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Towards a socially responsible and sustainable community Actively caring for our environment and the wellbeing of current and future generations Minutes of Last Meeting: HERE Next Meeting: Wednesday 24th April 2024, Royal Oak Cafe New May 2024 Envirofair 2024 HERE New February 2024 2023 Report to AGM HERE New October 2023 Revised Autumn Progr amme HERE New August 2023 Bat Detectives HERE Autumn Glut Recipes HERE New July 2023 Autumn Progr amme HERE A Safer Stoke HERE New June 20 23 Round Robin Number Three HERE 20's Plenty HERE Village Pla n HERE Bio Blitz 1st July HERE New May 20 23 ENVIROFAIR 23 Raffle Prizes HERE ENVIROFAIR 23 Exhibitors HERE Village Walks Update HERE Good News? HERE New April 2023 Recycle your Smart Tech HERE Wild Gardens & No Mow May HERE Plant Table for ENVIRO 23 HERE Round Robin Number Two HERE New - March 2023 iNaturalist - Wildlife Species ID HERE See our Updated Links Page HERE ENVIROFAIR 23 HERE Somerset Food Waste Week HERE New - February 2023 - Task List fo r 2 023 HERE New - December 2022 - Round Robin Number One HERE Our Vision Statement A rural community that is friendly, inclusive and resilient, where people share skills, ideas, knowledge, experience and time. A connected and healthy community, where everyone can get around with minimal carbon emissions. A green community that is rich in wildlife, that encourages biodiversity and cares for all species. An empowered community, where every individual can make a positive difference for the benefit of all. A socially responsible and sustainable community where we actively care for our environment and the wellbeing of current and future generations. Footpath Group: Formed in the spring of 2021 as an offshoot of the Stoke Environment Group, the aim is to encourage people to walk round and across fields and vary their walks to get to know the lovely countryside that surrounds the village. See more HERE VILLAGE WALKS: Eight circular walks around Stoke now available to download HERE ​ ​ Feb 2022: Update to LINKS page with links to ideas and articles that have been featured on our Facebook page If you can sign up to this vision, why not sign up to our mailing list, as a supporter or helper Contact us today: envirostoke@yahoo.com

ABOUT US For details of the Steering Group see HERE Vision Statement A rural community that is friendly, inclusive and resilient where people share skills, ideas, knowledge, experience and time. A connected and healthy community, where everyone can get around with minimal carbon emissions. A green community that is rich in wildlife, that encourages biodiversity and cares for all species. An empowered community, where every individual can make a positive difference for the benefit of all. A socially responsible and sustainable community where we actively care for our environment and the wellbeing of current and future generations. Mission Statement ​ ​ To share information, enabling constructive dialogue around sustainability and supporting positive behaviour change To identify opportunities to support and enable the reduction of carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases and waste To respect, protect and restore our natural environment by fostering greater community awareness To create a self-reliant and environmentally resilient Parish where community cohesion and well-being are enhanced Objectives To make a positive contribution towards finding practical and affordable ways of reducing carbon emissions in our community To champion environmental awareness by working with all ages and experience and sharing reliable information that will lead towards a greater understanding of our impact on the natural world To support our natural world, and where possible, increase the diverse range of birds, plants, insects and mammals in our community To promote practises that have a positive and lasting benefit on our environment To encourage participation and inclusivity in the group’s work leading to an improvement in personal wellbeing and sense of belonging

Bat Detectives Saturday 2nd or Sunday 3rd September 2023 Williams Hall Stoke St Gregory Somerset Bat Group Stoke St Gregory Environment Group Somerset Wildlife Trust 7.15 - 9.30 pm Book HERE FREE This event is weather dependent as it needs to be a dry and not windy early evening, so it will hopefully be on either the Saturday or the Sunday evening. We will be learning how to use a Bat Detector, which attaches to a phone and working in small groups to see how many species and numbers of bats we can identify in the village. It will be a fun evening and suitable for all ages. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. ​ This is a FREE event, but PLEASE do BOOK via the SWT Web Site - HERE Starting out at Stoke-St-Gregory Village Hall you’ll get a short briefing, collect a bat detector and your group will head out to an area within Stoke-St-Gregory parish (including Curload, Woodhill and Meare Green). Please note that you will need to arrange your own transport to get to your survey location. Once you have surveyed your area you will head back to base to return your kit and find out the results. Please be aware that this is not a guided walk and your team will not be accompanied by a member of staff or volunteer during the survey This event is part of the Somerset BIG BAT COUNT It's your chance to get involved in real-time, night-time monitoring of bat species and use the very latest, cutting edge bat detecting technology to collect data. The more data we collect about the county’s bats, the better we can conserve the habitats they call home. I f you would like to find out more about Somerset bats have a look at the Somerset Bat Group's web site HERE

