​News and recent activities
Repair Café and International Repair Day
The recent Lichfield repair session co-incided with International Repair Day and the launch of a campaign to get the Right to Repair brought into UK law.  You can read more about the campaign here and contact our MP about it – shocking to read that the UK will be number one in the world for the amount of electrical waste we produce per person!  What a sad accolade!
The session proved very popular with around 40 items brought along and the clothing upcycling workshop was well received, so thanks to Debbie from Missfit Creations for hosting that. Maybe Lichfieldians are bucking the trend?
“Welcome to Lichfield” Signs
Litter Legends have taken on responsibility for improving and maintaining the areas around the ‘Welcome to Lichfield’ signs that can be found on the main routes into the City.  Volunteers will be planting up new or existing troughs with bulbs and plants and keeping on top of their maintenance.  Well done to them!

Start ‘em young!
Nurture Community CIC’s ‘Growing Communities’ project has proved a great success!  Members of Fun Club Hub youth group have loved raising and tending their veg and flowers (as have the slightly older residents of Barchester Care Home who had a wonderful crop of courgettes!). Recipes are going to be shared in a cookery book shortly, that will be sold to raise funds to expand the growing project for next year.
Spark in Burntwood are doing a great job of encouraging children and their families to embrace recycling.  A lovely picture of a ‘recycling’ toy being enjoyed!

Stychbrook Leisure Centre proposals
Take a look here to see images of what the proposed leisure centre might look like. We will be keeping a close eye on the planning process via Lichfield District Council.
Climate Scorecards for Councils
Check out how well our Council has done on climate action since they declared a climate emergency in 2019, compared to other UK councils.
The Apiarist Lichfield Distillery
The beekeeping/honey gin/whiskey/rum producer from Stonnall are opening their lovely local distillery in November. Follow them on social media to find out more - @theapiaristco.
Lichfield Cathedral
Chris Baines’ talk on Second Nature attracted an audience of 70 and there are lots of follow on activities planned. Last year the Cathedral entered the RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ and the Diocesan Churchyard Award schemes. This year saw it leaping forward to “thriving” in the former and “Gold” in the latter, with plenty of encouraging comments. Preparations continue for an application for Gold Eco Church in January.

Learning opportunities, inspiration and handy hints
Read
Did you know that the UK can actually produce enough energy from solar and wind?
A national citizens assembly on biodiversity loss was held in Ireland– very impressive event and report.
Boyan Slat was scuba diving off the Greek coast when the epiphany came. Surrounded by marine life and more than a few plastic bags, the then 16-year-old remembers thinking: “Why can’t we just clean this up?” A decade later, and after dropping out of his aerospace engineering degree to start non-profit the Ocean Cleanup, Slat is dedicated to confronting our polluted seas.
The Right to Grow movement (using council owned land to grow food) has had a positive outcome in Hull.
We can highly recommend signing up to the Guardian’s ‘Down to Earth’ weekly email.  Some excellent coverage of a wide range of issues - positive stories as well as areas of concern.
Sunday 22nd Oct edition of the Sunday Times Home section has a ‘complete guide to retrofitting’ feature. Good to see big papers like that covering the topic. (Pam has a copy if anyone has difficulty accessing it online).

Watch
Some positivity for a change – TED talk from a data scientist, explaining that the current generation of young people might turn out to be the first sustainable one.
The True Cost – a film we may have highlighted before but worth a watch to learn more about the ‘true cost’ of our clothing.
Contribute
If you have a little spare cash to invest in something that benefits others then take a look at Shared Interest and Lendwithcare. Both offer a way to ensure that your funds are helping people in other parts of the world who might just need a little financial boost.
 
Listen
Podcasts on Spotify (and may be on other platforms!): ‘Outrage & Optimism’ and ‘Sustainability Champions’.
 
Crafters – don’t forget to check out the Craft Barn at Chasewater before you buy any new materials!  They have a vast selection of fabric, wools as well as general crafting equipment and materials at the fraction of the cost of other suppliers, and all profits go to Saxon Hill Special School. Open Wed, Fri and Sat 10-2pm. 

Spotlight Slot
Two sisters on a mission to help people live more sustainably. Launched in May 2020 with the aim of bringing greener options to the public. Their newly established shop has a wonderful array of eco products including beauty, stationery, kids items, vegan and homeware. They also have a range of household cleaning and laundry refills and a gift box range.
 
They have Terracycle recycling options – you can drop off Pringles tubes and bread and cheese packaging.
 
Online as well as the shop and they plant trees with every online order received. 
 
​Find them at The Plant Plot Garden Centre, Stafford Road, Lichfield, WS13 8JA. Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays or online at www.gracenandmayhome.co.uk.
 
