November News

GET INVOLVED – GO GREEN – GET READING – GET ACTIVE

News and recent activities
The meet up at Speakers’ Corner and march through Lichfield on 6th November’s Global Day of Climate Action was a great success! Thank you to all who came along and supported it. Small by Glasgow standards but better than nothing!
We wanted to talk about the actions that we can all take, such as moving your money out of banks that are still supporting the fossil fuel industry (check www.bank.green to see what your bank is up to!) and similarly, checking how your pension is invested. Green energy is of course another route to look at but currently not an option, with the utility market being in a mess.
Video footage was shared on our social media pages if you wanted to see the march underway through the city centre!

We had members from various groups come along, including the Fun Club Hub leaders Liz and Kerry (pictured above - our local youth group) so it proved a worthwhile exercise for Transition Lichfield in terms of networking.
Here’s to an even bigger and better event next November!
COP26
No doubt many of you will have been trying to follow the events at COP and will have received updates since on what actually happened.
There is a useful analysis here from Friends of the Earth but please do share any others you may have seen.
Discussions with LDC continue about their elusive Climate Strategy but rest assured, we will not let them off the hook!

Learning opportunities, inspiration and handy hints

Sustainable and Local Christmas Gift Guide
Philippa has produced another gift guide to showcase local businesses with sustainable gifts. Find it here on our website and also showcased on the Transition Instagram feed. Shopping locally and ethically is another way of doing your bit!
Climate Change Funding
Staffs County Council has a fund specifically for projects that can demonstrate reducing carbon impact, improving air quality or show adaptation for climate change. If you have a local project that you think would benefit from the funding then take a look at the criteria here. Transition will be applying for funds to help with an area of Festival Gardens that the City Council have allocated to us.

Spotlight slot
Our group focus this month is The Whittington Waste Reduction Group
If you are trying to reduce your plastic/packaging use and want an option to buy loose items then get in touch with Clare for further details of what is available (email [email protected] or check their Facebook page). You can drop your own containers off and then collect once filled.

Get involved
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Green Spaces
We need a bigger team of people to call upon to help with planting and maintenance of local sites that are coming up and would love more of you to get involved!
The City Council have allocated a patch of Festival Gardens between the subway and the path up to Queens Street that we would like to develop as an educational space, planting for climate change and for biodiversity, and involving groups who can contribute in different ways. Get in touch if you would like to be part of this.
Other spaces around town and in Beacon Park are also on offer and it would be great to start having an impact on nature-based planting. If anyone spots any discounted bulbs this week then let us know!
General Activities
Currently, we only have a small number of helpers when it comes to keeping Transition ‘active’ and would appreciate any support if you have time and skills to offer.
Repair Café
Currently managed by Pam Beale who could do with someone to help with admin and event set up on a regular basis. Email [email protected] for further details.

Dates for your diary
If you are involved in a community group and would like to add your events into our calendar then do send through.
1st Dec, 7.30pm - WFEG Green Drinks – first Wed of the month (but not Jan). These will alternate between the Bell Inn and the Dog Inn. Dec meeting is at the Bell.
15th January then 19th February – Repair Café at Curborough Community Centre, 2-5pm. A Burntwood ‘branch’ will be opening soon (hopefully Jan 2022 if a suitable venue is found). Spread the word as lots of people still unaware of the sessions.
Dates for Transition talks/film showings will be communicated separately. If people would like a ‘Green Drinks’ each month then please let us know. The get together earlier this month was not well attended so it is hard to know what people prefer!
 
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We welcome your suggestions for newsletter content, for Transition group projects and events, for groups that should be listed on our website and for useful connections.
Thank you for reading and feel free to share the newsletter with friends and family.
TRANSITION LICHFIELD