Transition Newton Abbot

Transition Newton Abbot has emerged from the energy and enthusiasm of people living, working and caring about the environment and community of the town and surrounding area of Newton Abbot.

Starting from deep concerns around the issues of Peak Oil and Climate Change, the Group is setting up projects in our own locality. We are part of a worldwide movement of over 453 official initiatives plus 377 places mulling it over (Mullers) in 34 countries (set up since 2006!) and the movement is still growing.

At the same time, our group is growing rapidly and the more people we have to help, the more we can achieve.

Transition Newton Abbot is about practical action. It is about local people caring for their own environment and getting out there and doing something about it. The problems created by Climate Change and Peak Oil are real and are happening. Transition is about positive action and doing things in our own locality that make a difference.

Some of this work is practical, such as the community garden, some is about relaying the message, such as the events. For more details contact  Postie@TransitionNewtonAbbot.org.uk

New feed in tariff December deadline – a killer blow so please sign the petition

http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk/2011/11/11/sign-up-to-e-petition-to-delay-retreat-from-support-of-household-solar-schemes/

And it comes along with a story from South West MEP Giles Chichester saying the Feed in Tariff was a distraction:
http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthdevon.co.uk/2011/11/11/feed-in-tariff-scheme-an-expensive-distraction-for-an-effective-national-energy-policy/

Kingsteignton Transition Together

We have been very fortunate to receive a grant from Awards for All, Big Lottery Fund for a project called “Kingsteignton Transition Together”.

We have now appointed a Facilitator to manage the project, more information to follow soon.

TNA party and community garden open day

The TNA party and community garden open day went off well. We had plenty of people of all ages join us for our celebrations : people from within our own network and friends of the garden as well as passers-by who were just curious. We were also joined by Sally Henley , the Town Development Manager and members of the Magpies pre-school group who tend a patch of the community garden as part of their weekly activities. Members of the Transition group from Teignmouth and the Bovey Climate Action Group (the ones we linked up with for the Moving Planet Cycle Ride you featured previously) also came along.

We celebrated in true Transition style with pressing of local apples. All our visitors were invited to try their hand at making their own apple juice; all apples from Newton Abbot of course, including russets which make a wonderfully sweet juice. Everybody was involved from preparing the apples to the pressing and then the tasting. We had intended that visitors took some juice home but it was all consumed there and then.

The food we cooked was a lot of produce from the garden with a few extras. Herbs we had a plenty and chard plus squashes, marrows and potatoes which we baked over an open fire.Truly delicious and proving that you can have a lovely barbie with your own produce. Part of the philosophy of the garden is to show people how much you can grow for yourself and how satisfying it is come harvest-time when all your hard work pays off. If anyone would like to get involved just contact the garden group via postie@TransitionNewtonAbbot.org.uk or simply pop along any Sat morning.

Alternative ways to get involved are our Energy Group which has been going strong for the past couple of years or come along to our lively Book/DVD discussion group or join the Local Food Guide initiative. There’s so much to do and we’re a friendly, enthusiastic bunch. Hope to see you at one of our gatherings. Let’s make the next years in the life of Transition Newton Abbot the best yet.

DVD discussion evening

At our last session we watched the very interesting dvd “Turning Point” about the carbon footprint of the Findhorn community in Scotland. The film featured Rob Hopkins, Joanna Macey, Richard Heinberg and others as well as members of the community itself. Over 60 yrs old now the community provides a shining example of low-impact communal living.  It generated plenty of discussion about how we live our lives and what we can do to change.

Interested in joining us ? Come along to our next meeting is on Monday October 31st at Jane Baker’s at 7.30pm.(contact jane@bakerville.freeserve.co.uk for address and directions.)

We will watch  the Landmatters film or the recent TED clip of Tim Jackson. All welcome

Cyclists Lend Pedal Power to Climate Change Cause

Two eco-friendly groups got on their bikes to raise awareness on being kind to the planet. Transition Newton Abbot and Bovey Tracey Climate Change rode between their two towns and enjoyed a picnic to mark Moving Planet Day.

See the full article from the Herald Express here.

Energy Sculptures

The following is an excerpt from a piece in the Mid-Devon Advertiser, there was also one in the Herald Express.

John Balment of the MDA writes “Residents and visitors entering Newton Abbot by road and rail could soon have a new welcome – energy sculptures. Applications have gone into Teignbridge Council planners to site the wooden sculptures, which are 11ft or more, fan out at the top and will be highly visible at half-a-dozen locations”. Click here to see both articles.