Get involved
Transition Meetup
We will try and make the 2nd Thursday of each month an informal ‘meetup’ date from Jan 2024 where updates and ideas can be shared.  We will hold them at 7pm at the Bitter Suite pub but other venues may be an option from time to time or the meeting might be replaced with an event such as a speaker or film showing.
The last one for 2023 will be 9th November (December too busy for everyone!) and then back into the swing on 11th January.

Green Conversations – 29th November
​​An initiative to provide an opportunity for organisations, community groups and members of the public to discuss issues relating to nature, the environment, sustainability and to network with other likeminded people. Organised by Support Staffordshire, Transforming the Trent Valley, Lichfield Re:Cycle and the City Council – book via Eventbrite.

Repair & Share Cafes
The 4th Nov session at Burntwood will include a craft session with Nurture Community CIC – making Christmas decorations which will be used on the community Christmas tree in Lichfield Cathedral and at the Garrick Theatre.
Back at Lichfield, the November 18th session will have a calligraphy/lettering expert there to teach some new writing skills and you can try your hand at willow weaving with Ellen Spry, and make a Christmas ring or star.  All FREE!. And don’t forget to bring your Christmas lights or electronic decorations along to get checked over before the festive season begins.
And January will see a furniture upcycling/advice session so watch out for details on this.
Curborough Brooks – proposed housing development
Have your say on this development application.  2,900 houses plus 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school. It will have a massive impact on Lichfield.  There are a number of events taking place so that the community can input:
Drop-In Hub 4pm - 8pm at Lichfield City Football Club, Brownsfield Road off Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, WS13 6AY
Wednesday 1 November | Thursday 2 November
Drop-In Hub 11am - 3pm at Lichfield City Football Club,
Friday 27 October | Friday 3 November
Drop-In Hub 11am - 5pm at Lichfield City Football Club
Monday 30 October | Tuesday 31 October
Drop-In Hub 10am - 1pm at The Hub at St Mary’s, Market Square, Lichfield, WS13 6LG
Saturday 28 October | Saturday 4 November
Website – www.curboroughbrooks.co.uk
 
Global Day of Action - SAVE THE DATE: 9th DECEMBER
Message from Friends of the Earth – “From 30 Nov to 12 Dec, world leaders will be gathering for the Conference of Parties (COP), hosted and presided over by the United Arab Emirates.  We don't expect the COP processes to provide the solutions, but we still need to tackle the climate catastrophe. So, the Day of Action will be a vital moment to build the strength of our movement across the UK and the globe. “
And on the subject of COP28, there are a couple of useful articles looking at the man tasked with leading on it, despite him being an oil company executive and the controversial venue of the talks – the UAE.
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Dates for your diary
You can also check out the Events listing on the Transition website.
October
25th – Lichfield Cathedral Gaia Earth exhibit, 7pm. A Vigil – an hour of prayer and reflection, followed by 30 minutes of silence. More detail from david.primrose@lichfield-cathedral.org. ‘Gaia’ installation there until 5th Nov.
28th - Lichfield Wildlife Group’s fungal foray 2:00 - 4:00 in St Michael's churchyard.  The event will be led by Beverley Rhodes, a most knowledgeable mycologist. £2:00 per person
29th - Dovehouse Garden Working Party, 11-1pm. Meet at the site.  Growing spaces available so contact dovehousegarden@yahoo.com if interested.
29th – Forest Harvest, Yoxall, DE13 8PG. Samhain Halloween Gathering, 11-3pm. More details and to book here.
Oct and Nov - Consultation re Curborough Brooks housing development
November
4th Burntwood Repair & Share Café, 10-1pm, St Joseph’s RC Church, Cannock Road, WS7 0BB with craft activity
4th - NCT Cloth Nappy Library. 10.00-12.00am, Lichfield District Children's Centre WS13 7PH. nappies.lichfield-tamworth@nct.org.uk
4th – Lichfield Cathedral Artisan Market, 10-3pm. Explore a range stands by local craftspeople and producers - from food and drink to unique, handmade gifts. Held underneath the stunning Gaia artwork.
7th – Lichfield Wildlife Group talk ‘The Wildlife of Chasewater’ by Graham Evans.  (Graham will be leading a walk at Chasewater on Saturday 6th of January at 10:00, meet in the car park). Wade Street Church Hall, Frog Lane, Lichfield WS13 6HL. £3:50.
9th - Transition Meetup. 7pm, Bitter Suite pub, St John St, Lichfield. Please email transitionlichfield@gmail.com if you intend to come in case plans changed and you need to be notified.
16th – Friends of Lichfield City Station meetup, 7.30pm Bitter Suite pub.
18th – Lichfield Repair & Share Café, 2-5pm, Curborough Community Centre, WS13 7NY. FREE calligraphy and willow workshops on offer.
18th – Forest Harvest, Yoxall, DE13 8PG. Crafty Christmas Workshop run by Little Trees, 2-4pm. Book here.
25th – Vintage & Craft Fair, 11am – 3pm. Burntwood and Hammerwich Labour Party event, Burntwood Memorial Hall. £1 entry. Pop up Repair Café at this event!
26th – Dovehouse Garden Working Party, 11-1pm. Meet at the site.  Growing spaces available so contact dovehousegarden@yahoo.com if interested.
29th – Lichfield ‘Green Conversation’ session, 10-12.30, The Guildhall, Lichfield. Join in the conversation about all aspects of Lichfield District’s green ambitions.
Woodhouse Farm in Whittington will be taking Christmas orders for meats, pies etc so keep your eye out for that or go along to the Whittington Market to pick up some items. Check out their Facebook page.
 
