Dear <<First Name>>

Welcome to the July newsletter.  The Active Travel Map is now fully in circulation and is being received with huge enthusiasm; let's hope its use can achieve the aim of reducing car use for local trips around town.   If you've been following  Wiltshire Council's recent decision to create blanket restrictions on wind turbine installations, please rest assured that CFB is working closely with other local groups to raise strong objections.  It's not all doom and gloom though, because, as ever, there are lots of good news stories for you to enjoy including Holt School's Green Flag success.

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IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

1.   July monthly meeting - Monday July 16th "Bees, our environment &

      how to help them"

2.   CFB membership - have you become a member yet?

3.   Annual General Meeting - Monday August 20th

4.   Well done Holt Primary School!

5.   September monthly meeting - train travel in Eurpoe

6.   Sustainable Food & Drink Goup updates.

7.   Wind generated energy under threat in Wiltshire

8.   BoA's first ever Walking Festival in September

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July Meeting

Monday 16th July, 7.30 p.m. Quaker Meeting House, Whiteheads Lane

"Bees, our environment and how to help them"

Bees are vital for our survival, they pollinate crops which are important as food sources. This is done by social (e.g. honey) and solitary (e.g. bumble) bees.  It is estimated that in the UK alone the pollination done by bees is worth £430 million to the national economy.  Currently bees are under threat for their survival from various sources: wildflower habitat loss, pesticides and parasites. There will be two speakers:

Fee Robinson is a beekeeper and will give an illustrated talk on the care of the honeybee.

Louisa Kilgallen is an ecologist who will bring her expertise to the meeting not only on the environment but also her immediate local knowledge and we will also have practical suggestions and projects which you can join e.g. The North Meadow project in Barton Farm Country Park, as well as further information on other types of bees.

Do please accept this invitation to come and join us; there will also be a round up of CFB activities and news.



CFB Membership

Want to step up a level and become a member of Climate Friendly BoA?  A one-off payment of £5 will show an even greater commitment to CFB's work, will give you voting rights at general meetings and provide us with much needed funds to help us with our core activities.  You can find out more and download an application form here.



CFB Annual General Meeting

Monday, August 20th, West Barn, Bradford on Avon 7.30pm

(not 16th August as previously advertised)

As usual our August AGM will be a social occasion in the West Barn, next to the Tithe Barn, beginning with a short Annual General Meeting when our business plan for the following year will be introduced as well as a treasurer's report and review of events in the past year. This will be followed by two or three very short presentations including a progress report on electric car charging points  from Kevin Sharpe of the Zero Carbon World charity.  We will then relax and socialise over a shared meal.  Please bring food  and drink to share.

If you need directions for the West Barn please e-mail climatechampions@gmail.com 

Don't forget that you cannot vote at the AGM unless you are a paid up member of Climate Friendly BoA but you can become a member on the night for a one-off payment of £5 or by going to our website.



Well done Holt School!

Huge congratulations are due to the children, staff and parents at Holt Primary School for achieving Eco Schools Green Flag status.  This is the highest Eco Schools award; they are the first school in the area to achieve it and one of only a handful in ther whole of Wiltshire to do so.  It is the culmination of several years' work and demonstrates their total commitment to all things "climate friendly" - very well deserved.

 



September monthly meeting

For our September meeting we will be exploring the joys of train travel in Europe (and beyond) - an environmental alternative to flying. Some of our members will recount their experiences and give advice on how to arrange your travel and what to expect.

  

Sustainable Food and Drink Group (SFaDG)

The SFaDG continues to be as busy as ever and is in the process of forming sub-groups to facilitate networking with regard to specific issues, and to help move projects forwards over the next 4 months. Provisional details as follows -·      

The Fruit Hub – Lead: Sara Cundy.

The Veg + More Hub – Lead: Vicky Moore.

Food Chain Zero Waste Hub – Lead to be confirmed.

Possibly a Supply and Demand Hub.

If you think that you may be interested in taking part, or for more information, please e-mail climatechampions@gmail.com



To find out more about what the group has been doing  please click here  and, if you are visiting the Wiltshire Music Centre do take a look at the SFaDG  information display which is in the foyer until 14^th July.



Wind generated energy under threat in Wiltshire

We are hearing of Wiltshire Councillors who think that almost everyone in Wiltshire is against wind power. While many feel that some sites are unsuitable for wind farms, the recent proposed amendment to the Core Strategy could mean that even a community project could be stopped by planning restrictions. Considerable expense is necessary before even applying for planning permission and even very well supported community projects may be unwilling to risk these expenses when the message is strongly being given out by the resolution that wind is unwelcome in Wiltshire. If you are in favour of wind turbines, in the right place and as a valuable contribution to reducing our climate changing emissions please let your Wiltshire Councillors, MP and local press know.  For more information go to this link.



Bradford on Avon Walking Festival

w/e 14/15/16 September

"Valleys, Views and Vineyards"

CFB have been working closely with the BoA Walkers are Welcome group to organise the town's first ever Walking Festival.  It's open to everyone and there are walks to suit all ages, abilities and a wide range of interests.  You can find details of all the walks on the website www.walkbradfordonavon.co.uk and leaflets are available in town at the TIC and library.