Half price allotment plots: Grow your own in 2016

If you’ve ever considered joining the growing revolution, what better time than the New Year? The National Allotment Society found that those tending allotments reported higher levels of satisfaction, thanks to the fresh air, home grown produce, healthy lifestyle and new friendships the activity offers.

Properly managed allotments can supplement a household’s weekly shop with fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year, saving money as well as providing healthy, local food.

Bristol City Council has a number of allotment plots available to rent immediately, with prices starting from as little as £25/year for smaller, beginner-friendly plots.

A number of plots are offered – with no waiting list – at half rent for the first two years. These plots are overgrown so you'll need to clear the plot and remove any rubbish you find.

“It doesn’t get much fresher than growing your own,” says allotments officer, Steve Clampin. “Our allotment holders find that they not only earn a new hobby and the satisfaction of growing their own, tasty food, they become part of a friendly new community too.”

https://www.bristol.gov.uk/museums-parks-sports-culture/getting-an-allotment

Permaculture in Bristol

Bristol Civic Society event: PERMACULTURE IN BRISTOL WED 13TH MARCH, 7.30-9.00. Upper Meeting Room, Friends Meeting House, 126 Hampton Road, BS6 6JE

The word 'permaculture' comes from 'permanent agriculture' and 'permanent culture' - it entails living lightly on the planet, and making sure that we can sustain human activities in harmony with nature. It combines three key aspects: ethics, an attitudinal/philosophical approach and an understanding of how nature works. These principles then inform the design of sustainable, agriculturally productive, non-polluting and healthy settlements, either adapting what exists or starting from scratch.


Mike Feingold will explain Permaculture in detail and tell us of Permaculture activities and projects in Bristol and how you could get involved. Mike is a member of the Bristol Permaculture Group and has been working with and teaching Permaculture in various countries for over 20 years, mainly in India and Nepal.

Members £2 (voluntary) Non-members £5  http://www.bristolcivicsociety.org.uk/

http://bristolpermaculture.pbworks.com/w/page/11835027/FrontPage

New CPRE Bristol Group

A new CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) group is being set up in Bristol. This is good news. CPRE is a grassroots organisation, led by volunteers, but it has a powerful national voice – planners and politicians listen to them. I hope that this group will become a strong voice in Bristol to campaign for a greener city surrounded by a thriving countryside, using CPRE’s resources and planning expertise to set out a positive vision for change.

As part of this move CPRE are holding a public meeting at 7.30pm on Tuesday 3^rd April at the Horfield Quaker Meeting House (300 Gloucester Road, Bristol BS7 8PD). All are welcome – entry is via the main entrance to the left of the building.

The new National Planning Policy Framework was published yesterday. It looks as though CPRE’s relentless lobbying and pressure on the Government has paid off to some extent, with additional safeguards for the environment now present, but it still removes a huge body of regulations that guided planning. Meanwhile, the Localism Act gives new powers to communities to plan development in their area.

CPRE  see both a threat and an opportunity – if the government is not going to control planning, then we should step in and reclaim control of our own neighbourhoods, and support others to do the same.

Its hoped hope the Bristol group will take a special interest in Localism and local food – CPRE want to explore how communities can use neighbourhood planning to develop local food infrastructure and build links with local farming communities. But also want to keep an eye on the bigger picture, a vision of Bristol as a clean, green city circled by farmland, woods and water.

If you think you might like to join the new group or if you are interested in these issues and you want to hear more, please do go along on Tuesday. This is an open public meeting, so please pass this message on to others who might be interested. Contact  Joe Evans, Director, CPRE Avonside

07854 741130 for further information.

GardenShare Bristol

Received from Abbi Gutierrez: I am writing to let you know about an exciting new community intiative: GardenShare Bristol.

This local volunteer organisation has recently been set up with the aim of matching people who would like to grow plants and vegetables but don't have the space, with those who lack the time, ability or motivation to use their gardens.

Our overall objective is to promote a local food culture and reduce food miles and the dependence on oil.

We also aim to

*Promote access to fresh locally grown vegetables especially for elderly and disabled people in the community.

*Promote more active lifestyles by getting more people involved in growing their own food.

*Promote healthy eating

*Promote an interest in and a better understanding of food and how it is produced.

*Help build links between different people in the community and foster a sense of shared future in the neighbourhood.

Similar projects are taking place across the country including Brighton, Bath, and Totnes and tend to attract people living in flats, town houses and rented accommodation, who have no access to a garden, but who would love to grow their own.