Save the Date!
9th Dec – the Global Day of Action being organised by the Climate Justice Coalition during the COP28 meetings. 

Now is the time to look around you and see what you can forage!  The Sweet Chestnut trees are weighed down by their spiky 'seeds' this year - such an abundance!  Go and gather some and see what you can do with them - roast them, make soup, grind down to flour...

And there are raspberries galore at the Three Tree Triangle site on Festival Gardens. Help yourselves!
​A recent addition to the site is a painted rock, created at the Lichfield Arts Fuse Festival in July by attendees.  Beautiful colours and designs!

​News and recent activities
The ‘Welcome’ stones at the Three Tree Triangle area of Festival Gardens have been restored, following the ‘removal’ of a couple of the letters by light fingered passersby! Let’s hope that they remain in-situ!
And we received a lovely message from a lady who said how much she loved the Three Tree Triangle wild area and sent this photo of a visiting butterfly.

​So are we ‘just a bunch of tree huggers’?
There has been a lot of discussion in the press recently about citizens who are concerned about global warming and the loss of biodiversity and the use of the term ‘tree hugger’ as a derogatory term. Just read how it came about and you will understand why there would be such anger. What a sad origin story.

Planting and Growing and Wilding
Huge thanks to Louise and friends of Lichfield Kindness Rocks for creating the lovely ‘Welcome’ stones for Three Tree Triangle. Don’t they look great? And we have added slate signs to Tamworth St plot to explain what is happening there too.
Summer Solstice Evening at Forest Harvest, Yoxall
A most enjoyable evening of being in nature, picnicing, chatting, wood whittling and folk singing was had and will certainly be repeated!  Thank you to Nick Burton for hosting us and showing us around your amazing achievements at Forest Harvest and to the Edwards family for the entertainment.

Friends of Lichfield City Station
A new group has been established to ensure that the station gets some TLC.  The first meeting was held on 17th July and there was a lot of enthusiasm for projects to improve on what is currently there – more planters for flowers and herbs, artwork, more regular litter picking, music, local school involvement etc.  Inspiration was taken from the Wylde Green station group who achieved a lot since they set up 2 or so years ago.  If you are interested in supporting the group then there will be a meet up at the station on Mon 14th August, 7pm to have a look round at what needs dealing with, followed by a drink at the Bitter Suite. Contact Kathy Maskell if you want to get involved maskellkathy99@gmail.com.
The CO2 Bubble
Just a reminder that this representation of a tonne of CO2 will be visiting Lichfield on 2nd August – Beacon Park – from 10am and there will be lots of family fun activities happening alongside in the park. This 10-meter installation that helps people visualize how their daily activities can impact carbon emissions. Staff from the county council climate change team will provide advice and tips to help residents reduce their carbon footprint. Full details can be found here.  It is certainly a good talking point! Transition will have a stand there and we would appreciate some help on the day – get in touch with Pam via transitionlichfield@gmail.com if you can help. 
​The Apiarist Gin
Keep an eye out for the grand opening (hopefully late August) of a small distillery run by our local beekeeping/honey making/gin and whiskey making business in Lichfield city centre!  We will definitely be arranging a group visit!
 
Learning opportunities, inspiration and handy hints
Watch
 
BBC i-Player :
– “Reporting from the Climate Frontlines”. The BBC's science editor David Shukman tells his story about following climate change across the world.
- “Electric Cars – what they really mean for you” (from Tues 25th July). A look at the current issues relating to driving an EV and the various infrastructure challenges.
 
Read
 
Staffs Wildlife Trust have released a report about the positive impact that nature has on wellbeing.
 
Copper Consultancy produce some excellent research reports about public attitudes towards various environmental topics. Their latest is about attitudes to nuclear power. Read it here.
 
