Category: Economics

Make Herefordshire Fossil Free!

Culture, Economics, Events Leave a comment

Divestment Training Workshop

Join the fight to free the UK from its harmful investments and relationships with fossil fuel companies!

In April we are co-hosting the Herefordshire Green Network Gathering with the inspirational Divest Cymru.

This free training event is our opportunity to learn how to lobby our MP, Councillor, faith institution or university on climate change. We’ll be learning and putting into practice the best techniques, tricks and strategies to convince Bill Wiggin MP and Jesse Norman MP to divest their pension fund from fossil fuels and get behind a clean energy future.

Join an interactive training event that seeks to inspire locals around Herefordshire, supporting those campaigning for a fossil-free future and encouraging others to join or help start a local divestment group in your area.

To date, over 140 former and current MPs have backed the Divest Parliament campaign – including leaders of the Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party.

Help us add Herefordshire to the list!

 

When: Wednesday 18th April, 7.30pm

Where: The Garden Room, Left Bank Village, Bridge Street, Hereford.

 

Any questions about the event, please email divestparliament@gmail.com

If you can’t make the event, you can still write to your MP using this tool (please personalise your email as much as possible): https://gofossilfree.org/uk/divest-parliament/#ask

For more info on the campaign, please check out: www.divestparliament.org. For more information on divestment visit: www.gofossilfree.org/uk/

The Preston Model – for Herefordshire?

Community, Economics Leave a comment
a photo of hiking boots

With Local Councils around the country struggling to pay their bills, and a rise in local tax looking inevitable to balance the books, Preston is an inspiring and slightly surprising example of how things can be done differently.

Preston has “… adopted a guerrilla localism. It keeps its money as close to home as possible so that, amid historically drastic cuts, the amount spent locally has gone up. Where other authorities privatise, Preston grows its own businesses. It even creates worker-owned co-operatives.” A small team on the local council led by Matthew Brown “persuaded six of the public bodies on their doorstep to commit to spending locally wherever possible. It sounded commonsensical; yet it defied procurement convention, which trades cost against quality and rarely thinks about the environment or society…”

To read the full article about Preston’s “inspiring innovation”, click here. And thanks to Liz Hughes for the links.

 

 

Good News!

Divestment, Economics, Energy Leave a comment

This week the University of Edinburgh announced it will move its entire £322million investment portfolio out of the fossil fuel industry over the next three years. That’s £6.3million it currently holds in fossil fuels companies including Total. 61 UK universities now have some form of divestment commitment totalling to £11bn contributing to £6trillion divested globally.

… To bring some of that positive divestment energy to Herefordshire we are delighted to announce that our HGN Gathering on Wednesday 18th April will be a workshop from the lovely people at Divest Cymru. The workshop has been developed by Divest Parliament in order to encourage individuals and groups to campaign for their MPs to divest from fossil fuels, but the training can also be applied to all divestment campaigns (universities, faith institutions, council pension funds etc) with practical training on how to lobby those in positions in power.

One for the diary!

An Alternative Economic Strategy for Herefordshire…

Community, Economics, Events Leave a comment

… what would it look like & what difference could it make to you and your community?

Nick Sherwood has done pilot research towards creating such a strategy as part of the national Transition REconomy project. He will introduce this as the basis for an interactive workshop aimed at answering these two questions .

 

Come long to the next FREE! Politics & Ethics discussion on Wednesday 6 December 2017 (7.30 – 9.30pm) at De Koffie Pot, Hereford HR4 9DG

For more information phone 07858 750936 or email perry@openupuk.org

 

Refreshments including local ales and ciders, pieminister pies and scotch eggs available downstairs in De Koffie Pot café

 

A monthly event presented by Perry Walker : Talk Shop

Support MAKE CIC

Community, Economics, Local Groups Leave a comment

Hereford MAKE CIC is a creative resource for artists and makers to work together, experiment and support each other in turning vocations into sustainable businesses.

The Hereford premises offer affordable opportunities for established artists, makers and creatives as well as local students and graduates: www.herefordmake.wordpress.com 

Addressing issues around accessibility and affordability of resources, Hereford MAKE has identified a lack of opportunity for the community to access high end, industry standard digital studio equipment. The equipment includes large format printer, large format scanner, video recording equipment and IT suite (a mixture of PC’s and MAC’s with specialist software).

To help MAKE CIC take this next step in their local project work please also have look at this Aviva funding page: https://www.avivacommunityfund.co.uk/voting/project/view/17-3179

Sunset Markets

Community, Culture, Economics, Events, Food, Local Groups Leave a comment

Calling all Growers, Makers, Artists, Creators – and also all you Movers & Shakers out there in the Herefordshire Green Network ..

