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SEG Home Don't blight the land
(Click on links or scroll down this page) LATEST NEWS England's brown field land can take 1.3 million new homes latest report shows COP26 outcome - more needs to be done urgently "All you Seed Is Love" - Saltford Wildflower Project Support for home energy improvements COP26: St Mary's church bell gives climate warning Fairtrade Christmas in Saltford Global (& UK) biodiversity is below 'safe limit' Boris says build new homes on brown field sites "not on green fields" Local Green Belt and the B&NES Local Plan Partial Update COP26, Kelly Inlet in southern Chile & Saltford's Admiral Kelly SPC responds to Bristol to Bath Transport Survey Can EVs help bring down electricity costs? Solar Together West of England - help to install solar panels More news in our news archive >> Current VOLUNTEER assistance sought by SEG >> England's brown field land can take 1.3 million new homes latest report showsNovember 2021
The latest report from CPRE (also known as the Countryside Charity) "Recycling our land: the state of brownfield report, 2021" on the state of brown field in England has found that this previously developed land could accommodate over 1.3 million new homes - an increase of almost 10% on 2020. But, according to CPRE, with the proportion of brownfield plots with planning permission currently is the lowest since records began - down from 53% last year to 44% now. Despite recent encouraging words from the government, e.g. the Prime Minister Boris Johnson in October saying "build new homes on brown field sites not on green fields", brown field sites are not being prioritised. That is now clear in the West of England with B&NES Council, for example, proposing to overlook sustainable development principles and build on more green fields (and safeguarded Green Belt land) in the Local Plan partial update rather than trading biodiversity improvements in B&NES with other West of England Local Planning Authorities that have brown field sites more suited to development. The CPRE "Recycling our land" report can be found from this external site (link). COP26 outcome - more needs to be done urgentlyNovember 2021
The consensus from most commentators including our own Government is that whilst COP26 was significant progress, more needs to be done to avert the crisis of a global warming. The 2030 national emission reduction targets that national governments have submitted put the planet on a highly dangerous trajectory towards warming of 2.4°C by 2100. Although the wording of the final pact was watered down during the final stages of the negotiations, COP26 was the first time reducing fossil fuels has been mentioned in a COP decision. Many participating countries raised their ambition, with over 40 countries committing to phasing out coal-fired power, and over 30 countries and institutions now committing to halt international finance for fossil fuels. Climate change is already causing severe devastation around the world and there is a widely held consensus that significant and urgent action needs to be taken by 2030 to avoid the most disastrous impacts. The Glasgow Climate Pact arising from COP26 asks governments to revisit and strengthen their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) before the end of 2022 to bring these in line with the Paris Agreement's temperature goal of 1.5°C (the Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015). To try and keep 1.5°C within reach (essential!), governments will need to return to the table with significantly enhanced offers before COP27, which will take place at Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in 2022. What is clear, is that in addition to reducing our carbon footprints radically including moving quickly to less extravagant and resource wasting lifestyles, we will need to become more resilient to the effects of global warming by adapting to climate change. Our climate change page gives advice on climate adaptation relevant to Saltford. SEG through its close links with Saltford Parish Council, B&NES Council and other organisations will continue to encourage low carbon solutions and planning policies that protect and enhance local natural habitats; the ecological emergency will be much worsened and accelerated by climate change and this in turn will rapidly affect global food security - our island nation will not be immune. António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, in a statement on the conclusion of COP26, said the conference outcome reflected the state of political will in the world today and provided building blocks for progress. "We are in the fight of our lives, and this fight must be won," he said. "Never give up. Never retreat. Keep pushing forward." (External) LINKS:- "All you Seed Is Love" - Saltford Wildflower ProjectNovember 2021