The benefits for the garden owners include a share of the produce, the pleasure of seeing a developing vegetable plot, and the sense of community in being part of a sharing initiative.

We are currently looking for community-minded garden owners and would-be vegetable growers across the city. We would very much appreciate it if you could help raise the profile of Gardenshare Bristol so more local residents can benefit from our service.

I am attaching A4 poster and small leaflets in case you have anywhere to display them [click on the image top left to get a larger version]. We also have a website: http://gardensharebristol.blogspot.com/. We are hoping that organisations like yours will display a link to our site from your homepage. We are happy to display your link in return.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you,

Kind regards
--
GardenShare Bristol
Email: gardensharebristol@gmail.com
Website: gardensharebristol.blogspot.com

Permaculture courses in Bristol, some starting soon - places available!

Hello, These courses are booking up, but there are still places, including concessionary places available and some starts oon, please also pass this on to any friends, family etc who might be interested. Thanks and best wishes, Ruth O'Brien

*Introduction to Permaculture, The Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol
8weekly sessions, 6.30-8.30pm, Tue evenings (6pm-8pm on Tue, 22th Sept)& 2 Sat morning sessions on 10th Oct & 7th Nov, from 15th Sept2009

*Introduction to Permaculture Weekend at Windmill Hill City Farm, Bedminster, Bristol
Oct 17th-18th, 2009

*Practical Introduction to Permaculture, Windmill Hill City Farm, Bristol
10 weekly sessions, 9.30am-12.30pm from Tues Sept 29th & Thurs 4th May 2010

*Residential Weekend at Ragman's Lane Farm, Forest of Dean
November 13th - 15th, 2009

PLEASE SEE BELOW OR http://ruthobrienpermaculture.wordpress.com FOR MORE INFO ON TIMES, COST, BOOKINGS ETC, CHEERS

Come and find out more about Permaculture. From the ethics and philosophy to the principles and design, with inspiring examples of Permaculture inpractice, these courses aim to give you a good basic understanding of what Permaculture means. Get together with others to share common interests and explore how you can start to put Permaculture into action in your own lives. No experience necessary, just an interest in sustainability and working towards it.
All courses are informal, relaxed and participatory. Most courses involve indoor and outdoor sessions including talks and discussions, slideshows, nature walks,visits, group work, practical projects, games.

Taking an introductory course will enable you to go on to do a Full Design Course later.
Please see below for listings.

**********************************************************************
Introduction to Permaculture Weekend at Windmill Hill City Farm, Bedminster, Bristol
Oct 17th-18th, 2009
Fromthe ethics and philosophy to principles and design. Informal, relaxedand participatory courses with inspiring examples of how it works inpractice and some practical work on the permaculture plot at the CityFarm.
Weekend intro courses are a good way to meet people in your area who are into sustainability.
Cost £65-£25 on a sliding scale depending on income. Please email course_enquiries@yahoo.co.uk or phone Ruth on 07949 294364 for more information and bookings.
********************************************************************
Practical Introduction to Permaculture, Windmill Hill City Farm, Bristol
10 weekly sessions, 9.30am-12.30pm from Tues Sept 29th & Thurs 4th May 2010
Runjointly with the WEA (Workers Educational Association) these 10 weekintroductory courses are practical and participatory ( you have to getinvolved!).
We spend some sessions indoors exploring whatPermaculture is, talking about our experiences, doing group exercises,looking at slides of permaculture projects, playing games and generallyhaving fun.

Outdoor sessions are spent out and about on the farm, particularly at the permaculture plot which we have been given todevelop. Examples of the kind of practical work the course may involveare making and planting a deep mulch raised bed, taking fruit bushcuttings or making a worm composter to take home. We also go on walksto observe nature in the local area and on a fantastic trip to othercommunity gardens and allotments in Bristol to see permaculture inaction.
Cost £110 (to be confirmed) or £15 concessions for thosewith under £15,000 income. Please contact Windmill Hill City Farm on0117 9633252 for bookings.
****************************************************************
Introduction to Permaculture, The Create Centre, Smeaton Road, Bristol
8weekly sessions, 6.30-8.30pm, Tue evenings (6pm-8pm on Tue, 22th Sept)& 2 Sat morning sessions on 3rd Oct & 7th Nov, from 15th Sept2009
This course is run through the adult learning service,based at the Stoke Lodge Centre. You can either register and pay online(and find more info about the course) atwww.bristol.gov.uk/adultlearning (the course is called introduction topermaculture, the fees are £40/£80, and the course code is WB7060ACC),or you can get hold of a prospectus at local libraries and council runcommunity centres etc (it is A4, titled Adult Learning Service) orangecover with lots of portraits of people doing course activities). Thephone number of Stoke Lodge is 0117 9038844.
***********************************************************
Residential Weekend at Ragman's Lane Farm, Forest of Dean
November 13th - 15th, 2009
Coursecosts: £110 - £65 on a sliding scale depending on income, concessionrate places are limited. The cost of the course includes accomodation,two evening meals and breakfasts. Weekend courses are from Friday night(6pm onward arrival) until Sunday 5pm. Please email course_enquiries@yahoo.co.uk or phone Ruth on 07949 294364 for more information and bookings.