The Sunset Market at De Koffie Pot now takes place weekly on a Wednesday afternoon. DKP are experimenting with putting the market inside over the winter months – and certainly hope to run it right up to and including Christmas Markets.

This is a fabulous opportunity to spread the word about local produce and activities to members of the public, and to fund raise for your organisations – particularly in the run up to Christmas.

If you would be interested to book a (free) market stall please contact Sophie Higgins at De Koffie Pot (enquiries@herefordleftbank.com).

Please also spread word about the markets to friends and colleagues in Hereford. The intention with the Sunset Market longer term is that it will become a regular stop off point en route home from school and work for people looking for fresh and innovative local produce.

For more information see: www.HerefordLeftBank.com

 

World Population – 7.5 billion & rising…

Culture, Economics, Food, Land Use, Politics Leave a comment
a photo of hiking boots

 

Join a presentation & discussion upstairs at De Koffie Pot next Wednesday evening.

World population is now 7.5 billion, and projected to rise to 8.6 billion by 2030, 9.8 billion by 2050 up to 11.2 billion in 2100!

What are the implications? What are your views? What can be done? Come and hear some details and statistics then listen to and/or join in the ensuing discussion

 

Wednesday 25th October, 7.30 – 9.30pm … and discussions may continue, DKP closes at 11pm!

Come early – drinks & food available at the bar downstairs.

 

This is a DKP hosted Discussion Evening, and one of the regular Politics, Ethics & Environment nights held on Wednesdays at DKP.

 

Garway Community Centre Appeal

Built environment, Climate change, Community, Economics, Energy, Environment, Funding, Local Groups Leave a comment

Garway Community Centre has been shortlisted for the M&S Energy Community Energy Fund! The groundbreaking new Community Centre is in the running to receive a £12,500 grant from the nationally recognised M&S Energy Community Energy Fund. Having made it this far – Garway community now need your help to get the campaign over the finish line.

 

What makes the Garway Community Centre special?

The Garway Community Centre is a unique eco build, and the first of its kind in the UK. It’s a cutting-edge ‘Passivhaus’ design that’s clean and very cheap to run due to its highly energy efficient mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system (MVHR) which helps to dramatically reduce energy use compared to a traditional build. It really is something special – you can read more about the technology on the Garway campaign page.

 

How can you help?

  • Cast your vote – voting is open! And they we need as many votes as possible to be awarded the grant. Here’s the link to the the campaign and voting page – https://www.mandsenergyfund.com/projects/garway-new-community-centre-2 You’ll find lots more information about the MVHR system and the project itself on there.
  • Spread the word! and tell as many people as possible about this important local project. It’s the first of its kind in the UK and we want the whole country to know about it – it’s a game changer. Please share this with your friends, family and colleagues.
  • Make a donation – as well as the M&S Energy Community Energy Fund grant, there’s a crowdfunded campaign to help raise even more money to really get the Community Centre off to a flying start in December. Any and all donations are very welcome – plus, there will be some tasty rewards for early backers!

 

What is the money going towards?

The M&S Energy Community Energy Fund grant will be put towards funding the MVHR system.

Any additional money raised through the crowdfunding will also go towards essential equipment for the Centre, and the large range of facilities and activities it will offer. Discover the many ways the Centre will be used by watching the latest video: https://youtu.be/aGdCeFjI30k

 

Thank you for your help and support – let’s win this together.

 

Visit the campaign page to vote: https://www.mandsenergyfund.com/projects/garway-new-community-centre-2

 

One Stop Shop for business recycling

Economics, Energy, Recycling Leave a comment

For those of you over on the North and West edges of the county – Cae Post is an innovative social enterprise based in Powys, providing trade waste and business recycling services across mid-Wales and north Shropshire.

Cae Post believes that employment and access to work are central to how people see themselves and that people with a range of disabilities, or who are disadvantaged in the labour market, should be given the same opportunity of contributing to their community through work.

Cae Post continue to expand their commercial collections as they work to survive since they have lost the council contracts. They have some business in Knighton and district and are keen to develop it.

They now offer a ‘one stop shop’ service collecting all recycling including food plus general waste residuals. This is available to all businesses and private individuals especially those who do bed and breakfast or holiday lets and who are now required to prove that they dispose of the waste appropriately. Their charges are very competitive.

See caepost.co.uk or phone Sue Packer on 01938 570426 for more information.

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