Newsletter November 2011

Hello and welcome to November’s Newsletter. We hope to welcome as many of you that can make it to our AGM on Thursday 17th November at 7.30 p.m. at the Town Council Offices. There will be important matters to discuss about our official status as well as the future direction of Sustainable Ottery. If you wish to know more about this or any other of our future plans then please come along. You will be very welcome. Refreshments available!

Sustainable Ottery A.G.M. on Thursday 17th November at 7.30 p.m.
at the Town Council Offices.
Every one is welcome to join us for our AGM. One of the major matters to discuss is the future of the status of the group. Currently we have the official legal status of a ‘Community Interest Company’. However, for a variety of reasons (to be discussed on the 17th) it is not really practical for us to continue with this and the proposal is that we revert back to a simple association. This will need a decision at the meeting. Also, we will review what has taken place in the last year and discuss what we can achieve in the future. This is where we need your help! We have over 600 supporters on our mailing list but a working committee of about 6! We really do need more people prepared to get more involved please to make a real difference in Ottery. Please join us on the 17th. There’ll be local drink and nibbles too plus less local tea and coffee! Also, it is time for members to re-new their subscriptions - £3. See form at the end of this Newsletter. Thanks.

Special Energy Event at the Community Market on
 Saturday November 19th 9.30-12.30 at The Institute.
The next S.O. Community Market will take place on Saturday 19th November in The Institute, Yonder St. which is earlier in the month than normally happens. As well as the usual stalls selling locally grown, cooked or hand-made produce, we will have a table with lots of information about how you can save money on your energy bills. We will have details of grants that are available to help you lag your loft, fill the cavities in the wall etc, energy-saving tips and even help if you are thinking of installing P.V. panels or a solar thermal system or other renewable energy schemes. The Feed-In tariffs will be halved in December but they are still a great way of generating your own electricity and give a decent return on your investment. We will have a display of all sorts of equipment, gadgets and D.I.Y. products that can really make a difference to keeping your energy bills down and what’s more they’re all available to buy in Ottery from either ‘Roberts’ or ‘Abbotts’. Come along and see if we can help you – what have you got to lose? If you need any more incentive then there’s also plenty of tea and cake from the W.I. ladies if you need warming up. If you can’t make it on the 19th but still have some energy-related queries, then please e-mail us at info@sustainableottery.org.uk or tel. 01404 811067 and we’ll try and help. Also, check out the new-look Energy Savings Trust website www.energysavingstrust.org.uk which is crammed full of good, practical tips and ideas.

African Drumming- Saturday 19th November
The very popular and vibrant African drumming/percussion workshops continue on our doorstep in Ottery and ably demonstrated at the Environmental Exhibition last month. The next drumming workshop will be held on Saturday 19th November beginners at 2pm, more advanced drummers at 3.30 p.m finishing at 5 p.m. The cost is £7.50 per session. It will take place at the Station Youth Club, Barrack Rd (ie main road out of Ottery to A30), on the Kings School side of the River Otter on the right hand side, a few metres from the bridge. For more information call 814217. Drums are available to borrow and everyone over 11 years old (accompanied by an adult up to 16) is welcome. Future date is December 17th.

Proposed changes to the National Planning Policy framework
At a recent EDDC Local Development Framework Panel meeting the draft Nation Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was discussed. New (draft) proposals would require Local Planning Authorities such as EDDC to provide the burden of proof as to why a supermarket planning application should be refused! Up to now, the burden of proof has been with the applicant to provide the burden of proof as to why it should be approved. The result of this substantial change of emphasis to the applicant is that EDDC and other Local Authorities would be very unlikely to refuse a planning application for fear of getting into an expensive legal battle with the big supermarket chains! If you don’t like the sound of these proposals the LDF Panel report will go before a meeting of EDDC`s Development Management Committee on Friday 18 November (the meeting at The Knowle, Sidmouth starts at 9am) and the public is entitled to be present. There will also be a formal consultation commencing on 1 December by EDDC asking what you think of the revised LDF – your chance to have your say.

