to do.
Response to core strategy – 10 pages
Aiming to raise awareness. Goes to 150 people.
Wiltshire and Navitas windfarms.

March report TT Christchurch
 BH Hub website. Take Druit Hall sentence off. Andy to sort

Bournemouth
Slades Farm
Part of fair buy viagra no prescription trade bournemouth
Working with Schools – Georgie Lamb, waste, Trisha Zimmerman – Ecoschools
workshops. Green Goals paying for workshops
AGM on Thursday
Poole
Turners Nursery
Poole Tidal Energy
Food Co-op
Covenant of Mayors

Theresa McManus says:
What a fantastic walk we had in Studland ! Many thanks to Will !

Not only did he provide lots of fascinating information about plants that provide a yield we can use, but also had samples of fruit syrups and fruit leathers f

or us to try ! Whoopee !

We were very lucky with the weather and it was a gloriously sunny autumnal day. Amongst the many plants discussed were elder, hawthorn, dogrose, st. John’s wort, blackthorn, nettle, ground elder, and a variety

of seaweeds. After the walk we relaxed in the sunny beer garden of the Bankes Arms, which sells a great range of Purbeck Brewery products, with bunnies frolicking in nearby fields and the gorgeous panorama of Poole Bay in the background.

As the day what a complete success, we hope to arrange a number of similar events for next year.

For more information about this see Will's Bushcraft blog at http://www.downtoearthbushcraft.com/blog/

Here’s an update from Will on the Wild Food Walk this Saturday.
Looking at the BBC weather forecast this morning, it seems we will be blessed with a decent gap in the weather for Saturday so let’s go for it.
Just a little reminder, without wanti

ng to sound like your mum, make sure you have got lots of warm clothes (although it’s a walk we’ll be g

oing pretty slow and stopping lots), waterproofs (just in case), lunch for yourself and maybe something to sit on as the ground will be damp, money for ferry and a drink if you want to hang around afterwards. You might also want to bring a camera and notepad.
If anybody is planning to cycle out with me it would be helpful if you could reply to this email and let me know which point you will be waiting at just so I have an idea (Gwyn, I know you will be at the ferry). I’ve included the meet up times at the bottom of this email, please be on time as I don’t want to keep others waiting. Also please bring lock, high vis and lights if you have.
If anyone is wanting to lift share or can offer a seat please give Theresa a call: 07958 138053 .
Otherwise, after some initial confusion, it seems there is a bus service, although a less regular timetable: http://www.morebus.co.uk/service.shtml?serviceid=1563
For any buy cialis other queries or for any issues on the actual day please call/text me (Will) on: 07896 901185 .
Think that’s about it, really looking forward to our foraging adventure together, any questions just get in touch, Will.
The bike convoy:
9.15 outside the Oceanarium at Bournemouth Pier.
9.30 outside Branksome Chine beach station.
10.00 at the the chain ferry in anticipation of catching the 10.20 crossing

About 30-40 transitioners, friends and families got together for an afternoon

picnic at Ashley

Cross, Poole. The sun was shining!

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Transition BH Picnic, Ashley Cross, Poole

Given that one of the three guiding principles of Permaculture, which underpins what we do in Transition, is “Fair Shares” I hope that you will allow me to post a short piece here about my experiences “Living Below the Line”.

This week I have b

een

seeing what it is like to live on just £1 a day for food and drink, primarily as a practical reminder for me that a fifth of the people in the world live on very very little.

I’ve just finished, so fortified with a lovely cooked breakfast and cup of tea – my first since last Sunday, I thought I’d write about my experience.
My shopping list for the five days:
- Porridge oats (500g) 55p
- Rice (1kg) 40p
- Sugar (250g) 65p
- Milk 1pt 49p
- 5 carrots, 5 small onions 80p
- 5 potatoes 32p
- Small tub marge 90p
- Small loaf bread 60p
- Salt 29p
- Total £5
- Drinks – water.

So what did I miss most? Variety – it’s very boring eating the same meals every day, without the different textures and flavours. Fruit and veg – I’m guessing my vitamin intake was low. In the long term I would certainly be lacking vitamin C. Energy

– by the end of the week I was feeling lethargic and l

azy. I couldn’t be bothered. Caffeine – well yes, I know I have a serious caffeine addiction and the headaches go to prove that. Perhaps a week without tea and coffee is a “good thing” now and again. Rewards – not being able to say to myself “I’ll just finish this task then I’ll have a coffee and cake”. Comfort food – it’s tough when you’ve had a bad day and you can’t say “Ooh let’s have a treat – a cream trifle” (or whatever). Alcohol – what, no brandy, no glass of wine?! Roll on Saturday night!