 
 
 
Find out and Feedback
 
A ‘Right to Grow’ initiative - should we follow Shropshire’s lead and do this in Lichfield District? Take a look at what they have been doing and then give us your feedback.
 
Have you watched the animation showing the proposed redevelopment plans for the Birmingham Road site in Lichfield (check their Instagram feed if you have access – not found it on their website yet…)?  A lot to fit in in a very short timescale and not much detail on the ‘sustainability’ aspects of it.  The same goes for the proposed Stychbrook Park Leisure Centre.  Start here on the LDC website…
 
 
Get involved
Community Speed Watch - Volunteers Still Wanted!
Full training will be given and we can agree when we operate so we can fit it around other commitments. Training happens quite regularly at venues around the county. If you’d like to find out more, without committing yourself to anything, please get in touch. Simon Johnson, s.johnson-uk@outlook.com
Community Support
Sessions being hosted by LDC to help people with issues relating to the cost of living crisis – benefits, housing, council tax, recycling advice, volunteering, mental health support etc.
27 July in the reception of Lichfield District Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield between 9.30am and 11.30am
3 August in Burntwood Leisure Centre café area between 9.30am and 11.30. Full details here.
Green Conversations
Transforming the Trent Valley (TTTV) are running an ‘green’ networking day on 26th July (possibly too short notice for this newsletter)  - 1-4pm, Rugeley Community Centre, Burnthill Lane, Rugeley WS15 2HX for Staffordshire groups to discuss their projects and ideas with one another but please report back if you did make it!
Transition Lichfield would like to run some events for the autumn, to encourage green discussions amongst local residents – a film night or games night of some sort – if anyone would be interested in helping organise?
School Uniform – a message from LCC
Lichfield Back to School Bank is back for 2023! Last year we recycled and reused more than 100kg of school uniform and supported more than 60 families with the cost of school uniform just as the energy price hike began to bite. This year we’re hoping to do even more good with the support of Lichfield City Council who are helping to deliver the project this summer.
We’re again asking for any laundered school uniform which is no longer needed, or has been grown out of, to be donated to the Back to School Bank so that we can distribute as much as possible to families ahead of the new term. Collection points are already in operation in Tesco Extra and the City Council offices at Donegal House, with plans for another 3 more to make donating unwanted uniform as easy as possible. We’ll then be holding four distribution events where families can come along and collect preloved uniform free of charge before the new term starts in September. If you have any preloved school uniform that’s no longer needed, please do consider dropping it off at Tesco or Donegal House so that we can reuse it and help drive down some of the carbon cost of uniform."
 
 
 
 
Spotlight Slot
Woodhouse Farm, Whittington
Just a little plug for them….
The Farm is a brilliant venue for all kinds of gatherings, parties and events:
Weddings; Birthday Parties for adults, children and young people; Anniversary parties; End of Term parties; Rainbows and Brownies gatherings; Choir Practices; Club Meetings; Music Events; Afternoon Teas; Treasure Hunts; BBQs, Hog Roasts, Picnics and much more....
You can self-cater or they can do it for you, including the appropriate licensing.
“We pride ourselves on our flexibility and our ability to create a lovely atmosphere in a rural setting for your special event. Our volunteer activities now include a new Events Group, so get in touch if you'd like to help out” said Annamarie.
If you're interested in holding an event please email annamarie@woodhousefarmandgardencic.org.uk
They also run a veg box scheme - the 2023-2024 CSA scheme is well under way. Try Before You Buy! If you are interested in becoming a member but are concerned about the commitment, we suggest you have a 4 week trial. The trial costs £13 a week and a one-off payment of £52 is payable in advance. Contact annamarie@woodhousefarmandgardencic.org.uk to arrange your 4 week trial.
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Dates for your diary
You can also check out the Events listing on the Transition website.
July
30th – 10.30am, Lichfield Re:Cycle community bike ride. Meet at Melbourne Café on Bird St, Lichfield
30th – 11-1pm, Dovehouse Gardens volunteering/open day. Just turn up!  Dovehouse Fields.
August
No Repair Cafes during August.
2nd – Staffs CC CO2 Bubble and LDC Fun Day at Beacon Park, 10-00 until 4pm.
9th - walk looking at the TTTV work on the Burton Washlands and the cattle grazing project, led by Lawrence Oates, mobile 07432 608931
Throughout August - Exhibition of Art and poetry in the Shenstone library coffee shop. Open during library opening hours.
September
2nd - NCT Cloth Nappy Library. 10.00-12.00am, Lichfield District Children's Centre WS13 7PH. nappies.lichfield-tamworth@nct.org.uk
2nd – Burntwood Repair & Share Café, 10-1pm, St Joseph’s RC Church, Cannock Road, WS7 0BB
5th  – Transition Meetup at the Bitter Suite pub, 7pm. Email transitionlichfield@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
9th – Sandfields Pumping Station – the Musical! The story of Sandfields History in words and music performed in a sea shanty style by the Lichfield Lighthouse Company. Tickets: £10 This is a fundraising event in aid of the RLNI and Sandfields pumping station. Booking is via Eventbrite.
16th – Lichfield Repair & Share Café, 2-5pm, Curborough Community Centre, WS13 7NY
22nd – Climate Expo, 10-4pm Keele Hall, Keele University with Chris Packham as the keynote speaker. Orgnaised by the Globe Foundation, Uttoxeter. Book your free ticket here.
October
4th – Chris Baines of SWT will be speaking about Nature Recovery Networks. To be held at the Cathedral. More details to follow.
7th - Burntwood Repair & Share Café, 10-1pm, St Joseph’s RC Church, Cannock Road, WS7 0BB
7th - NCT Cloth Nappy Library. 10.00-12.00am, Lichfield District Children's Centre WS13 7PH. nappies.lichfield-tamworth@nct.org.uk
21st - Lichfield Repair & Share Café, 2-5pm, Curborough Community Centre, WS13 7NY
28th - Lichfield Wildlife Group’s fungal foray 2:00 - 4:00 in St Michael's churchyard.  The event will be led by Beverley Rhodes, a most knowledgeable mycologist. £2:00 per per person