Community Orchard / More Allotments?
Currently, Justin Pollard, a research student at Exeter University is working with local transition groups in East Devon and Exeter He is keen to explore the idea of a community orchard, allotments or growing space in Ottery. He is successfully investigating this with the other groups too. If this is something that you might like to get involved in either as a grower, investor or land supplier(!) then please contact Justin on justin@sustainableottery.org.uk  

A Response to an Article in Local Free Paper.
Some of you may have seen headlines in the local free press that ‘Store Monitoring-Sustainable Ottery vows to keep a close eye on Sainsbury’s’. Unfortunately, this headline does not reflect the conversation that took place. The following letter has been sent to the paper, as yet, not published.

‘I have just seen the edition of the 'View form Ottery St Mary'. A few comments if I may.
I did not say that Sustainable Ottery would be 'monitoring Sainsbury's' or that '..she and other members of the group would be keeping tabs on Sainsbury's operation.' I did suggest that you contact Ottery Chamber of Commerce to find out exactly what Sainsbury's had promised to do in regard to helping the local shops (as I am not privy to that information) so that they could keep on eye on things to ensure that whatever was promised is carried out. Therefore, your major and minor headlines do not reflect what I said.
Monitoring Sainsbury's is not part of any remit of Sustainable Ottery and calling us a campaigning group is not an adequate description of all that we are about. Our aims are to support the local community of Ottery St Mary & surrounding villages to deal with the effects of climate change and dwindling resources and to make the town more self-reliant and self sufficient in staples such as food and energy. Obviously a large supermarket in a small town will not be conducive to these aims, which was why we raised arguments against the store. However, these, along with other concerns about the size of the store from various other bodies, were over-ruled by EDDC planning department. We need to move forward and address all the other issues that concern Sustainable Ottery such as transport, energy, local food etc. We are also concerned about pollution in Ottery and have raised the matter with the District Council.‘

Rotary Raffle
Many thanks to John Crew who did sterling work selling raffle tickets at The Community Market and thanks to you too if you bought one to raise much needed funds for Sustainable Ottery. If you did buy one, hope you are lucky!

An Appeal from The King’s School
The textiles’ department are on the look-out for any odd beads or broken brooches, etc. Also, oddments of fabric always required. Please contact the school on 01404 812082. Also, don’t miss their Christmas Fayre on Friday 2nd December from 7 p.m.

Proposed Cuts to D.C.C. Budget
If you missed the recent public meeting last month in Ottery you can send any ideas about the proposed cuts to the Devon County Council budget to Kirsty at communication@devon.gov.uk . Also visit www.toughchoices.co.uk

Other Events in the Area
(Please contact us if you need assistance with transport to any of these events or could offer lifts and we will try and co-ordinate arrangements)

Active Citizens – Locally Engaged and Globally Connected
A unique opportunity for you to take part in an exciting local project with an international focus - offering you both a personal and community experience. At Belmont Chapel, Western Way, Exeter on 28, 29 Oct. 3, 4 & 11 Nov. 9:30am – 5:00pm cost: free. For more information please contact Von Mathieson, Email: von.mathieson@exetercvs.org.uk  Tel: 01392 202055 ww.exetercvs.org.uk/learning

Friday 11th and 25th November - Axewoods Co-op
The Axewoods Co-op is helping the National Trust to thin local woodlands and in return volunteers receive firewood. New members welcome. For further details visit http:// axewoods.org or contact: john@maitlandbell.eclipse.co.uk The next working dates are: Friday 11th and Friday 25th November from 10am onwards. Park on Salcombe Hill.

November 14th – ‘Transition Ethics: Getting Off Oil and the Moral Crisis of Capitalism’
Professor Michael Northcott
A talk by Professor Michael Northcott is the author of A Moral Climate: The Ethics of Global Warming and An Angel Directs the Storm: Apocalyptic Religion and American Empire’. This interesting and highly topical talk will take place at the SWMTC Library, Amory Building, University of Exeter at 1pm. (To reach the library go to level 3, through the Geography corridor, down the stairs at the end and to the left).

Tuesday 15th November ‘What Shall We Do About Christmas?’
An ideas workshop on alternatives to shopping, stress and consumerism at Christmas time. Transition Exeter will be exploring solutions to the pressures we feel amongst the Christmas consumerism and look at alternative ways to enjoy the Christmas season. On Tuesday 15th of November 6.45pm (teas) for a 7.00pm start. Upstairs at Friend’s Meeting House, Wynard’s Lane, Magdalen St., Devon EX2 4HU. Contact: Penny penny.ritson@hotmail.co.uk  07811409954

November 18th – ‘Campaign Against Climate Change’ by Rehad Desai.
Rehad Desai is a world renowned film-maker who has documented the social changes that have taken place in South Africa since the end of Apartheid. He is touring the UK in November to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on the African Continent as well as the social forces organizing for change. This is prior to the 17th United Nations Climate Change conference that takes place in December in Durban South Africa. The talk is at 1pm Queen’s MR2 University of Exeter.