STOKE FOOD PARTNERSHIP Stoke St Gregory, Somerset, England stokefood@yahoo.com Back HERE to Stoke Food Partnership Home Page FOOD WASTE (Using All We Can ) As UK households we waste 6.5 million tonnes of food every year, 4.5 million of which is edible. We’re not just talking egg shells or chicken bones. We mean the last few bites from my plate that I couldn’t quite manage, or bread crusts, or potato peelings – all stuff which could have been transformed into something delicious. " Love Food Hate Waste" (Web site HERE ) is a very good starting point for anyone interested in reducing the amount of food they waste. As they point out: "The average family of four can save just over £60 per month by reducing their food waste. Whether you’re doing the food shop or ordering a meal at a restaurant, every decision is an opportunity to save food from the bin. If you don’t want a side salad, ask for your meal without it. If you won’t make good use of the extra portion, don’t be tempted by it. And if you can’t finish your main, ask for a doggy bag! Food is made to be loved, so that’s what we should do." Stoke St Gregory & North Curry Homegrown Swap Shop is a great way of cutting down on waste food if you have a surplus - from your garden or an unwanted BOGOF offer. Their Facebook page is HERE Spare plants are also always welcome. Just leave stuff on the shelves outside the Wagon House, Meare Green. The BBC 'Good Food' Section has some useful material on food waste (see HERE ) Reminding us that misshapen, marked, discoloured or oddly sized fruit and vegetables often don’t meet the standards of the marketplace (up to 20-40% are thrown away before even leaving the farm). There are suggestions and recipes to help avoid throwing away leftovers and surplus food. What Can We Do? Your suggestions and examples of your own experience would be very welcome. Let us know what you do at home to cut down on waste food and we'll post the suggestions here. Please contact us at stokefood@yahoo.com

The Green Home BACK to Projects THE GREEN HOME: Small Steps to a Cleaner Home and Planet (see excerpt below) ​ Available now. Over a hundred copies sold, so get your order in quickly as many people are buying as stocking fillers. Priced at £2.50 (50p profit to Stoke Environment Group). Packed with tips and information, a toolbox that makes fixing those Eco problems easier and fun to do. Please contact me here or email: housego20@yahoo.com

THEMES Biodiversity Understanding the challenge Undertaking nature surveys Monitoring endangered species Wildflower planting Developing and implementing solutions to support and increase biodiversity ​ ​ Hedges & Trees Surveys and mapping of species and locations Identifying improvements and planting opportunities Developing and maintaining a positive relationship with landowners Planting new hedges and trees to increase the community’s Carbon Capture and to support species reliant on these habitats Managing communal resources ​​ Mobility & Transport Mapping paths, tracks and permissive routes etc. Improving signage and guides Identifying improvements to access whilst respecting coexisting natural habitats Encouraging responsible use of motor transport Providing improved facilities and encouraging healthy exercise ​​ Resources & Information Hub Working with, and supporting, education and information providers Providing nature information around the village Connect with young people in our community and respond to their concerns Construct a ‘library’ of information on environmental success stories and practical guidance ​ Home Energy & Waste Management Providing guidance on practical measures that lead to a reduction in the use of energy and increase carbon capture Identifying grants and funding to reduce the impact of carbon (and other gas) emissions Identifying and coordinating initiatives that will minimise unnecessary waste and preserve our natural resources Identify and coordinate projects that help people adopt the principle of ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink’ We have produced a task list which covers all the possible projects we have identified to date. It is available HERE