Saltford Parish Council (SPC) launched its 'Saltford Wildflower Project: All You Seed is Love' environmental initiative on 3rd November with financial support from SEG and Saltford's B&NES Council Ward Councillor Alistair Singleton from his Ward Councillors Empowerment Fund. The aim of this SPC project is to support pollinating insects by creating new - or enhancing existing - wildlife habitats throughout the village. These can be at the end of residential roads, in small open spaces, roadside verges, by the river - in fact anywhere that B&NES Council (the landowner) agrees. It is also a great opportunity to brighten up the village and get Saltford blooming! Saltford Parish Council is giving free Beebomb seed balls to Saltford residents to plant in public locations around the village. SPC is also offering free Beebombs to local community groups who have outdoor space. When Beebombs, SPC's chosen wildflower seed provider, heard about SPC's project they offered to double SPC's order for the same price! This means SPC has the capacity to give out enough seed balls to cover 1,200 square metres of land in Saltford. SPC needs residents and local groups to get involved to achieve the aims of this project. Meeting criteria to receive free Beebomb seed balls is straightforward and the details can be found on the SPC website (see link below), but in a nutshell residents first need to sign up to the B&NES Council Neighbourhood Nature Area project - this includes finding out from B&NES if the land you would like to plant seeds on is eligible for free seed balls (and to prevent your wildflowers being mowed down!). Once done, they simply need to show their agreement with B&NES Council to Saltford Parish Council to claim free Beebomb seed balls. If you are a local community group with outside space to plant wildflowers, please email clerk@saltfordparishcouncil.gov.uk with details of your group and how many seed balls you would like (i.e. how many square metres of land you would like to plant wildflowers on). SPC is particularly keen to hear from our naturalists of the future, and welcomes applications from groups that work with children and young people in Saltford. Beebombs for local organisations have been joint funded by SPC and Saltford Environment Group (SEG). SPC received guidance from SEG regarding the type of (native) wildflowers to plant.
PROJECT LINKS:-
Support for home energy improvementsOctober 2021
B&NES residents are being offered an easy way to make their home more energy efficient and support the council's net zero carbon ambitions. Homeowners with a joint household income of less than £30,000 a year, or those receiving income related benefits, could be eligible to apply for grant funded energy efficiency improvements to their property. The home improvements could include solar panels, cavity wall, underfloor, or loft insulation and will help homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint. The scheme is being promoted by B&NES Council's Energy at Home service (EHS link) which provides information and signposting on energy related home improvements and grant and loan schemes. Homeowners can fill out an online application form on the West of England Local Authority Delivery (LAD) scheme website from this link to see if they are eligible. The homes need to have an energy certificate rating of D, E, F or G on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Register. Note: The funding has been allocated from the government's Green Homes Grant - Local Authority Delivery Part 2 scheme (GHG-LAD 2), to improve the energy performance of UK homes. The West of England, which includes Bristol, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and B&NES, has been allocated £7.5m. City Energy is the delivery partner for the funding in the West of England. COP26: St Mary's church bell gives climate warningOctober 2021
At 6pm on Saturday 30th October, hundreds of church and cathedral bells across the UK rang out as a warning of the climate emergency and as a call for urgent action on climate change on the eve of COP26*. With the kind permission of St Mary's church, SEG rang the village 200-year-old church bell at St Mary's too. In the past and going back centuries, church bells were used to sound an alarm or warning call as they were the best form of urgent mass communication at the time. The single bell in the St Mary's tower pictured above used for the #RingOutForClimate is dated 1820. In 1820 the population of Saltford was c.327 (now over 4,000), Saltford's Admiral Kelly, then Captain Kelly, was bravely rescuing African slaves from Portuguese slave traders as he commanded HMS Pheasant and the West Africa Squadron, and George IV became King of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. Dangerous climate change was not an issue 200 years ago in 1820. * (External) LINKS:- Fairtrade Christmas in SaltfordOctober 2021
Christmas is fast approaching, and the Saltford Community Association will be holding their Christmas Market on Saturday 4th December 2021 with doors open at 10am. Once more we will have a Fairtrade stall where we can show you a selection of the enormous range of Fairtrade goods that are available and perhaps inspire you on your quest for that perfect gift as well as helping to make a difference to others. Traidcraft offer an excellent range of Fairtrade products and at Christmas there is an additional range of cards, gifts, decorations, and seasonal foods. Please visit www.traidcraftshop.co.uk or if you would like to use their ordering service to avoid delivery charges, please contact Kath McCarthy on kath.mccarthy@hotmail.co.uk or 01225 344066. Please visit us at the Christmas Market for a friendly chat and enjoy a cup of Fairtrade tea or coffee in the excellent Saltford Hall cafe. Hope to see you there. New members always welcome. See our Fairtrade page for more information about Fairtrade. Global (& UK) biodiversity is below 'safe limit'October 2021
