Dear Transitioners
We got off to a cracking start after the summer break, cheered by the news that our RECS Flood Prevention project has been shortlisted for an award for ‘enterprise + action on climate change’. This is under a Welsh Government programme, Renew Wales, that supports community groups tackling the problems of climate change. The awards will be presented at the Senedd on 12 October. Whatever the outcome, we will get good exposure at the accompanying conference. In the meantime ….
Food Waste + Excess Produce – + how we could use it to good effect, especially to combat food poverty
As we said last month, Transition Monmouth has long considered what we could do to reduce food waste, utilise excess to good effect, + help those in need – the latter becoming an ever increasing problem as witnessed by the rise in the use of Food Banks + the growing concern about children being inadequately fed during school holidays..
Coincidentally, volunteers at Homestart + the Ty Price Community Hall have been thinking along the same lines so, we started talking + thinking. We should consider the whole issue of Food Banks, business + domestic food waste, food produce usage + food sharing. At present this is just the germ of an idea that has the potential of becoming a great project for the whole town.
We are therefore inviting Monmouth Town Council + all the community groups we can think of – Monmouth Food Bank, Homestart, Ty Price Community Hall, community groups in Wyesham, Overmonnow + Rockfield – to an initial meeting to discuss what could be done:-
Wednesday 18 October @ 7.30 in the Barn Room at The Robin Hood
Who do we need to contact? What do we need to find out? How do we set about doing something really useful? What + where? If you have ideas, or just want to find out more, please come to the meeting on 18 October – + tell your friends + other community groups. For further information/queries, contact anneggleton@waitrose.com.
You might like to know more about what other people are doing; have a look at these links:-
https://www..theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/30/wales-takes-bite-out-of-childrens-holiday-hunger
https://feedbackglobal.org/campaigns/gleaning-network/
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/free-food-charities-community-groups-13654565.amp
Monmouth Food Assembly
After a long wait the Monmouth Food Assembly is up + running so you can buy really fresh produce from your local producers. Order from the catalogue + collect from Ty Price Community Hall, St Thomas Square on Thursdays, 4.30 to 6.30. If you like what you see, share the link to spread the word – https://thefoodassembly.com/en/assemblies/8971. More producers will be joining soon, so keep looking!
Flood Prevention in + around Monmouth
RECS (Renewable Energy Community Schemes with Flood Prevention + Other Benefits) held a very interesting workshop in early September. If you weren’t able to come but have information to input on flood prone areas/roads, opportunities for holding back flood water, + opportunities for micro hydropower schemes, you can still tag locations on the Transition Monmouth mapping portal – https://arcg.is/0KXfCz; you can also email information to vivienmitchell@yahoo.co..uk + Andy.Gill@atkinsglobal.com. The area we are looking at includes Monmouth + Skenfrith, Dingestow, Newcastle + Trellech.
Here’s the diary for the next few weeks:-
Transition Monmouth Coffee Morning: Saturday 7 October, 10 till 12 at Ty Price Community Hall. Please note the new venue which is the old St Thomas’ Church Hall near the Monnow Bridge, beautifully refurbished. We will be serving Fairtrade tea + coffee, homemade cakes + biscuits, + will have a Swap Shop for seeds, plants + produce. Tools for Self Reliance Cymru will be there with a range of tools – start your Christmas shopping with them! + come to see this lovely new venue
Apple Juicing: Saturday 7 October, 11 to 5 at the Abergavenny Community Centre, Merthyr Road, Abergavenny NP7 5BY: Bring your apples + clean, empty bottles + take home freshly pressed juice. Do you need help collecting apples? – phone 01873 856925 / 07751 666481 or email aber.hub@gmail.com
Preserving Fruit + Veg with Anne Harley: Saturday 7 October, 10 till 4 at the Salvation Army, Broadwell. Cost: £10 to £30 – pay what you can afford + a limited number of free places. Book by e-mail to info@therewildproject.com or phone 07811 517096
Wales Fair Trade Fair: Sunday 8 October, 10 to 5 in the Market Hall, Abergavenny: A market of fairtrade + local crafts, delicious food + live music – much fun for all the family + a great place to start your Christmas shopping. More information on the Wales Fair Trade Fair website – http://fairtradewales.com/wales-fair-trade-fair-2017
CALM – Campaign Against the Levels Motorway: Wednesday 11 October @ 7pm, Newport Civic Centre: With the Public Inquiry reaching its closing stages, this is a new + vitally important phase of the Campaign; all most welcome to this meeting!