The other thing I noticed is the time it takes to shop around for bargains. I wasn't free to just nip round the supermarket, chucking anything I fancied into the trolley.

And did I cheat? Only unintentionally one day when I – almost absentmindedly – spread a bit of Marmite on my lunchtime slice of bread, thinking – well it can't be *that* expensive. I only realised my mistake when I checked the price of a jar of Marmite in the shop the next day! Argghh!

In all this reminds me of how incredibly lucky I am to have been born into a lifestyle of such relative wealth. For 1.4 billion men, women and children living below the line is a life-long reality, day in,

day out. They don’t have the luxury of going back to what we consider as a normal healthy diet on Saturday. Not very fair shares is it?

As I say, for me this was primarily an exercise in awareness. I will be donating the money I would’ve spent on food this week to the wonderful charity Results UK. If you would like to add a donation you can do so at https://www.livebelowtheline.com/me/harrietsj

The AGM was held on 12th MArch. Notes are available here:

Present: Harriet, Gary, Andy, Cherry, Michael, Kim, Gwyn, Theresa, Julie
Guest: Sam, Green Unity Fairs

Minutes from previous AGM are available on the archive on the TBH website.

<strong>Group Updates</strong>
Christchurch is continuing to hold monthly meetings, attendance is improving again after going through a lull. Has own website. Change in the planning group, the group is now being steered by Elliot and Anne, with around 7-8 people attending the last planning meeting. Not sure who is representing the group now on the CCP High Quality Environment Group.

Bournemouth has a core group and new Chair. The group hopes now to move towards more awareness raising, film showings and programme running. However, they have got the Schools Programme running, involving 4 local schools in environmental workshops – Gwyn mentioned the Bourne Academy would like to be involved also. Community garden at Ensbury Park is being established. Participating in Bournemouth 2026. Links also forged with fair trade campaign. Bournemouth Council wish to work more closely with the group. Successful funding bids have facilitated a lot of activity. Meetings are going to be 3rd Wed of the month at Bourne Spring Centre. Green Drinks continue to be successful, providing an opportunity for informal socialising, and Kim is working on getting Green Teas up and running too for those wanting a daytime meet-up.

Poole has been successfully involved with Turners Field community project. Poole Tidal Energy Partnership got LEAF funding. Bring and Take day is being considered. Regular monthly meet-ups are generally well attended. Good contacts with the Council. Gwyn is helping the council to organise a State of the Environment Day on 12 April to form a local food and packaging policy. Lush are very keen to be involved with Transition after successful collaboration building their straw bale cold store unit. Nothing yet heard on funding bid re apple press.

<strong>Green Community Fairs & Transition</strong>
Sam from Green Community Fairs spoke about how the two complement each other in raising awareness locally. Sam needs more help from volunteers to deliver aspects of events, from planning to on the day. She also needs help with contacts that anyone has with local Councils so that she can explore more possibilities for local events. She is careful how she uses the Transition BH name. Next events are 13/14 April at Moors Valley Park, with a planning meeting being held on 2 April 1200 at Bourne Spring Centre. On 3 & 4 June at Poole Park. There is the option in future for Sam to run events in different areas in co-operation with the local transition group in that area, it is a flexible tool. The consensus was that currently both sides are very happy with the working arrangement, although the steering group need to channel volunteers Sam’s way. Gwyn and Sam will draw up a one page Working Agreement, just to define our working parameters.

<strong>Treasurer’s Report</strong>
Currently £746.91 in the bank, split between the different groups, including Wimborne.

<strong>Core Steering Group</strong>
Maximum of 12 people can be on the steering group. Everyone was happy to remain on the steering group, it was agreed that the opportunity to

sit on the group be made frequently, and members would be happy to stand down to give others the opportunity as and when demand arose.

<strong>Communications</strong>
The Google Group can be subject to abuse, after some discussion it was agreed that monitoring any situations as they arise, and from time to time issuing guidance on “netiquette” would be desirable. Retaining the Google Group facility still believed worthwhile. Bournemouth will look at their home webpage so that people can more easily get in touch.

Gwyn is aiming to issue the newsletter monthly, at start of the month, please contact him with items for inclusion at least the week before. The different groups need to contact him to add new contacts to his database.

It is worth remembering that the Hub is now a member of CVS, opening up avenues for volunteers and training and possibly help with accessing funding.

<strong>Future Initiatives & Dates for Diaries</strong>
It would be really desirable to have a few more events, like the music event, which could perhaps make use of the Green Hotel. A swishing evening/fashion event or craft event was discussed. Sam suggested a Green Community Xmas Fair would be do-able. Another Transition picnic was agreed for the summer, at Parkstone

green possibly involving a game of boules. Gwyn will check out dates.