The world's biodiversity has fallen below the 'safe limit', researchers suggest, as habitat destruction and agriculture take their toll on nature. The UK is one of the world's most nature-depleted countries being in the bottom 10% globally and last among the G7 group of nations. Ahead of UN Biodiversity Conference, COP 15, hosted by China, the Natural History Museum in London has launched the Biodiversity Trends Explorer, an online tool that will allow everyone, from members of the public to policymakers, to see how the biodiversity of different regions has changed over time. With an average of just 53% of its native wildlife intact, the UK falls behind countries including the USA and China following widespread destruction of its habitats from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Globally, biodiversity intactness, which represents the proportion of the original number of species in an area that remain and their abundance, is measured at 75%. This is significantly below the 90% average set as the 'safe limit' to maintain the ecological processes such as pollination and nutrient cycling that are vital to our survival. Here in B&NES, the deeply depressing data for the UK's depletion of nature should be a wake-up call to our local politicians and strategic land use planners to ensure the forthcoming Local Plan update does not destroy any further green field sites for development including so-called 'safeguarded' former Green Belt or existing Green Belt land. Getting it right on where new housing is built has never been more important. Green field and Green Belt land should be protected and enhanced not destroyed; such destruction puts our future food security at higher risk. Climate change will further reduce the ability of other nations to continue feeding the UK and its growing population at current rates (60% of our net food consumption!) so the protection of our Green Belt and green fields has to be a national priority. Just days before the Natural History Museum data was revealed, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, on 6th October, "... you can also see how much room there is to build the homes that young families need in this country. Not on green fields, not just jammed in the South East, but beautiful homes on brown field sites in places where homes make sense." In response to that helpful statement from the PM, on 9th October SEG's Chairman wrote to our MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, asking him to seek confirmation from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, that Planning Inspectors will not now permit developers to gain planning permission on appeal for building on green fields and the Green Belt including safeguarded Green Belt land regardless of the state of play with a Local Plan and its ability to deliver housing numbers set by central government. Local communities not developers should determine where new housing developments should be built, so written reassurance from Michael Gove is what we need to ensure B&NES Council is not cowed into surrendering our precious green fields and Green Belt by housing number targets imposed by central Government or the ever present threat that developers will go to appeal if they don't get the planning permission they seek. We are all aware of the need to build new, decent and affordable houses but they have to be in the right places. To see the Natural History Museum announcement click here: Global biodiversity below 'safe limit' (external site). See also our October news stories on planning below:- Don't blight the land that feeds you... Boris says build new homes on brown field sites "not on green fields"October 2021 Addressing the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester on 6th October 2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his wish that new homes should be built on brown field sites, NOT green field sites. He said: "Build back beaver, I say. Build back beaver. Though the beavers may sometimes build without local authority permission, you can also see how much room there is to build the homes that young families need in this country. Not on green fields, not just jammed in the South East, but beautiful homes on brown field sites in places where homes make sense." - see our previous news item "Local Green Belt and the B&NES Local Plan Partial Update" resisting B&NES Council's plans to build 280 homes on former Green Belt fields at Keynsham east that would appear to be at complete odds with National Government policy. Local Green Belt and the B&NES Local Plan Partial UpdateOctober 2021
On 5th October Saltford Parish Council agreed its response to B&NES Council on the draft Local Plan Partial Update (LPPU) - this update is being made by B&NES Council to take account of the climate and ecological emergencies before a full review of the Local Plan alongside the West of England Combined Authority Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) in 2023. The proposed update from B&NES does not threaten Saltford's Green Belt with development but an additional 280 houses are proposed for the safeguarded former Green Belt land on the east (Saltford) side of Keynsham. It is hard to find anyone who seriously considers this to be a sound way to meet new housing needs. SPC's response to B&NES, which SEG endorsed as a consultee in its own consultation response on 6th October to B&NES Council, contains these key points:- HOUSING LAND SUPPLY (at Keynsham East) The proposal to develop the safeguarded land east of Keynsham is premature and does not take account of the need to respond proactively