Saturday 19th November 1-4pm Christmas ‘Local’ Food Fayre
Whimple Victory Hall
Is it possible to have a Christmas lunch with very few food miles? We are hoping to offer a wide array of local produce to prove that this can be done and to highlight the interesting and delicious produce we have nearby. A Wasters of Whimple Event. For more information on having a stall or just coming along please contact: Jenny Sanders (jls.sanders@btinternet.com) (01404 823015) or Alison Betts (alison.betts@yahoo.co.uk) (01404 823967).

Devon Wild Food Foraging Courses in Sidmouth
Stalking Edible Wild Mushrooms. For the last 12 years Rob Ridlington & Tim James have been ‘obsessively’ intrigued by wild edible mushrooms, and every year during the season, can be seen hunting for them around Sidmouth, Devon. During this two hour wild edible mushroom walk, Tim & Rob will be uncovering the fungal food delights that country dwellers have enjoyed for centuries. Costs £ 20 for two hours – next walk on September 11th and every Sunday after that into early October. For more details please visit www.foragingcourses.com/timrob

Forest Garden Open Sundays
The Old Pavilion, Cuckoo Down Lane, Honiton EX14 9TT is holding an open Sunday on the 2nd Sunday of each month for volunteers to go and work in the garden and learn about forest garden techniques. In return lunch is provided. More information from www.oldpaviliondevon.co.uk or 01404 45699.

CCANW
There are lots of interesting talks and events being organised by CCANW, an arts and ecology organisation located in Haldon Forest Park on the subject of wool, ecology, trees etc. For more information please contact Johanna Korndorfer Learning and Development Manager Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World: 01392 832277E: j.korndorfer@ccanw.co.uk
 www.ccanw.co.uk Haldon Forest Park, Exeter, EX6 7XR

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SUSTAINABLE OTTERY’S NEXT STEERING GROUP MEETING (AGM) -
7.30 P.M. THURSDAY 17th NOVEMBER 2011
OTTERY ST. MARY TOWN COUNCIL OFFICES. ALL WELCOME!
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Please pass on this newsletter to any contacts you have. If you have been sent this by a friend, please e-mail info@sustainableottery.org.uk adding `subscribe’ to the subject line. If you would like to be removed from the mailing list, please let us know. And if you currently receive a paper copy of this newsletter but could receive it electronically (which is cheaper and more environmentally friendly), please send us your e-mail address.
See www.sustainableottery.org.uk for further details of our events and activities.
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Become a Sustainable Ottery signed-up member
What better time to become a signed up SO member than the New Year! Below you will find an application form. The benefits of being a member:

Supporting the work of Sustainable Ottery as described on the website
· Voting powers at AGMs (notice of these will be posted on the website)
· The right to stand for election as a director of the company
· Regular e-newsletters keeping you up to date with news of Sustainable Ottery, environmental and local issues
· Membership of sub-groups that interest you
· An influence on the direction that the organisation takes in pursuit of its aims
· An open invitation to attend Directors’ meetings

Sustainable Ottery Ltd.
Community Interest Company
Application for membership

I would like to apply to be a member of Sustainable Ottery and I support the aims of the organisation as described on the organisation’s website at www.sustainableottery.org.uk/

Name:………………………………………………………………………………..

Address: …………………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………… Postcode: ……………………………………..

Email: ………………………………………………………………………………..

Tel: ………………………………………………Signature………………………..

Membership is open to everyone over the age of 16.
Annual membership fee £3 (renewable on 15th October annually)
I do not wish to be a member but would like to be a supporter and receive the e-newsletter
Please return to: Sustainable Ottery, c/o Roberts, Broad Street, Ottery St. Mary, Devon. EX11 1BU
Cash, or cheques made out to Sustainable Ottery please. Your details will not be passed to any other organisation at any time. By signing this form you are agreeing to us keeping your information on a computer system.