Community groups gathered to launch a Regional Network

Local News

Regional Network for Community Groups Launches in East Midlands
 
Resonate East Midlands is the name of a new regional network for community groups involved in sustainability. The network has begun with a Facebook group and will create an opportunity to exchange stories, resources and ideas and build connections and mutual support.
 
The group is a Transition UK Regional Network and was created following a workshop on 17^th June which involved nine Transition groups, several from Derbyshire and Nottingham. However, you don’t have to be a Transition group to join – if you’re part of a group with similar aims then you’re very welcome to get involved.
 
Join and see pictures of the workshop day: http://bit.ly/2slTmqY
 
Opportunity to Invest in a Derbyshire Community Owned Green Build Roundhouse

At the time of writing there’s less than three weeks left to invest in Whistlewood Common’s latest exciting project –a green-build roundhouse on the site of their community-owned woodland. The project has gained planning permission for the construction of a new community building on the site. Match funding has been obtained for the share offer, meaning that for every pound invested in a share by the public, another pound will be invested (up to £80,000). The minimum investment is £50. Donations are also accepted. The closing date for the share offer is Friday 21 July 2017.

For more information on the project and to express interest in investing, visit
http://bit.ly/2ruGIsC
 
Apple Picking and Pressing Volunteers Needed in Chesterfield

The Transition Chesterfield Abundance Project team are gearing up for the apple picking season, with their annual project to harvest unwanted fruit and distribute it free of charge or press it into juice. So much fruit goes to waste and this is a great way to help people who either cannot pick their own fruit or have too much, and distribute it to homeless shelters, food banks etc. There are plenty of trees to harvest but the project team is in need of more pickers and places to distribute the fruit to. Ways to get involved:

• Apple picking – as part of a team during September and October
• Apple pressing – there will be a weekly pressing session at Inspire Community Garden
• Nominate an organisation to receive apples (mainly cooking) e.g. school, community group

If you can help, get in touch: hello@transitionchesterfield.org.uk  
 
New Social Learning Platform for East Midlands Sustainability Initiatives
 
Green Bridge has recently been launched by De Montfort University’s Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development. It aims to serve as a platform to share experience and ideas and build relationships between researchers, volunteers, campaigners, sustainability professionals, social entrepreneurs and more – anyone involved in making sustainability happen locally. In addition to knowledge sharing events in Leicester, the project offers a website and social media platform that community groups can use to share their experiences with others.
 
http://greenbridge.our.dmu.ac.uk    www.facebook.com/GreenBridgeDMU https://twitter.com/GreenBridgeDMU
 
Contact Dr Andrew Reeves on areeves@dmu.ac.uk for more info on getting involved.
 
Take the Family Cycling Quest in Broxtowe


 
Prizes are up for grabs for families completing five of Broxtowe’s Family Cycling Quest Quizzes by the end of October. With eight cycling routes in the area and a quiz for each one with clues and answers found along the way, the Family Cycling Quest could make for some great days out this summer. The routes help people explore new places around their communities and enjoy cycling. One rider, Rowan, aged 10, completed five Quests with her family and now wants to complete the rest. Three lucky winners from a prize draw will each receive a £50 voucher to spend on cycling equipment.
 
Quest maps, quiz sheets and further information are available online: http://bit.ly/2tEMx7x

Get Involved In a New Renewable Energy Enterprise in the Hope Valley

Are you interested to explore the possibility of setting up a renewable energy enterprise on a not-for-profit basis in the Hope Valley? The group would be run along similar lines to Sheffield Renewables. If you would be interested in joining a steering group, please contact Jeremy Wight on mandyjeremy@yahoo.co.uk

Join Greening Beeston


 
Greening Beeston is a group of local people running a successful environmental campaign in the town. It was launched in Beeston Rylands in October 2010. The group’s aim is to help residents reduce the amount of energy, water and waste they use, in order to save emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and live more sustainably. For more information about the Beeston Greening Campaign or to join and come along to the next meeting or event, contact the group via their website: http://bit.ly/2uFDyA5
 
Don’t live in Beeston? There are lots of community groups in the area working on environmental issues. Check out some of them here:
 
Is your group not listed? Let us know and we’ll create a listing: caroline.harmon@mea.org.uk
 
D2 Energy Efficiency Surveys and Grants Available
 
The D2 Energy Efficiency Project is offering free energy audits to businesses in Derby and Derbyshire to help reduce business costs and carbon emissions, and increase the comfort of employees. Following an audit, project officers will work with businesses to implement the best options for your business. Grants of up to £15,000 (and up to 65% of the cost) are available to eligible businesses to carry out energy efficiency improvements. Measures could include improved lighting, insulation, more efficient process equipment and renewable energy. For more information: derby.gov.uk/d2ee
 
Support is also available for low carbon environmental accreditation and technical support consultancy from the University of Derby: see http://bit.ly/2tLYEjX

The D2 Energy Efficiency Project is run by a partnership between the University of Derby, Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

What Would Your Community Do With Substation Data?
 
What could your community group do with electricity-demand data from your local substation? The Centre for Sustainable Energy is working on a ‘grid innovation’ project to share substation data with communities across the Western Power Distribution area, which includes most of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. It’s called OpenLV.
 
There are around a million low-voltage (LV) electricity substations in the UK, but local people currently have no way of accessing data from them. OpenLV aims to work with community groups to help them find a variety of ways to use this data, for example to secure better grid connections for new renewables or identify suitable places for electric car charging points. CSE need to know what level of interest there is out there. Complete their survey before 10^th July to tell them whether this is something you might be interested in:
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/OpenLV