to the climate and ecological emergencies. A short-sighted "predict and provide" approach to new developments in response to central Government targets is highly questionable and ignores the local need to protect green field and Green Belt land that has the potential to improve our local ecology which in turn is increasingly necessary to underpin local and national future food security. Brownfield sites and the re-purposing of (former) retail sites close to existing low carbon transport routes should be prioritised for development. If B&NES considers it has insufficient brownfield sites then it should apply an "ecological recovery and development land trade" approach with neighbouring local planning authorities in the West of England (WECA) area. This could be by providing biodiversity net gains through improving its existing green field and Green Belt land to allow neighbouring LPAs to use their "excess" of brownfield sites to meet housing targets (based on genuine need, not demand) in exchange for B&NES undertaking the biodiversity improvements. The lack of public green space, i.e. public parks, near where people live needs rectifying as a priority before further new housing developments are built. Developers should be required to fund the cost of providing new green recreational space for new housing otherwise the cost of infrastructure and related day-visitor facilities in the countryside and other green parks/spaces surrounding the development falls to the LPA. A serious omission from the new developments east of Bristol (in Bristol, B&NES and South Glos) in recent years has been the lack of large new public parks with water facilities (e.g. boating lakes) to cater for the recreational needs of the inhabitants of those new homes. The consequence has been several health and safety problems for riverside areas which were occurring increasingly frequently before the easing of the Covid-19 lockdowns; the lockdowns simply highlighted and amplified the problems. Hot and sunny weekends, Bank Holidays and school holidays result in many householders in existing and new developments with small or no gardens justifiably seeking out water-side areas to picnic, party, swim, use paddle boards etc., or simply relax during their visit. Large cities have traditionally been provided with large public parks (e.g. Victoria Park in Bath) but the growing urban sprawl surrounding cities including Bristol and Bath can be a disaster for local communities and wildlife that become local tourist hot spots. The Bristol to Bath River Avon is a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI). Natural habitats and adjacent local communities, whose own recreational space increasingly becomes a no-go area for locals during periods of hot and sunny weather, require better protection from visitor pressure as inhabitants of new housing developments descend in large numbers on riverside areas along the Avon Valley due to the lack of spacious public parks where they live. The lack of public parks reduces the quality of life for visitors and local communities alike whilst putting wildlife habitats at greater risk. Furthermore, local residential roads near visitor hot spots are blocked as the carrying capacity for parking is greatly exceeded. BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN SPC [& SEG] welcomes the commitments from B&NES Council. As an appropriate response to the ecological emergency, SPC [& SEG] recommends a more ambitious and higher target than 10% Biodiversity Net Gain for developers. Local ecological knowledge and insight, if available (e.g. from an appropriate wildlife NGO), can help optimise gains for each development and therefore is likely to be necessary to calculate an appropriate target for each development. The overarching objective would be to help overcome the biodiversity losses and negative impacts that have resulted from existing developments in the B&NES area that have been permitted in the 2014 Core Strategy as well as in other previous post-war housing and other developments. In any event, the target could helpfully be expressed as a minimum, e.g. "a minimum [15%] Biodiversity Net Gain", to allow for some developments to exceed [15%] where conditions allow. This could encourage and enable greater ambition for biodiversity improvements funded by developers. Work on actually creating the net biodiversity gain should precede not follow the site clearance and building of new developments with opportunities taken to move rare or important species, seed banks etc. from the site being developed first. Due to the climate and ecological emergency the time delay of creating a net biodiversity gain should be factored into calculations. Otherwise, the situation gets worse as climate and ecological tipping points are crossed (e.g., species loss/collapse) before recovery has even started. TRANSPORT If the cumulative effect of new housing developments leading to the current levels of traffic congestion around and within Keynsham and on the A4 corridor between Bristol and Bath had been correctly predicted when the original 2014 Core Strategy and other developments to the east of Bristol and in South Gloucestershire were permitted, it is doubtful that any LPA seeking to protect not reduce the quality of life of residents would have agreed to such negative consequences of that over-development that has evidently occurred. No new housing developments proposed in the LPPU should proceed until the past