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Newsletter

Dear Turn Lyme Green Supporters 

Despite the uncertainty and tragedies that surround us due to Covid-19, we are seeing the green shoots of spring,  feeling more often the warmth of the sun and feeling uplifted by the  kindness and generosity seen in our communities which will carry us forward in the coming weeks.   We have had to postpone our TLG AGM which was scheduled for 21 April but want to share with you the annual report written by Jo Smith Oliver, our Chair.  It reviews the many activities and events of the past year and looks forward, outlining events to come and inviting ideas from you on how we can continue to work towards a sustainable and resilient community.  

As soon as it is possible to set dates for meetings, we will let you know.      In the meantime, we send best wishes and trust you will keep yourselves, family and friends safe and well.

 

TURN LYME GREEN    ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
 

Postponed for now but we look forward to seeing you when we re-schedule a date.  In the meantime, you can read Jo Smith Oliver's annual report describing the work of Turn Lyme Green and Plastic Free Lyme Regis over the past 12 months.  It's been a busy year continuing campaigns and  developing relationships locally with schools, businesses, the Town Council, residents and visitors.  Also we have been liaising closely with other local environmental organisations and those nearby, mentoring, sharing information and working together to protect our environment, reduce waste and achieve zero carbon goals. 

LYME GARDEN GROWERS
What a lot of growing going on !

 

Rikey Austin is spearheading a local Facebook group called Lyme Garden Growers, and it is taking off like a rocket.  She offers advice and encouragement to everyone to get growing, but more than that she has packaged up seeds and  planted up seedlings from tomatoes to strawberry plants. All this for free to the community.  Members of the group can sign up for the offerings and collect them from St Michael's Business Centre,  the home of Rikey's Alice's Bear Shop.  No doubt the sharing of seedlings will grow as more members have excess plants.  As she writes on the Facebook page, " Let's get (no) digging. We'd like to see our local food miles turned into food feet with a local garden growing scheme and farmers market. Making the most of our locally grown fruit, veg, produce and plants. Apples from your trees, eggs from your chickens."

If you have any questions or you want to share any extra seedlings, do leave a message for Rikey on the Facebook page  If you are not a Facebook user, you can ring her on  07729 191516.   Keep growing!!

 
THE BIG PEA EXPERIMENT
Lyme Garden Growers' latest idea for children and families. Go to the Facebook page to sign up for pots, compost and seeds.

FUTURE MEETINGS & EVENTS
 

Just so we don't lose sight of future plans, here are some meetings and events to keep in mind.  We will let you know the dates of these, either to confirm them or tell you the re-scheduled.date.
MAY
Dr Sue Beckers presenting more insights on our health and well being
JUNE Tuesday 9th     
Walk in Nature with tree expert, Graham Jones
JULY Tuesday 14th    
The much acclaimed photographer, Colin Varndell, presents ‘ The Hedgehog Predicament’


TLG FILMS  All about the land, seeds and food security  
 4 monthly film nights at the Driftwood Cafe

Originally schedule to start in April.

Char Valley Parish Council
Event: The Climate & Environmental Emergency


Home Energy Workshop
This event at the Woodmead Halls has been postponed to September/October.
In the meantime,  opportunities will be found to inform households and businesses of energy saving opportunities.  

 

Meeting this week - Thursday 16th
STOP PRESS

 

"As we cannot hold physical meetings, the Lyme Regis One Planet Working Group will be holding its meeting by Zoom video conferencing, on Thursday 16th April at 7:00pm.
If you would like to take part, ensure you can run Zoom (visit the Zoom web site and download the client for your device) and on the day use this link to sign into the meeting.
https://us04web.zoom.us/j/482186046?pwd=c2FwSlFCelFFUTNaME1YYXlGRmNWdz09
If you need help setting up Zoom, please contact me by emailing chair@opwg.org.uk
Simon West FRSA
Acting as an individual on behalf of Lyme Regis One Planet Working Group

 
IN THE COMMUNITY
SHOP LOCAL!  Support your local businesses.  There is a full list of shop opening hours, restaurants and cafes offering take away food, deliveries from the butcher and local farms.  The list is updated regularly and can be found to download and print out on the Town Council web site on their special COVID-19 information page (scroll down)

 
A Facebook page has been set up to co-ordinate all the volunteers who are offering support to their local neighbours - shopping, collecting presciptions, giving lifts, phone support etc... street by street - road by road.  This is a fantastic community initiative brought together very quickly several weeks ago..  If you don't use Facebook, you can email Fran Williams direct on franwilliams62@gmail.com to ask for help and advice or to offer help..

