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Help - Funds needed!

Transition Town Bridport is an independent group run by the voluntary contributions of its members.  Currently we are planning two events which require some funds to make them happen.

• The Skills for Self Reliance is preparing to start courses for 18-24 year old unemployed people, training them in the use of hand tools and practical skills.  We received a grant to set up the course and buy materials and tools.  However continuing the course will require the cost of replacing the materials used, and also the expenses of the trainers.

• The more people we can get to the Big Picnic, the better.  This will require some publicity. We want to produce some leaflets for this and future newsletters.

We need to raise about £400 for these two events and future campaigns.  If everybody who wishes to support TTB contributed  whatever you can afford, we would easily reach this figure. If you support the work of TTB, please send a cheque payable to Transition Town Bridport, to 
TTB Treasurer,41 St Katherine's Avenue, DT6 3DE.  Thanks! 

Green Gathering

St Mary's Hall, 28 April 2012

Three of us attended a conference in Bridport, organised by Paul McIntosh of Dorset Agenda 21. This involved green organisations throughout Dorset, to discuss ways of working together in the future. Many useful links were made and topics such as Positive Psychology and the need for tighter feedback loops.

Close the Door

Anne gave a talk to Bridport Business (was Bridport Chamber of Trade) explaining the campaign, which is to persuade businesses and shops in Bridport to keep the door shut to save energy by keeping the warmth in, and out in summer if using aircon.  This is linked to the national campaign.   There are already well over twenty shops and businesses in Bridport who have joined the local campaign.

Draught Busters

 

Chit has found another possible house in Victoria Grove for a workshop in June. If you are interested in becoming trained in draughtproofing your home and others, please contact Chit Chong on 07970 483188 or email him.



Skills for Self-Reliance - a project that is really taking off

13 May 2012:
The group has set up the workshop benches at the Kingston Maurward building at North Mills. Most volunteers, tools and equipment in the workshop are now ready, and we are waiting for the grant to come through. We are likely to start in September. Ian has now conquered the mountain of red tape and paperwork involved.

Forgotten Foods


This spring the Food group are concentrating on Foraging, so that your walks in and around Bridport can be even more fruitful. Follow this link for more details.

Draught Busters Training the Trainers

 

Lorna and Chit

On Saturday eight people descended on Lorna Hill’s house in Bridport to receive training on a cheap and effective way of sealing windows and doors against draughts. Lorna had agreed to allow her house to be used for the demonstration, and for thanks got her house draught proofed for free.

Chit Chong demonstrated how to fix the sealing strips on sash and casement windows so that they would keep the heat in but remain easy to open in the warmer months. Gaps round doors could also be stopped very effectively and at little cost with the materials provided.

Lorna has lived in her house for fifteen years. “ These windows , and even worse the front door, have always been draughty, and my heating bills have been enormous trying to keep these rooms warm. I am delighted that the problems could be fixed so easily.” During the training, five windows and the front door were sealed at no cost to Mrs Hill.

People on the morning training session plan to use their skills on their own houses. “ This is a great scheme – really cheap, and great for old houses” was Sally Collins’ view; “and importantly women can do it for themselves”.

Draughtbusters has received a grant from Dorset County Council. They are now looking for two other properties to run a training sessions for householders. The houses used for the demonstration will get their insulation for free, and participants will be able to take home materials to draught proof their own houses at cost price.

If you have a house which is hard to keep warm, and can use a small hammer (or know someone who can) Draught Busters are keen to hear from you. Please contact Chit Chong on 07970 483188 or email admin@transitiontownbridport.co.uk .

Also contact him if you would like a place on a training session


 


Chit and Sally


Infrared picture before treatment. Dark patches represent cold air
After treatment;
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;
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I nfrared pictures before ( left) and after ( right) treatment. The dark patches represents cold areas

BRIDPORT CLOSE THE DOOR


Bridport is soon to have its own Close the Door campaign. This is a voluntary and very successful campaign operating across the UK, and at retail Head Office level, which encourages retailers to save energy by closing the door when using heating or air conditioning. It is business friendly, tightly targeted and backed by hard scientific data, successfully bringing about very significant energy and money savings, and greatly improving working conditions within shops. Check out their website here.

NB. You are keen on saving energy - your vote is needed - now!


Close the Door has reached the four finalists out of 600 for a 10K funding prize. The last and crucial phase is an online vote and it would be so much appreciated if you and as many others as you can encourage could vote for Close the Door. You have to give an email address to ensure against multiple votes from one person but it is very, very clear and easy at voting to make sure that you cannot be contacted on this - and your vote is sure to help Bridders on its way to keeping those doors closed!

Vote for the 'Close the Door' campaign here

and look out for 'Close the Door' signs displayed in participating businesses in Bridders very soon!

NB - They won!!!

At the Core group meeting on 26 January the following items were discussed:
  • Initiating a "Close the Door" campaign to encourage shops to keep their doors closed in winter, and in summer if they are air conditioned. This is part of a national campaign. Anne and Chris have completed a survey of shops in East West and South Streets.
  • The stall at the Community Fair the Arts Centre on 4 February as part of Spirit of Bridport
  • St Michael's development
  • A possible fundraiser, perhaps a film showing. Anyone know any good films?
  • Draught Busters. Chit discussed possible houses to initiate the process, and then seek further publicity to widen the number of people involved. The supply of draught proofing materials at the Green Energy Centre or other suppliers was discussed.
  • Our contribution to The Home outreach project was discussed.
If you would like to get involved in any of these issues please email us.

Spend Less and Eat Better 17 December





As part of the "Spend Less and Eat Better" project, the Food Group ran a stall in Bucky Doo Square to show that locally grown apples not only taste much better than supermarket bought imports, but that they are actually much cheaper. Passers-by were invited to sample the apples and all were able to guess which was which. Ali Edgley from "Out of the Box" provided the delicious Bridport apples.

The survey can be downloaded by clicking this link






 
 

AGM and potluck supper

This took place on 6 November in the St John's ambulance Hall. Anne Rickard gave her chairman's report of the extensive work done over the last year, including working with young Transitioners at Colfox school, starting a lending scheme for electricity meters, raising awareness of peak oil, and involvement in a number of social events, and Green drinks. The St John Ambulance hall was decked with display material from each of the main strands of the group.







Anne outlined five new initiatives for the coming year.
  • The Energy Descent group plans to start "˜Draught busters", which will train people to reduce draughts simply, and to supply inexpensive materials.
  • A survey by the Food group of vegetables sold by six small retailers in Bridport compared with five supermarkets.
  • Reskilling workshops will be run in association with Bridport Local Area Skills Training (BLAST), to train young people to use hand t ools.
  • The Zero waste group will seek to persuade people to pledge to reduce and aim to eliminate household waste.
  • The Awareness and Education group will launch a quiz around energy issues, with prizes for the best response.
After the meeting the tables were brought out for drinks and a "Pot Luck" feast - the activity we do best! The attendance was very encouraging, with about 25 people attending.

We do need practical help to get our many projects running. If you are interested in joining any of the groups, or just wish to be kept informed, please contact our administrator, Chris.

 
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