underestimation of transport infrastructure capacity has been rectified. SPC [& SEG] supports this commitment from B&NES Council that any new developments should be preceded by new transport infrastructure. In view of the above SPC asks that new transport infrastructure requirement after rectification has been completed. New segregated cycle paths should be part of the new transport infrastructure prior to new developments to maximise their use and a transfer away from the car from the outset. It would be unwise to assume that increased home-working as a likely consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic would reduce local travel. An increase in local (short) daytime journeys by car to replace some of the commuting journeys could be a likely outcome until a modern integrated public transport system has been developed and is operating. SPC [& SEG] respectfully reminds B&NES Council that air pollution from traffic is not just restricted to tail pipe emissions (NOx etc.). Air pollution of particulates from tyre wear, brake dust and road surface wear are widely recognised as another consequence of both fossil fuelled vehicles and (often heavier) EVs. However, in recognising the importance of a switch from fossil fuelled road vehicles to EVs, SPC welcomes the commitment by B&NES Council to provide "Fast and Rapid charging facilities to car parks across the district in 2021" as we understand the provision in B&NES to be well behind some other West of England areas. SPC [& SEG] welcomes the positive commitment of B&NES Council to explore the potential for re-opening Saltford Station. This should be on the existing station site for the reasons previously articulated by SPC (and SEG's Saltford Station campaign). SPC [& SEG] supports new segregated cycle paths along the A4 corridor and on connecting routes wherever possible to provide greater safety of cyclists and encourage greener transport. The Keynsham Bypass (A4) and the A4 east of Saltford towards Newbridge and Bath would greatly benefit from dedicated cycle paths. New transport infrastructure where land is lost for that infrastructure should not be immune to meeting the B&NES net gain target for biodiversity. You can download the full text of SPC's response here:- SPC LPPU response 5.10.2021 (pdf opens in new window). Residents, businesses and other stakeholders can have their say on the Local Plan Partial Update by the 8 October deadline - see the B&NES Council LPPU consultation webpage >> COP26, Kelly Inlet in southern Chile & Saltford's Admiral KellyOctober 2021
The United Nations Climate Summit, COP26, to be held in Glasgow between 31 October and 12 November 2021, under the presidency of the UK will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The goals of COP26 are :-
The Patagonian Icefields, in southern Chile, which straddle the Andes below 46°S, are two of the most sensitive ice masses on Earth to climate change. Glacier Benito, 47°S, 74°W, is a temperate outlet glacier on the west side of the North Patagonian Icefield. Rates of thinning and ablation (removal by erosion or other processes) have been obtained using data collected by the British Joint Services Expedition in 1972/73 and subsequent data collected in 2007, 2011 and 2017. The main access route to Glacier Benito is from Kelly Inlet and Kelly Harbour, named after Saltford's famous resident Admiral Kelly. Kelly Harbour is immediately south of San Rafael Lake (Laguna), Aysén, Chile. But why was Kelly Inlet and Kelly Harbour named, in 1828, after Admiral (then Captain) B M Kelly?
Kelly Harbour was named by Commander Pringle Stokes of HMS Beagle when Stokes surveyed the Inlet on 25th May 1828. In Stokes' last journal (Mitchell Library, Sydney, Australia) Stokes says "In the next page, I have given a full account and a sketched plan of this Harbour which I have called Kelly's Harbour, after a friend and brother officer, Captain B M Kelly, RN. To Captain Kelly, I am indebted for my introduction to the leader of the expedition, Captain P P King, RN, FRS". Unfortunately, Commander Pringle Stokes found the task of surveying this part of Chile in mid-winter incredibly challenging (as it would have been for anyone) and took his life soon afterwards in August 1828. That tragedy triggered an interesting sequence of events. Captain P P King, in command of the surveying expedition, wanted to promote Lieutenant Skyring (Stokes' able surveyor) to command HMS Beagle, a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. However, he was overruled by Rear Admiral Sir Robert Waller Otway who appointed Lieutenant Robert Fitz-Roy, on his staff instead. Fitz-Roy wanted a person with a similar mind to accompany him on his voyages so selected recently graduated and now famous naturalist, geologist and biologist, Charles Darwin (1809 - 1882) best known for his contributions to the science of evolution. Darwin's first voyage on HMS Beagle, the ship's second survey expedition voyage, began on 27 December 1831 and lasted almost five years. As HMS Beagle surveyed the coasts of South America, Darwin theorised about geology and the extinction of giant mammals. Acknowledgement Martin Sessions (ex-Royal Navy) from Canberra, Australia contacted SEG's Chairman Phil Harding in September 2021 with information about the link between Admiral (Captain) Kelly, Kelly Inlet, HMS Beagle and Charles Darwin. SEG is grateful to Martin Sessions who has participated in and led expeditions to Glacier Benito (via Kelly