Organic Fortnight - 5-20 September 2009

http://www.soilassociation.org/Takeaction/Organicfortnight/tabid/244/Default.aspx


Organic Fortnight - 5-20 September 2009


Organic Fortnight is a nationwide campaign highlighting all the great
things about organic. Up and down the UK, people in shops, schools,
cafes, churches and farms will be hosting events and raising awareness
about why organic is the healthy choice, the best for animal welfare
and the right thing for the planet.


Organic values on a budget
As we all look to make each pound go further, organic offers genuine
good value. The benefits stretch far beyond great-tasting,
additive-free food and drink. If we want food, beauty products or
clothes which don’t just taste, look and feel good, but which are
environmentally-friendly, healthy and have the highest animal welfare
standards in the UK too, then organic gives us just that.


For more reasons why organic offers so much for your money, check out
our ‘five reasons to choose organic’. For advice on making your
shopping basket work harder and how to shop organic for less, have a
read of our guide to buying organic on a budget.


Get involved - Host an organic dinner
We’re all socialising at home a bit more at the moment, so if you’re
passionate about organic issues, why not raise awareness by hosting an
organic credit crunch dinner for friends? As Jamie Oliver said, ‘Pass
it on’. You can brush up on your organic facts and get ideas for
cooking organic for less by visiting our guide to buying organic on a
budget.


Visit the Dinner4Good website below for more details about becoming an
organic host. If you’re keen to support campaigns against the use of
pesticides and GM, you can also help raise money to support the Soil
Association charity in its work. If you fancy putting together
something on a bigger scale, check out our events planning guide for
ideas and tips on organising and promoting an event.


Organic food festival
http://www.theorganicfoodfestival.co.uk/2009/


Held September 12-13 at Bristol's scenic Harbourside, the Organic Food
Festival is organized in association with the Soil Association and
with the
generous support of Yeo Valley. It is Europe's largest showcase of the
organic community, with hundreds of organic products, cooking
demonstrations
with Raymond Blanc and other top chefs, childrens taste workshops and
a lively Street Food Bazaar and Organic Bar.

Knowle West Food Festival, Sunday 5 July, 11am-3pm

Please come to our 3rd annual:

Knowle West food fest

Sunday 5th July

11-3pm

Knowle West Media Centre

Highlights of the day include making our very own healthy fizzy drink!
A contradiction in terms you say, we say come and try it! We will also
be firing up the earth oven, running pizza making workshops with all
ingredients being locally sourced from Project Agricola, a community
campaign.

Local gardener and community campaigner, Mil, will be showing us how
useful our ole friend the potato is- do you know how many different
ways there are to plant a spud? Come along and find out, maybe you
have your own suggestion….prize for the most creative spud plant out!

Other activities include sugar free sweet making, cycle powered juice
making, and community swap shop, local and organic BBQ, big brother
diary room food confessions.

Finally, everyone can burn off the food
treats at a belly-dancing workshop run by local woman, Imane.

Local residents will be given an opportunity to creatively express and
share their skills on film. This will contribute to the development of
a new arts project "the University of Local Knowledge" with
internationally recognised artist Suzanne Lacy in collaboration with
Knowle West Media Centre and Arnolfini.

For further information please contact Misty@kwmc.org.uk or telephone
0117 9030444

Thanks to those of you who have already volunteered however we still
really need more help to make this event stand out on the Bristol
events calendar!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Misty Tunks
Carbon Makeover project Coordinator
phone: 0117 9030444 ext 211
http://www.kwmc.org.uk/carbonmakeover

Knowle West Media Centre Leinster Avenue, Knowle West, Bristol BS4 1 NL
Company No. 4358350, Charity No. 1092375, fax: 01179030 445

Events June 2009

Rent a meeting room at KWMC - Competitive rates available :email katie@kwmc.org.uk