We are so grateful to Louise from Lichfield Kindness Rocks who created this 'Welcome' for us out of gorgeous painted pebbles at our Three Tree Triangle site at Festival Gardens!  Don't they look fabulous?!  Thank you Louise!

News and recent activities
Future of Transition – meet up
Attendees of our recent meetings seem keen to make meetups a regular occurrence so check the diary or website events listing – all welcome!
Planting and Growing and Wilding
Our sites at Tamworth Street and Festival Gardens are coming along nicely and we have been getting some great feedback from passers-by. We always ask them to post on social media about their joy and also to tell LDC and LCC so that they get a balanced view – the complainers tend to be the ones that get their voices heard! Thanks to our regular volunteers for their help and also to Carrie and Sadie from the Real Wedding Collective shop on Tamworth Street who have been watering the tree and plants for us!  Nice to get a local business involved.

​Nurture Community CIC have just kicked off their ‘Growing Communities’ project. It will involve a wide range of groups/age ranges - from people in care homes right down to toddler groups - learning about growing vegetables, fruit, herbs etc. They will plant the seeds, tend to them, harvest and then cook what they have grown. Watch out for updates on this. Further information can be found here.
The ‘No Mow May’ initiative
What are your thoughts on the council’s No Mow May project?  SCC, LDC, LCC and other Parish Councils all joined in with this initiative and we have yet to see any feedback on how they thought it went. Many people have said how much they have enjoyed seeing the roadsides full of buttercups, dandelions, oxeye daisies and poppies. Some places have never been allowed to flourish and it has been amazing to see the result of not being cut.  Transition are happy to gather your feedback and pass it on, so do let us know your thoughts and send photos too.
Repair Café’s ‘Thrift Fest’
The 17th June repair session in Lichfield was enhanced with a new initiative – a ‘Thrift’ festival!  The idea was to show people how to make the most of the things that they already have, whether that be making better use of your sewing machine, upcycling clothes to turn them into other outfits or items, making your own cleaning materials, growing your own veg and making compost, keeping your bike in good repair, knowing what certain tools can be used for, advice on reusable nappies, reducing your food waste and buying zero waste/packaged items. Two local traders joined in too, to show off their amzing selection of products that are made from using scrap items or everyday objects.  It was a great success and enjoyed by all.  Thanks as always to all the participants.
The CO2 Bubble
This representation of a tonne of CO2 will be visiting Lichfield on 2nd August – Beacon Park – from 10am. This 10-meter installation that helps people visualize how their daily activities can impact carbon emissions. The bubble will be accompanied by staff from local council climate change teams who will provide advice and tips to help residents reduce their carbon footprint. Full details can be found here.  It is certainly a good talking point! Transition will have a stand there too so please let us know if you are able to help with that. 

We have come a long way in quite a short time!  And getting positive feedback from passers-by is a bonus!  
The bed planted to encourage wildlife is looking pretty and the crab apple tree is healthy and starting to fruit already.  
Get in touch if you fancy helping to maintain the site (and the Festival Gardens one too!).  Our thanks go to Sadie and Carrie at The Real Wedding Collective on Tamworth Street for taking on watering duties for us!