 
The popular Shute Festival has had to cancel events held at St Michael's Church but hopes to offer many talks online via Zoom.  There are two coming up which have environmental themes.  To get up-to-date information on these and other events, email the Festival organisers - shutefest@gmail.com - to be put onto their mailing list.  The organisers take great pride in ensuring that the festival is ' non-plastic, sustainable and channels all profits back into the community'.  

May 23rd.  James Cowden, "The Frozen River- Seeking Silence in the Himalaya'
July 19th    Jill Butler, speaking  about 'Ancient Trees in an Historic Tree Scape'

 
The Jurassic Coast Trust have put together a wonderful selection of activities and ideas to entertain the young ones in our lives. And there are quizzes for the more mature generation too!  If you join their mailing list on the web site you can have new ideas popping into your inbox.

 
FINDING A CALM SPACE
A meditation from Jo Smith Oliver
As we all recover from the rigours of the shock of the beginning of this permanent life change and profound awakening, I would like to offer this visualisation and would love to get some feedback if anyone is interested.
The power of visualisation and meditation is well documented.  It is a very strong tool for relaxation, transformation and in many ways changes how we see the world. It is also great fun and very healing!
 
GROW PEAT FREE !
The charity, Garden Organic, has launched it’s ‘For Peat’s Sake’ campaign to stop the use and sale of peat-based compost in the UK.  Historically, peat has been used in compost because it is good at holding water and retains nutrients.   However, it is well known that peat bogs in the UK have been decimated by 95% and continuing to use peat-based compost is not sustainable.  Peat bogs are ecologically and environmentally sensitive and once destroyed take thousands of years to recover.  They are the most efficient land-based store of carbon and when they are destroyed, carbon dioxide and methane are released into the atmosphere, which contributes to increases in global temperature. Currently, 32% of our peat comes from the UK, 60% from Ireland and 8% from Ireland.  Our peat bogs are being systematically destroyed.
 
How do we know if compost is peat free?
A Google search brought up a range of composts when I asked for 'Peat Free'.  Two that I looked at helpfully described that they were Coir based and Charcoal based.  The third did not state the basis of the compost but was clearly RHS approved.  None of the others were peat free.  It is important to look at the description of the product details when buying Peat Free, as compost which is described as Organic, 'Environmentally Friendly' and 'Reduced Peat' will very likely contain peat.  Garden Organic urges gardeners to ignore claims such as ‘not from an environmentally sensitive site’ – as all peat bogs are sensitive habitats.  The charity also states that the word ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean peat free.  If you are unsure, go for compost labelled 'Peat Free' and research what it is made up of as well as you can.
 
What are the peat free options?
Generally, peat alternatives are bark, wood fibre, coir, bio solids, mushroom, bracken, leaf mould and green compost.   These have not been marketed and developed on the scale that general compost has, and they can present more of a challenge to gardeners.  For example, the RHS notes that peat free brands often recommend specific fertilisers for use with their compost since different formulations have a different balance of nutrients.
If you have the time and space to make your own compost, this is a good option for growers.  I researched what Dorset Council does with the food waste from our recycling bins.  This is not recycled for people to buy as compost.  However, it is broken down to provide biogas to generate heat and electricity.  It also produces fertiliser for local farms and business.  Dorset Council advises on its website that the most environmentally friendly way of using our food waste is to use a home compost bin or compost heap.  The Council also offers to home deliver 220 and 330 litre compost bins to local homes, with a special offer in place.
This spring and summer in Lyme Regis many of us are trying to grow some of our own salad, veg and fruit.  So, make this the year you find a peat-free compost that suits the way you garden and the produce you wish to grow… and GROW PEAT FREE!
                                                                                             Meg Devine
 
FREE Greeting Cards
Lyme based charity, The Word Forest Organisation, has launched a new initiative to raise funds to continue planting trees in Lyme Regis, other communities nearby in West Dorset and in Kenya.
 
Tracey West writes:   "Our resident geek, Simon West, has created a rather splendid eCard charity shop with page-turning cards.  Simon explains: "We'd like to give 2 free eCards to all the fine folks that subscribe to the TLG newsletter. The cards are normally £1 each (or just 50p each if you buy 5 or more) and they're really easy to send. Tracey and I hope they help people stay in touch with loved ones in a vibrant way that's also doing other good in the world."
 
There are 20 categories to browse, including a rather popular one called Life After Lockdown and 373 designs to choose from. You must send both cards at the same time and the offer expires at the end of May. Once you've written your two eCards, just type TLG in the Coupon box when prompted and it's a job done! Stay home, stay safe and see you around soon.

 
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Turn Lyme Green.  April Cottage  West Hill Road  Lyme Regis  DT7 3LW






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Turn Lyme Green · April Cottage · West Hill Road · Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LW · United Kingdom

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