Free Internet drop-in sessions - Every Weds morning from 10am-11.30 am
at KWMC

Mobile e-democracy workshops - Tell the council your views online and
affect change. Request workshops with your group / join existing ones:
email makala@kwmc.org.uk

Car Share Website - The environmental team at KWMC are proud to
announce that the South Bristol Car Share website is now live: http://www.southbristol-carshare.org.uk/

Please visit our website for further information on any of the above http://www.kwmc.org.uk/

Green Footprints website proves a successful example of community-design

News from Knowle West Media Centre, Leinster Avenue, Bristol, BS4 1NL

Bristol residents use design to sow the seeds of environmental change

Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ Residents of the Knowle West estate in south Bristol are taking steps to prove the truth of this statement, by using an interactive community-led website to encourage others to join them in tackling climate change and sharing their passion for home-growing.

Graphic and web designers based at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) have assisted local resident Mil Lusk [pictured] in setting up a website for her project Green Footprints, which acts as an online portal to promote and facilitate home-growing on the estate.

Through the website http://www.green-footprints.org.uk/ , Mil provides advice and guidance about sustainable living, as well as managing orders from budding gardeners, cultivating seedlings for them to grow at home. Mil commented, ‘it’s all about having fun and enjoying yourself’, and she encouraged prospective gardeners, saying: ‘keep growing until you find out what works for you […] everyone has a plant they can grow.’

Green Footprints developed out of the Carbon Makeover project run by KWMC, which saw 70 homes across the neighbourhood pledge to reduce their carbon emissions by making manageable alterations to their lifestyles. Mil is one of four Community Campaigners and, with the support of KWMC, she has become empowered to continue her work beyond Carbon Makeover. All campaigners attended a Digital Media workshop to help them utilise the digital technologies available to them and Green Footprints is one of three websites KWMC Design have developed for the project. With the help of a digital strategist, KWMC Design created websites addressing the specific needs of each campaigner, actively seeking the input of local people in order to provide high-quality, accessible solutions that can empower the community.

The Green Footprints website has provided Mil with a digital platform to manage her project and enabled the local community to access a range of services and information about healthy, sustainable living. As the result of her collaboration with KWMC Design, Mil has seen her website evolve from an idea into a vital resource that benefits both the environment and the Knowle West community.

For more information please contact Romy Purshouse (Design Programme Manager) on 0117 3532746 / romy@kwmc.org.uk or visit www.green-footprints.org.uk / http://www.kwmc.org.uk/index.php?department=2

Notes

Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) is a Social Enterprise charity. The charity commands international respect as a producer of high-quality media work and as a provider of exciting experiences for young people in Knowle West, South Bristol – one of the country’s most socially disadvantaged wards.

KWMC Design is a professional print and web design team that sits within Knowle West Media Centre. The experienced designers use ethical and environmental design practices and any profits made go directly back into the local community. Please visit http://www.kwmc.org.uk/index.php?department=2 for more information.

Carbon Makeover is run by KWMC and aims to support local people, using media as a tool, to develop sustainable campaigns, projects and initiatives within the local community and reduce their carbon footprint. Carbon Makeover has facilitated the development of four community-led projects. Team FAB (‘Fight Against Bags’) are committed to making Knowle West free of plastic bags and meet weekly to sew reusable cloth bags. ‘Green Medicine’ promotes the cultivation and use of medicinal plants, whilst ‘Green Footprints’ encourages home-growing by selling seedlings to local people. ‘Project Agricola’ established a fruit and vegetable stall in an area of Knowle West that lacks a greengrocers, providing a hub for social interaction and the promotion of healthy, sustainable living.

For a full press toolkit for KWMC with images, background info, quotes, case studies, architectural and environmental information go to: http://www.kwmc.org.uk/index.php?project=42

More going green websites

Car sharing in South Bristol:

http://www.southbristol-carshare.org.uk/

Green medicines for minor ailments:

http://green-medicine.org.uk/

Choose the vegetables you want to eat and get the seedlings grown for you:

http://www.green-footprints.org.uk/

Newsletter on Bristol local food

Bristol's local food update: The newsletter on all things food in Bristol has been given a new look. The newsletter helps community groups and projects in Bristol to share information about what they're doing, to promote courses, events, training & skill-sharing, and advertise jobs & volunteering positions. The newsletter covers food issues from plot to plate, and in this issue, there are details of lots of "growing" courses in Bristol.

To have future issues of the newsletter delivered to your inbox, send an email to Claire Milne at claire.milne@bristol.gov.uk with a subscription request.

Or to download a copy, go to:http://www.bristollocalfood.co.uk/