News and recent activities
Future of Transition – meet up
A group of around ten of us met up on 17th April to discuss how to take Transition forward – gain more momentum, get younger people involved, widen our offer and so on as Philippa and Pam are finding it hard work to keep things going.
It was agreed to have a follow up meeting and then to decide how best to proceed – regular decision making meetings or more events with activities and speakers….or both?  We have been given the opportunity to make use of some consultancy time from Paul Moseley, an ethnoecologist who provides research and consultation in sustainability, place and rewilding. Date of next meeting is on the calendar at the end of the newsletter.
“The Big One” – XR Gathering in London, 21st April
Some members of Transition Lichfield took a trip down to London, along with many other NGO's and community groups trying to tackle the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency alongside Extinction Rebellion. We thought we would report back on what we saw and perhaps dispel some myths along the way.
​
💚 Extinction Rebellion aims to be a non partisan group of individuals. Reflecting the fact that we are in a man made Climate and Biodiversity Emergency - it is non partisan. For further information see www.scientistsforxr.earth

💚 Extinction Rebellion have changed tack this time. Disruption to civilians was not the aim of the game. It was fundamentally about groups gathering together in numbers to share ideas and demonstrate the urgency. Stewards worked together with the police. Buses were honking in support as they drove past. We saw ambulances being guided through.
💚 XR are worked together with the police and organisers of the London Marathon to avoid disruption.
💚 There was a lovely festival-like atmosphere. No rubbish, a lot of shared sadness and concern but also celebration of what is possible. XR are an optimistic group, they tell the truth, which is hard to take, but it is in order to find solutions for us to survive in the future. At the moment it may feel like this is something far away but we are already feeling some of the effects and the global south they are feeling it even more. To avoid acting now is to accept the suffering of those in those counties. 
💚 You may have heard "the UK isn't the problem - it is China". To say that is to take our emissions at face value without considering where all of our products come from. We have very little industry in the UK. You only need to look at the plight of British steel if you want to see how the UK deals with industry. Outsourcing all of our production and then blaming the producers is not the answer - we need to take responsibility.
​
Three Tree Triangle, Festival Gardens
There is now a small box of nature related books/magazines for people to make use of whilst at the site or to take away. Feel free to add to it if you are passing.
Children from Christchurch School came to the site to decorate the wooden planters. They had a lot of fun and it was an opportunity to talk to them about the importance of leaving nature to do its thing!
We also have a new sign for the site (and at the Tamworth Street wild area too).

​City Nature Challenge 2023 – 28th April to 1st May
CNC is a global citizen science project with over 450 cities across the world asking citizens to record the plants and animals they see, using the free iNaturalist app. or website, over 4 days.  Your records will contribute to conservation locally, nationally and globally.  You can record in your garden, waste ground, woods and meadows etc. Do try and take part if you can!
We hope to do a survey of what’s growing on the Tamworth Street wild area as part of this and you can join in a survey at the Pipe Green Trust site, just off the A51 (towards the Hedgehog pub – parking by the football pitches) on Sun 30th April, 2pm
Lichfield Cathedral
At the end of March, over 300 whips were planted along the East Wall to form a new hedge. Thanks go to Staffs Wildlife Trust and Lichfield Cathedral School for their contributions. The new mowing regime is in place so people can appreciate where the grass and wildflowers are being left to grow. Lichfield Wildlife Group ran a training session in iNaturalist which led to more people recording the species around the Cathedral Close. Churches Count on Nature 2023 runs from 3rd to 11th June. We’re looking towards a series of events in the autumn to coincide with the installation of Gaia within the Cathedral, including a talk on Nature Recovery by Chris Baines on 4th October.
Monks Walk Garden
A bench dedicated to Lichfield Town Crier, Ken Knowles, has been installed in the peaceful Monks Walk Garden, behind the Chapter House apartments, with funding from the We Love Lichfield fund. A ceremony was held and attended by councillors and volunteers from the gardens.
The inscription reads: Ken Knowles 1949-2020 Lichfield Town Crier 2009-2020 World Champion 2015, Thespian Teacher Wordsmith Entertainer Outstanding Ambassador for Lichfield.  Worth a visit when you are passing.

​News and recent activities
Lichfield District Council Consultation - Housing
Work has started on a new set of guidelines for housing development in the Lichfield District to ensure that future homes meet residents’ expectations for design, quality, beauty and sustainability. Workshops took place on 7th and 8th March, chaired by BDP, a build design consultancy, and representatives from Lichfield District Council and Staffordshire County Council and you can now contribute your views via a Community Survey, which will run until 17th April. Link should be available via the LDC website (not available at time of going to press).
You can check out this New Scientist article about the Future Homes Standard for 2025 here and see how different designs fare.
Three Tree Triangle, Festival Gardens
The space is coming along nicely and has had a small pond added to it, and a hidden beetle home!  Great Tits are nesting in one of the boxes and lots of bulbs/plants popping up for Spring!