The Big One 21st - 24th April 2023 Tens of thousands of people are set to gather outside the Houses of Parliament in London later this month to highlight the UK government’s failure to act on the climate and the related crises. Climate change activists will be standing alongside health workers, anti-racism campaigners, and many well known and respected national organisations for a four day gathering starting on 21 April, dubbed ‘The Big One’. It’s four years since XR brought parts of the English capital to a standstill, parking a pink boat in Oxford Circus. Following that the UK parliament declared a climate emergency. But, says Greenpeace UK’s head of climate, Mel Evans: “The UK government is failing to deliver the kind of wholesale action needed to avoid full-blown climate breakdown.” Since bursting onto the global stage a few years ago, the main co-organiser of the event, Extinction Rebellion , has been doing some soul-searching of its own. In a New Year’s statement titled ‘We Quit’ , the protest group announced it would now “prioritise attendance over arrest and relationships over roadblocks.” The Big One is the first major event since this resolution. Pitching up outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster from 21 to 24 April, it promises to be family-friendly, accessible, welcoming, creative and engaging. “Awash with colour and culture, the politically powerful streets of Westminster will be transformed with People’s Pickets outside government departments and a diverse programme of speakers, performers and workshops,” Extinction Rebellion UK says on its website. The invitation is open to everyone and if the co-host list is anything to go by, it promises to live up to its name. XR is calling on 100,000 people to attend, making them “impossible to ignore.” It certainly seems to be capturing the imagination of diverse groupings. For example, faith groups expected to take part include: A Rocha UK, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Christian Climate Action, Green Christian, the Iona Community, Just Love, Operation Noah, the Student Christian Movement, Tearfund, Young Christian Climate Network, Quakers, Faith for the Climate, and many other faith based members of the Climate Coalition. Global Justice Now is a social justice organisation working to create a more just and equal world. They are campaigning for compensation for the global south to be paid by the big polluting corporations in the fossil fuel industry. Praising the “vital role” that XR has played in the past, director of Global Justice Now, Nick Dearden says that the Big One’s potential lies in its inclusivity. April’s mass action can help foster a “generational movement.” Mel Evans, head of climate at Greenpeace UK, makes the point: “It’s clear that only through working together will civil society defeat the vested interests intent on putting profits over people and the planet . “We either win as a movement or lose as individual organisations. That’s why The Big One promises to be such a key moment in the fight for climate justice and why we’re getting involved.” Robin Wells, of Fossil Free London comments: “The climate crisis can be easy to ignore because it is continuous. It exists in the periphery of our attention all the time - in the weather when we wake up in the morning, the prices of the food we buy at the shops, and on the fringe of the news reports that we watch when we get home. But there are moments that cut through and grab our attention. One is the release of scary warnings from scientists like in [yesterday’s] IPCC report. Another is freak temperatures beyond what we’d have ever imagined, and another one, that we campaigners can make happen, are moments in which we are brought together and reminded of our power and unity in shaping the world we want to see. The Big One will be one such moment.” How Can I Get Involved? All the main information is on The Big One website , including ways to volunteer and donate. Click HERE ​ We know of at least one multi generational group that will be travelling to Westminster from Stoke. If you are on the Stoke Environment Group mailing list you will have had details, and an offer of advice if you are thinking of going. For others in the area contemplating the trip please get in touch and we will try and 'put people in touch with each other' . Contact Dave at envirostoke@yahoo. com

Dynamic Task List

Click HERE for ENVIROFAIR Home Page Click HERE for full list of contributors Fixy Van Average Somerset households hold on to 20 unwanted electrical items. Fixy’s first year is dedicated to giving anything with a plug or batteries a new lease of life if it stops working, and helping people to get things mended rather than throwing them away. Fixy will be at our Envirofair. The initiative is led by the Resource Futures consultancy, in partnership with Somerset Waste Partnership and Donate-IT, a local community interest company that refurbishes laptops, tablets and phones, and distributes them to families who need them. The van has a collection point for these items and Donate-IT will securely data-wipe donations. ​ So, bring along your broken, and/or unwanted, electrical items on Saturday 25th June 10 am - 4 pm Every year, we throw away millions of tons of electrical and electronic items. Recycling is good, but reuse is even better, and it is often surprisingly easy to fix things. Not only can you save money, materials and energy, but repair is a useful action against climate change. Why not love your stuff for longer? ​ Check out some good advice from SWP HERE And to look at the idea of a 'Circular Economy' click HERE

BIODIVERSITY BACK to Themes Stoke Environment Group will be working towards: > Understanding the challenge > Undertaking nature surveys > Monitoring endangered species > Wildflower planting If you've had success (or failure) in creating a wild flower patch please get in touch envirostoke@yahoo.com > Developing and implementing solutions to support and increase biodiversity The term biodiversity describes the enormous variety of life on Earth. It can also refer to all of the species in one region, ecosystem, or even our own village. Biodiversity refers to every living thing, including plants, bacteria, animals, and humans.