Inlet) since 1972 examining and reporting on its condition. In 1971, Martin Sessions was selected as a member of the 1972/73 British Joint Services Expedition to Chilean Patagonia led by Crispin Agnew. His tasks were to undertake the glacier and weather studies of the expedition. The expedition's base camp was in Kelly Inlet (Abra Kelly). Professor Otto Nordenskjold with Hugo Pallin and others had made Kelly Inlet their base in their 1921/22 expedition. Glacier Benito appeared to be the best glacier to study in the area. It had its own basin, was of a significant size and was accessible from Kelly Inlet. Further information about those expeditions can be found at www.glaciar-benito.cl. Information about Admiral Kelly (naval officer, liberator of slaves, and benefactor) can be found on SEG's History of Saltford project web page about him from this link:- Admiral Kelly where this information about Kelly Inlet is also published. Link to COP26 website: ukcop26.org SPC responds to Bristol to Bath Transport SurveySeptember 2021 The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has been engaging local residents on plans to provide better and more sustainable transport between Bath and Bristol - to help people move around more easily, reduce congestion, lower carbon emissions and improve the environment. This is a partnership consultation with B&NES Council and Bristol City Council. The deadline for responses was 10th September. The following are extracts from Saltford Parish Council's response agreed at its monthly public meeting on 7th September:- Saltford Parish Council considers that any strategy Planning related to a Bristol to Bath Bristol Transport Corridor must take fully into account the capacity of the roadways that are part of this strategically important route. Any Highway capacity limitations need to be clearly identified and resolved by Local and National Government working together to find transport solutions to these existing and future traffic load constraints. Saltford Parish Council is concerned and therefore highlights the limited traffic capacity of the A4 from the Globe roundabout to Saltford and then through Saltford to the Broadmead roundabout. This single carriageway section of the A4 reaches capacity during rush hour. We consider that the congestion along this section of the A4 will also worsen as a result of the large number of Commercial and Housing developments completed and planned that will feed transport on to this section of the A4. Given the existing restriction of capacity and road size of the A4 through Saltford no plan to improve Mass Transit along this strategic important transport corridor should be considered without effective strategic plans to remove some of the traffic volume from the A4 by using alternative existing transport corridors between the two cities. Most significant is the Great Western Railway which travels through Saltford to both Bath and Bristol. Here the original station site is on the A4 and could be developed. Additionally, there is the Bath Bristol Railway Path. Originally this railway line had two tracks and has the width for possible additional development. The full SPC response can be found in "News" on SPC's website. Can EVs help bring down electricity costs?September 2021 Launching Ofgem's strategy on Electric Vehicles (EVs) on 4th September, Neil Kenward, Ofgem's Director of Strategy and Decarbonisation, said: "Electric vehicles will revolutionise the way we use energy and provide consumers with new opportunities, through smart products, to engage in the energy market to keep their costs as low as possible. Our electric vehicle priorities not only provide a way to meet our climate change targets but importantly offers ways to protect consumers from rising bills, through a three-prong approach of increased use of electric vehicles, smart charging and vehicle-to-grid technology which together can help drive down costs for all GB bill payers." Ofgem set out how it will support the rollout of electric vehicles (EVs) in Britain, ensuring that the infrastructure and technology is in place for the rapidly growing number of EVs on the road, with an estimated 14 million by 2030. This will include:
Ofgem is Great Britain's independent energy regulator. Ofgem's website is at www.ofgem.gov.uk. Solar Together West of England - help to install solar panelsSeptember 2021 'Solar Together West of England' is a group-buying scheme that offers homeowners and businesses the chance to generate their own clean electricity at a highly competitive price. There is an option to add battery storage too. Owners of community buildings and small business premises are also able to join the scheme. This innovative new group-buying programme offers you several advantages over 'going it alone' with transferring to solar power:
This scheme is being delivered in partnership with the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), and their partner iChoosr Ltd, who are independent experts in group-buying. Find out how you could save money and the environment - register for free by 28 September via this B&NES Council web page link: Solar Together. 'Solar Together West of England' is suitable for those who own their own homes/buildings and can afford to install these measures themselves. For residents on lower incomes or living in poorly performing homes, there is support and information available through B&NES Council's Energy at Home website. Saltford Calendar 2022September 2021