City Nature Challenge 2023
CNC is a global citizen science project with over 450 cities across the world asking citizens to record the plants and animals they see, using the free iNaturalist app. or website, over 4 days.  Your records will contribute to conservation locally, nationally and globally.  You can record in your garden, waste ground, woods and meadows etc.
Lichfield Wildlife Group is running two training sessions to help you get familiar with iNaturalist so you can take part.
Thursday 20th April, 2pm – 4pm, College Hall, Lichfield Cathedral.  Free refreshments.
Let us know you are coming (01543 257812 P_L_norbury@hotmail.com) or just turn up on the day.
Saturday 22nd April 2pm – 4pm, Beacon Park Discovery Hub (behind the bowling greens). Booking required.  01543 257812 or P_L_Norbury@hotmail.com
Everyone is welcome.  It would be helpful if you could download the iNaturalist app. on your smartphone before the session from your usual app store.

The “Art of Inclusion” Project
Nurture Community CIC started this workshop-based project in February, with funding support from We Love Lichfield. It aims to connect and create a collective outcome of art that represents the Lichfield District Community. It will conclude in June, having worked with around 500 people from 20 groups. Collectively this artwork will be exhibited within an installation at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre in June and Fuse Festival in July.
During the workshop the participants have a choice of art materials that encourages them to explore – not only in terms of materials but in terms of ‘self’ and the art of making everyone feel seen and included for who they are. Truly inclusive.
Further details can be found here.

Tackling Climate Change
Well done Stafford Borough Council for being the first council in the West Midlands region to produce a Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.  Our own Council has a section of its website about climate change, if you haven’t seen this yet.
 
Learning opportunities, inspiration and handy hints
Reading
The People’s Plan for Nature Report, published mid-March, is certainly worth a read. It sets out the UK public’s recommendations for reversing massive declines in Britain’s nature. A hundred people were invited to come together, in a citizens’ assembly, to agree on a plan for how to renew and protect nature.
 
Have you checked out the LDC website recently?  There is a lot of detail about nature, green spaces and biodiversity in the district.
Exploring
Fancy a local walk but fed up with the same routes?  Take a look at the maps here!
 
Get involved
Transition Meet-up
A small group of ‘members’ will be meeting up at 7pm on 17th April to discuss the future direction of Transition locally. All welcome! Email transitionlichfield@gmail.com to confirm attendance and details of venue.
Spark in Burntwood needs your support
There are loads of things going on at Spark!
Community Fridge: Spark's community fridge is accessible Term time Mon-Fri 9am- 5pm. Unlike food banks, the fridges are available for anyone to use. They are there to donate and take food, share recipes and save things going to waste. A simple solution to wasting less food through the sharing of good quality food.
 
Spark Baby and Children's Bank - Provides good condition second hand items to families in need. We also have donations of re-useable sanitary wear thanks to Lichfield Soroptomists.
Toy Library at Burntwood Library – 11.15am on Thursdays
Join as a member for a small fee and borrow toy packs each week. Saving money and swapping and reusing toys over again. Good for your pocket and for the environment. babybank@Sparkburntwood.org for more info.
 
Community Garden
Would you like to be involved in making our environment and spaces greener and filled with nature? We are looking for volunteers who would like to use and help tend our community garden at Spark. At the moment we are meeting on Friday afternoons. In the garden we have water recycling, composting and growing areas and particularly want the garden to be a space for the community and children to engage with nature.  
 
The Slow Food Network
 A heartfelt update….you might want to consider joining them?
“Another month, another crisis….. Tomato or Turnip? Empty vegetable aisles in the supermarkets have been hitting the headlines as conventional, transnational supply chains show their fragility once more. Yes, there is good ministerial advice that we should eat our indigenous seasonal vegetables, but it misses the point. We don't actually grow enough of them to feed us.
There will always be a need to import food in the near future. As a nation we have - because of our colonial history - always taken food from far and wide and it to our shores. But that fact shouldn’t obscure why we still need to reset our food system here at home.
We have to create a food and farming system which allows our existing farmers to produce good food, with a grants system which provides support for farming which enhances rather than harms nature and ultimately becomes net zero. It’s something which Slow Food campaigns on week in, week out.
There needs to be a way to get land back into cultivation, and a means for new entrants without land to be able to rent it at an affordable price. (Farmland is now more than £10,000 an acre - making it near impossible for the next generation to farm).
Vitally, we need retailers to pay farmers a fair price for the food they produce - currently they get as little as 1-3% of the shelf price.
But aren’t we already suffering from the soaring price of food? Absolutely, but that rising cost is not being shared with the people who need it most, the producers, vast numbers of whom are in debt and earn the equivalent of below the minimum wage.
 We as consumers have a part to play. By eating everything we buy, and celebrating the richness from these shores where and when we can.
Some of this requires education, some of this is about accessibility. Slow Food tackles these issues. Like running food hubs, providing school and community education. Or supporting schools and communities to produce food on a small scale themselves with our grants for community growing. Elsewhere, we work on social media, connecting with people who may not have otherwise have seen our messages, explaining what is good just now, and telling the stories of those who produce it.
Good, clean and fair food - shared with love around the table. It’s a simple concept, but utterly complex in its issues - issues that we fight for, day in, day out. Whether that is the corridors of our national parliaments, with the FSA, supermarket boardrooms, or working with other NGOs, we are there.
Everyone deserves something good to eat today. And those who produce it need a just reward too. We won't rest until both become a reality.”
Find further information here.  And for your local food network supplier, check out Ruth Redgate’s site, the Mercia Farmers Market. Local collections each week.
 