Woods: A Celebration by Rob Penn: Thursday 12 October, 7pm at the Shire Hall, Monmouth: Talk by Rob Penn on this new book published by the National Trust with wonderful images from the NT archive + his essays on British woodlands
Grosmont Apple Market: Saturday 14 October, 10 to 2 at St Nicholas Church, Grosmont: The usual fine array of stalls – local produce + crafts, tea room, BBQ, face painting etc but also apple pressing – bring your apples + clean, empty bottles
The Trothy Project: Monday 16 October, 7.30 at the Shire Hall: Andy Karran of Gwent Wildlife Trust will describe the project which has many of the aims of RECS Flood Prevention by natural management of land + watercourses
Food Waste + Excess Produce – + how we could use it to good effect, especially to combat food poverty: Wednesday 18 October, 7.30 in the Barn Room at the Robin Hood, Monnow Street
Mushroom Foraging with Tim Lawrence + Kirsty Philbrick: Saturday 21 October, 10 till 3.30 at Beechenhurst. Cost: £10 to £30 – pay what you can afford + a limited number of free places. Book by e-mail to info@therewildproject.com or phone 07811 517096
Apple Juicing: Sunday 22 October, 11 to 5 at the Abergavenny Community Centre, Merthyr Road, Abergavenny NP7 5BY: Bring your apples + clean, empty bottles + take home freshly pressed juice. Do you need help collecting apples? – phone 01873 856925 / 07751 666481 or email aber.hub@gmail.com
Wales Vegetable Summit: Tuesday 24 October at Pierhead Building, Cardiff: Event + ticket information through Eventbrite.co.uk – see the Incredible Edible Usk Facebook page
Members’ Meeting: Wednesday 25 October, 7.30 in the Barn Room at the Robin Hood, Monnow Street for updates on the food waste project, RECS, + all the other exciting things going on! Please note change of venue – the Punch House has served us well but we have outgrown it!
Transition Monmouth Coffee Morning: Saturday 11 November, 10 till 12 at Monmouth Priory: Fairtrade tea + coffee, homemade cakes + biscuits, + Swap Shop for seeds, plants + produce. Tools for Self Reliance Cymru will be there with a range of tools – + donations of your old, broken, rusty, unwanted tools always welcome, especially sewing machines!
Fermenting Foods with Scott Baine: Saturday 18 November, 10 till 4 at the Yorkley Community Centre: Learn how to preserve foods through the ancient art of fermentation. Cost: £10 to £30 – pay what you can afford + a limited number of free places. Book by e-mail to info@therewildproject.com or phone 07811 517096
And, as ever, there are your Local Produce Markets:-
Usk – Saturday 7 October – 10 till 1
Grosmont – Saturday 14 October – 10 till 2 + apple pressing
Usk – Saturday 21 October – 10 till 1
Abergavenny – Thursday 26 October – 9.30 to 2.30
Usk – Saturday 4 November – 10 till 1
Grosmont – Saturday 11 November – 10 till 2 + apple pressing
We hope to see you soon, hopefully at the Robin Hood for the Food Meeting on Wednesday 18 October + the Members’ Meeting on Wednesday 25 October.
Other Transition Treasures are on the website https://transitionmonmouth.org/ (currently being rebuilt) + on the Transition Monmouth Facebook page
Ann Eggleton
Chair
Transition Monmouth 