The Saltford Calendar 2022 featuring some stunning photographs by local photographers is now available from Saltford Post Office* at £7 each. As in previous years the calendar has been produced by Saltford Community Association and Saltford Environment Group. All net proceeds will be split between SCA, SEG and the Saltford Community Library and Post Office to help further their work supporting the community. By purchasing your copy or copies (it makes a great gift!) you are helping support the community, including helping to keep the Post Office open, whilst celebrating the village and its rural setting. *Saltford Post Office is open 9am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm on Monday to Friday, closed on Thursday, and also open Saturday 9am - 12 noon. Climate change - what it means to Fairtrade farmers and how Fairtrade are responding to their needsSeptember 2021 As Part of The Great Big Green Week - Churches Together, Eco Festival on 18th September - Keynsham Market Walk/The Space, 10am - 3pm, the Saltford and Keynsham Fairtrade Groups are sharing a stall. Do come along to find out more about Fairtrade and their part in helping struggling farmers cope with climate change. FACTS - QUOTED FROM TRAIDCRAFT The cocoa industry is a turbulent sector, where poverty and child labour are still commonplace and a living income - enough for a decent standard of living, or £1.86 per day - is reserved for just a few farmers. For cocoa producers, it's a constant battle dealing with the effects of adverse weather conditions brought on by climate change and volatile cocoa prices. HELP IS AT HAND - QUOTE FROM THE FAIRTRADE FOUNDATION Environmental protection is a key element of Fairtrade's view of sustainability. Fairtrade Standards require smallholder farmer and larger hired labour production set-ups to comply in key areas. The Standards also promote training for farmers, which can include advice on switching to environmentally friendly practices. This has been shown to lead to good agricultural practices, which have encouraged environmentally sustainable production. The Standards also guide producers in adapting to climate change and mitigate their immediate needs. More than ever, they need a fair price for their crops and their hard work. SO WHY BUY FAIRTRADE? If you think feeding your family, educating your children and caring for your community and ultimately the planet is good for you then please buy Fairtrade and Traidcraft when choosing your tea, coffee, chocolate, sugar and bananas along with the many other products. No farmer should have to work so hard and not be able to feed their family and educate their children. Saltford Fairtrade Group For more news stories from SEG visit our
Current areas of local volunteer assistance sought by SEG
Whilst our partner organisations such as Saltford Wombles (for tackling litter) and the Fairtrade Group always welcome volunteer assistance, SEG sometimes has specific roles or posts that need filling. Here are the current vacancies:- Website skills wanted!Updated January 2021 Our website is a popular resource for our members and others which means that in addition to keeping it relevant we want to make sure it continues to function as it should. If you live in or near Saltford, care about your local environment and have current knowledge of website design and might be interested in using your IT skills for a bit of IT volunteering to help us behind the scenes please get in touch with our Chairman by email to phil@philharding.net for a no-obligation chat on possible volunteer help. Executive Committee: Want to help steer SEG?Updated January 2021 SEG is seeking new Executive Committee members to help steer and develop SEG's future as we address the environmental concerns of our members at the local level. If you think you might like to get involved and join our Executive Committee (enthusiasm is more important than expertise!), please contact our Chairman, Phil Harding, for an informal non-committal chat. The Executive Committee only meets 4 times a year (except during Covid-19 restrictions) and its working method is more about sharing ideas and getting things done in a friendly and productive atmosphere than being bogged down with time-consuming administration.
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Saltford
Saltford Heritage Centre's next scheduled public opening will be announced here. Special Features: Wombles, Saltford (tackling litter)
"Don't blight the land "Think global, act local" |
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Contact UsAll general, membership & urgent (e.g. Press) enquiries by email to our Chairman please from whom SEG's postal address, if required, can be obtained on authenticated* request *(to avoid junk mailing etc.). HOW TO JOIN SEG: If you live, work or have a particular interest in Saltford & wish to join our email membership list please send an email to our Chairman. Please include your name, address & contact telephone number in your email application. NOTE: We provide information about membership including our simple code of conduct for members and personal data protection by SEG on our "About Us page". CONTACTS: Chairman & Website Editor*: Phil Harding
Secretary: Karen O'Brien
Treasurer: Andrew Stainer
SEG Green Belt Campaign: - contact our Chairman (contact details above) Saltford Station Campaign: Chris Warren
Saltford Fairtrade Group:
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