A Safer Stoke Safety at Home - Safety on the Road - Safety at Work - Safety at School - Safety at Play No Nanny State, but let's make Stoke a safer place to be Safety on the Road Thanks to everyone who responded to our post about a possible 20 mph speed limit in Stoke St Gregory. It was really just a means of raising the issue of road safety in the village, and the following responses show what a wide range of possibilities we have if we want to look after each other when we are out and about. England might follow Wales in a few years' time and impose a blanket speed limit in towns and villages, but in the mean time are there better alternatives? Here are some of the initial responses: 20 mph Speed Limit - people feel strongly, but both for or against. If you are unsure have a look at the 20's Plenty site HERE but to start here's a comment from an ex Stoke resident: “I was Lo llipop man at the school between 2000 and 2005 prior to the crossing being put in front of the school it was a 60 mph road unbelievable in front of a school!!” Another comment was: "Would be excellent especially as we have many roads with out pavements definitely a positive action" Whatever the speed limit , another responder said: "The problem isn't the 30 mile an hour limit, it is people not respecting it, a lack of consideration for other road users/hazardous areas and the inappropriate national speed limit on the other village roads, that are just too narrow and bendy for this to be safe." And another: "It would be safer for pedestrians if some drivers were to slow down on the bends in Woodhill; that’s for sure." Other Road Users - as road users we all have our pet hates, and they are always other road users . Cyclists, horse riders, tractors, slow drivers, fast drivers . . . . (and some people hate us as well, even though we are perfect road users). Here are a couple of experiences shared by our respondents: "It’s not only the children that you should slow down for. Coming through North Curry last week a women with two dogs came out from a field, dogs not on leads and partner on other side of road, dog ran in front of me and lady not far behind with other dog, good j ob I was only doing 18 miles an hour." And by Stoke School: "Luckily I was going slowly approaching Stoke School from the playing fields (the lights were not flashing) and a boy dashed straight across the road in front of me from the school." The posters on this page are from Nether Kellet school in Lancashire. Check out their web site HERE Parking - this is a recurring issue "People parking in the square" was just one of the comments. The School and HOTV have been trying to discourage this, and the Parish Council has issued a statement, but it continues to be a problem. Official parking restrictions have been considered , any ideas would be welcomed. Personal Pledges - several people have said that they are already committed to driving at no more than 20 m ph through the centre of the village. If this could reach a significant number , traffic generally would be slowed down. Are there other areas where pledges could be made? Parish Council - "Spend some Community Infrastructure Levy money on signs telling people how fast they are going ." The SID (speed indicator devices) in North Curry appear to have been so successful that the Parish Council is planning on buying and installing three more in the village. This has been raised at a parish council meeting in Stoke, but no conclusion has been reached. Do you think it would be worth campaigning for this to happen? There is still a large pot of CIL money to be spent on village infrastructure. Safer Walkways - "Make it safer for people to walk, cycle and use mobility scooters round the village and separate them more from vehicles. Start with tarmacing the path from Polkes Field all the way to the shop and the school." This is another job for the Parish Council, but it is unlikely to happen unless the people involved make their wishes known and show that there is a need. Please respond to this post if you think this suggestion is a good one envirostoke@yahoo.com and ask your friends who may not use use the internet. Posters - "I would love to see these kind of signs appear all throughout the village. A friendly community message displayed through a variety of graphic signs rather than a law enforced speed restriction I think would have a real impact." This probably sums up an attitude of many of us in the village. We don't want to be told what to do by busybodies, but we accept that traffic is not what it was 60, 40, or even 20 years ago. Is there anyone out there who would like to approach the school with a view to including road safety in the village to a greater extent in the curriculum? If you've read this and any of the ideas grab you as worth following up (or indeed any other suggestions to make Stoke safer), do please get in touch by email, social media, or a note though the letterbox at Stoke House. It would be great if a few people could get together and see how some of these ideas could be moved forward. Anyone willing to stick their head above the parapet?