Sharing Resources
There must be lots of groups around Lichfield who own equipment/resources that other groups might want to make use of on occasion. For example, Transition Lichfield have items that we use for events – x2 fold up tables, x2 chairs, lightweight display boards, a 3x3 gazebo, and of course the 2 polar bears with face cutouts! And it all has to be stored in members’ homes! No point everyone having the same items when they often only get used a couple of times a year.
We could create a list of items and contact info and put it on our website perhaps. Would that be useful? Feedback please and perhaps a volunteer to make that happen!
 
Spotlight Slot
Grace Cares is a not-for-profit organisation which has been set up to support older people and care workers across the UK. They collect, donate and sell pre-loved care equipment to enhance people’s quality of life, support care workers and older people in need via community groups and grants.
Get in touch if you are in need of equipment or have items to donate. 01543 326819  hello@grace-cares.com
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Dates for your diary
You can also check out the Events listing on the Transition website.
1st April - Burntwood Repair & Share Café, 10-1pm, St Joseph’s RC Church, Cannock Road, WS7 0BB
1st April - NCT Cloth Nappy Library. 10.00-12.00am, Lichfield District Children's Centre WS13 7PH. nappies.lichfield-tamworth@nct.org.uk
1st April – 10-4pm Churchyard Nature Day, St Michael’s Church, Greenhill, Lichfield
8th April – 10-1pm, Watercolour Florals with Bryony Halstead, Forest Harvest, Yoxall. Booking required.
15th Apr – 2-5pm, Lichfield Repair & Share Café, Curborough Community Centre, WS13 7NY
17th April – 7pm, Transition meet-up, Venue TBC. Email transitionlichfield@gmail.com
20th April, 2pm – 4pm, City Nature Challenge training. College Hall, Lichfield Cathedral.  Free refreshments. 01543 257812 P_L_norbury@hotmail.com or just turn up on the day.
21st April – XR and other groups gathering, surrounding the Houses of Parliament – details here
22nd April 2pm – 4pm, City Nature Challenge training. Beacon Park Discovery Hub (behind the bowling greens). Booking required.  01543 257812 or P_L_Norbury@hotmail.com
22nd April – Earth Day – details about the campaign can be found here
29th April - 10.00-12.00 Transition visit to Woodhouse Farm and Garden, Fisherwick Wood Lane, Lichfield, WS13 8QG. Free drink and cake, and opportunity to shop at the farm shop.
29th April - 10.00am Piggott’s Bottom Bluebell Wood Walk, Upper Longdon with Lichfield Wildlife Group
6th May – NO REPAIR CAFÉ AT BURNTWOOD DUE TO CORONATION!
13th May - 10-3pm ‘Be Proud of Your Community’ Day, various locations around North Lichfield. A joint clean up exercise with LDC, Bromford Housing, local police and Litter Legends.
20th May – 2-5pm, Lichfield Repair & Share Café on tour, in conjunction with WFEG!  Thomas Spencer Hall, Church Lane, Whittington with an ‘Art of Inclusion’ session by Nurture Community CIC
Save the dates!
17th June – 2-5pm. Thrift Fest at Lichfield Repair & Share Café

Well, we remembered that the clocks had gone forward so all the volunteers for Festival Gardens 'Three Tree Corner' arrived at the right time on Sunday!
The plan was to do a tidy, dig a hole to put a small pond into, create a beetle home and plant some wildflower seed.  It was a cold start to the day but we soon warmed up with our efforts!

Some definite signs of spring with bulbs coming up in lots of areas, the raspberry canes starting to sprout and Great Tits nesting in one of the boxes!  Excellent to see this!