Transition Belper newsletter - Late November 2013
In this issue...
Christmas gets under way in Belper this weekend with the Christmas lights switch-on on Friday evening and the Christmas food and drink fair on Sunday. We'll have a stall outside Poundland on Friday evening so do come and say hello and make a wish for Belper 2033.
What future do you wish for?
In the next twenty years or so we face an uncertain future as we come to terms with coping with ever more bizarre and terrifying weather events at the same time as always being uncertain about how to power and heat our homes, and businesses. The cost of energy will keep going up as the cost of extracting ever declining stocks of fossil fuels from the ground rises in line with the technical difficulty encountered. And it’s not just petrol as everything that is made using oil - including plastics, fertiliser and even toothpaste – will also cost more to make.
But we needn’t sit and shiver in a dark corner sheltering from the storm. We can imagine a brilliant future and then work out how to make it happen. This is exactly what we have started to do as we put together what we call our ‘Energy Descent Action Plan for DE56’. We’d like everyone to have their say in expressing the future vision for Belper and DE56 so we’d like to gather your wishes for Belper and DE56 for Christmas 2033 – twenty years’ time.
At the Transition Belper stall at the Christmas Lights switch on and again at the Christmas Fair we’ll have Christmas Cards for you to write your wishes and post in our 2033 wish box. If you can’t get down to King Street on Friday evening or on Sunday you can email your wish to info@transitionbelper.org
Meeting to make your wishes real
At our monthly meeting on Tuesday 3rd December at Strutts Community Centre from 7.30pm we’ll be randomly picking out a number of wishes and working out how we might make those wishes come true. This could be some light-hearted fun in the run up to Christmas but it could also be inspirational and uplifting. All are welcome to attend the meeting.
Christmas Party
We're really looking forward to the Transition Christmas Party and celebrating the season with like-minded folk. We've laid on some entertainment and Chris and Andy will serenade us with some blues for about 45 minutes. Anyone who wants to sing a song, play a tune, tell a story or read a poem will be more than welcome to do a turn. For food we have the fuddle - bring a dish and your own plate and cutlery and we'll share whatever turns up. It would be great to get some idea of numbers in advance so please contact Adrian to book - although booking is not essential.
Next year's meetings
Next year we have decided to alternate meeting days and move to the second week of the month. We're hoping this will allow all those who can't make the first Tuesday of the month a chance to come along and join in occasionally. Here's the dates for your diary:
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Tuesday 14th January with guest speaker, Jerome Baddley from Nottingham Energy partnership
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Wednesday 12th February
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Thursday 13th March
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Monday 14th April
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Tuesday 13th May
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Wednesday 11th June
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Thursday 10th July
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Monday 11th August
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Tuesday 9th September
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Wednesday 8th October (AGM)
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Thursday 13th November
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Monday 8th December
On 23rd November Jo and Chris lead a group of creative people in making Christmas decorations from unwanted materials. The workshop, held at St john's Chapel was well attended and, judging by the photos, a lot of fun.
I attended a fascinating talk by Brian Deer and John Morrissey of the Civic Forum at the Strutt Community centre on 20th November. It was an update of the work they are doing to map the channels (urban footpaths) in Belper, Milford and Makeney.
The channels have an interesting history, and they are a good way to walk around the town without using the roads. In the late 1950's the town was surveyed by Belper Urban District Council who made a definitive map. Unfortunately not all of the channels were put on to this. Brian has made the alarming discovery that the Countryside and Rights of Way Act of 2000 states that all public footpaths in use before 1949 which are not on a definitive map will be closed on 1st January 2026.
The aim is to survey all the channels, establish who owns them, and eventually have them on the OS map. Derbyshire County Council are currently digitising local OS maps. The survey includes condition, length, names, and features eg views and interesting stonework.
Many of the channels are in a poor state of repair and are not signed and have no lighting.The survey is 75% complete and they hope to finish by Christmas. Brian has asked if Transition Belper would be interested in helping with the maintenance of the channels and encouraging use of them.
Rebecca Rochford
This, as well as a proposed new cycle route will be discussed at the Travel and Transport Group meeting on Thursday 28th November - 7.30 at the Old King's Head, Days Lane, Belper
Tesco in talks over derelict site
Tesco representatives are set to come to Belper in the New Year to discuss plans for the old Thorntons site. Mid Derbyshire MP Pauline Latham contacted the supermarket giant, which owns land at the derelict site on Derwent Street, after concerns were raised. Pauline Latham, Transition Belper and other local groups and organisations will meet with the firm on 10th January to discuss the site.
The full story is in Belper News.
With one in five households unable keep their home warm, something needs to be done about rising fuel bills. But is it possible to have warm homes and reduce our carbon emissions?
The Energy Bill Revolution believe they have a fair and practical answer. They have formed the world’s largest fuel poverty coalition, and are calling on the government to use the money it makes from carbon taxes to super insulate fuel poor homes. The coalition includes children’s charities, older people’s organisations and poverty groups, as well as green NGOs. More than 200 MPs support the campaign but it needs many more to back it if it is to make warm homes a reality. You can help by signing the petition.
Rotary Club 'friend' invite
The Rotary Club of Belper and Duffield are inviting Transition Belper members and supporters to become a 'Friend of Rotary' because they feel our two organisations have a synergy in terms of our work in the community and that we can be of mutual benefit to each other. Rotary is a service organisation which exists to help those in need and to provide fellowship and support to its members, whilst maintaining high ethical standards. Or, to put it another way, it is about becoming involved actively with a reputable organisation, helping others, having fun and making new friends.
During the first three weeks of December they will be carrying out four Santa Sleigh fundraising evenings round several of the residential areas of Belper and Duffield as well as Santa Sleigh collections at Morrison's and on King Street. We may well therefore see quite a lot of them round and about over the next few weeks - do say hello.
Email contact@belper-rotary.co.uk to become a 'friend'.
Core Group Meeting
The next Core Group meeting will be held at Fresh Ground on Thursday 9th January. If you have any idea or issue you wish to raise and add to the agenda please talk to any Core Group member as soon as possible.
Transition Belper Facebook Group
Keep up-to-date with the latest developments and join any discussions on Facebook. Join us here
Belper's fruit and veg grower's forum
