Alnwick Freecycle Group

A forum to give stuff away that you no longer want and get things from others that you have a use for.....

I have been asked to let you know that the original Alnwick group has been taken out of Freecycle by the moderators (we don’t know why). It is still operating, but is in breach of copyright in doing so. There is a new Alnwick Freecycle Group (no longer operated via Yahoo) which you can join. It is looking for moderators - perhaps one of you with a particular interest in waste might be interested in doing this! Join the Alnwick Freecycle Group.


Anyone registered with the old group will need to join the new group.

If you are interested in being a moderator contact Cath Bryce at northeast@freecycle.org

In Transition - the film

A still from the film showing some children creating a plastic sculpture

On Sunday the Transition Alnwick steering group travelled to Hexham to see a screening of the new film developed by the Transition Network. The event was organised by Transition Tynedale - so we got to meet some likeminded people and share ideas and anecdotes about what has been happening in our local area.

The film outlines the development of the Transition concept in the UK and gives examples of villages, towns, cities and islands that have embraced the idea. There are now communities following the Transition principles all over the world and the film demonstrated the diverse range of activities that people are engaged in.

We were so impressed with the film that we'll be ordering our own copy of' 'In Transition' very soon - we'll keep you posted about screenings.

Autumn Update

Transition Alnwick is preparing for the next exciting phase of preparing for a post-oil world.
We would now like to know which direction you would like the group to move in. There are going to be distinct interest groups established which will look at how each area will be impacted by Peak Oil and how we as a community can prepare Alnwick area for that. What we would like to know is which group you are interested in.

We also have ideas that each group could decide to take forward as examples of what they could do – the ideas are not exhaustive or a “to-do” list – if you have your own ideas then these will be equally valid.

Energy
Community Renewable Projects
Energy Reduction
Smart Meter Installation
Area Energy Adaption Plan

Food
Examine Energy Inputs
Support Friends of The Earth Community Orchard
Start a community farm
local food diet
Garden share scheme
community gardens

Waste
Examine Energy Inputs
Support Friends of The Earth Community Orchard
Start a community farm
local food diet
Garden share scheme
community gardens

Transport
Bicycle Maintenance Classes
Car Share Scheme
Cycle Hire Scheme
Horse transport scheme – horse powered buses
Education
Re-learn old skills (eg clothes repair/manufacture; Preserving food without a freezer)
Be available to speak to groups
Lot of potential for crossover with the other groups

If you have any more ideas, are interested in getting involved either in a sub-group or on the steeting committee, then please contact us by email or why not start a conversation going on the forum.

Some images from our June Event

Here are some images from our June event which shows the kinds of activities which took place.

There were demonstrations of cooking using local seasonal food.

Plants for sale including this young oak tree (which will be set free in the future)

Drummers making great music using junk

Making a dog lead out of recycled plastic bags.

As well as home brewing, making a greenhouse out of plastic water bottles and a programme of short films and talks, we were collecting information about what environmental and community actvities are already going on. If you can think of anything relevant we ought to know about then please email us at transitionalnwick@googlegroups.com.

We'll keep you posted about our follow on activities. We would welcome any comments or ideas you have so please get in touch.

Next Transition Alnwick Event

The next TA event will be on the 20th June at St James Hall in Alnwick starting 2pm. It will be called the 'See Hear Do Day' and will comprise of short inspirational films, demonstrations on skills for reduction of oil dependancy and will include things to try your hand at. It is hoped that this will draw new people into the Transition Alnwick initiative whilst keeping those that have already expressed an interest plenty to be involved with too. We're already pretty excited about it and will be letting you know more about what will be going on as we get nearer the time.

Early success for new group

The spring equinox brought new growth to North Northumberland in the form of Transition Alnwick and its first public event. The lovely spring sunshine and Saturday afternoon sport meant the group were concerned numbers would be low, but the event attracted over 40 people!

Transition Alnwick has been formed by local people in response to the twin challenges of peak oil and climate change. But this isn’t another campaigning organisation; rather it is a way of bringing local groups, organisations and individuals together to build resilience and find suitable local solutions to global issues. It is about finding answers that work for us on a local level and support our own economy. Most importantly it is about community involvement in a way that is both positive and fun. Transition Alnwick has chosen the strawberry to be its logo – Alnwick was renowned as a strawberry producing area and it is a plant that produces runners to create new growth. The group hope to emulate this concept!

The initial event included a screening of the film, “The Power of Community: How Cuba survived Peak Oil” followed by a short presentation and a wider discussion. Displays highlighting the activities of other transition groups across the UK provided inspiration, demonstrated what can be achieved and generated some ideas for the Alnwick area. Sarah Gray volunteered her time and skills as a singing teacher to provide an alternative activity for the children while their parents enjoyed the film. This was all washed down with home-made cakes and tea! There was also an opportunity to make a newspaper plant pot and plant a vegetable seed – demonstrating the potential for growth of this idea and giving participants a reminder of the day.

After the film, everyone was invited to feedback their ideas by writing on post-it notes and sticking them on giant strawberry posters.

People were really enthusiastic about the nature of the film. Comments included, “positive, interesting, accessible and clearly explained”, “good hope for the future” and “very empowering and positive - life with less oil can be done”. Transition Alnwick will make the DVD available for groups to hold their own showings, as there was a general consensus that people would find the film inspiring.A wide range of ideas came from attendees on what could work in Alnwick and included “growing food on all available spaces by organic means”, “walk-in access point for info”, “more cycle friendly routes”, “class on growing your own produce”, “driving a milk float and collecting kitchen waste!” ,“car sharing schemes”, and “local combined heat and power plant - biomass and solar”.

As a minimum, Transition Alnwick aims to hold an event to coincide with each solstice and equinox - the next date is scheduled for Saturday June 20th 2009 at St. James’s Church Centre, Pottergate. Keep the date free and look out for other events yet to be announced.

For further information or to borrow the DVD for film screenings contact transitionalnwick@googlegroups.com or call Rachael Roberts on 01665 605812