Search Results

STOKE FOOD PARTNERSHIP Stoke St Gregory, Somerset, England stokefood@yahoo.com Easy Cooking (For Everyone ) Click HERE Food Waste (Using All We Can ) Click HERE Food Miles (Carbon Footprint ) Click HERE

Click HERE for ENVIROFAIR Home Page Plant, Seed and Vegetable Swap! A swap means just that! Bring along plants, seeds or veg that you don’t want and swap for something that you do! A great fun, free way to reuse, reduce and recycle! Start collecting plants and seeds now – ready for the big day! Plants etc can be taken to the village hall early on the day or to Birch House, Woodhill or Stoke House, The Square , Stoke St Gregory in the weeks before. The more plants, seeds and veg, the more swapping fun can be had by everyone!

FOOTPATHS & FOOTWAYS To see the current activities of the Footpath Group Click HERE BACK to Projects BACK to Mobility & Transport For Footpath History Click HERE For Footpath Legal Stuff Click HERE Stoke Environment Group is committed to working with all landowners in the parish to maintain and improve the footpath network in the village. Any subsequent increase in use will be monitored to ensure that this does not interfere with farming practice, or householders’ privacy. Any successful footpath strategy must be a partnership between landowners and walkers, both having their own rights and responsibilities. Not since the invention of the bicycle have footpaths been the principal way of getting round the village (see HISTORY page). The vast majority of footpath journeys are now for leisure, exercise and dog walking. This creates different pressures on the network, which is used by people who have no connection with the land and agriculture. Farming methods have also changed. Seventy years ago in Stoke there were more than 50 farms and smallholdings whose milk was collected daily on behalf of the Milk Marketing Board. Forty years ago there were fewer, larger herds, and some people moving in to the village complained about the cow dung on the roads. Many of the herds were ‘hunted’ from the fields to the dairy twice a day for milking, and they would make a few ‘deposits’ on the way there and back. Today we have three large dairy farms in the village, a direct result of the nation’s obsession with cheap food (Do you buy your milk from a supermarket?). As with the change of use of footpaths, the methods employed in large scale milk production can also raise issues for those walking the paths. Landowners - if you have issues with walkers on your land, please get in touch envirostoke@yahoo.com to discuss what practical steps might be taken. Walkers - if you have issues with footpaths please contact us or the landowner to see how they might be tackled. You are welcome, or course, to go through official channels, but if you are a member or supporter, please make it clear that you are not complaining on behalf of Stoke Environment Group. To see the current activities of the Footpath Group Click HERE

Click HERE for ENVIROFAIR Home Page The first Stoke St Gregory Environment Fair was held on Saturday 16th October 2021 at the Williams Hall. It was a great success. Stoke Environment Group held their first ‘Envirofair’ at The Williams Hall in Stoke St Gregory on Saturday 16th October. The Group, established five months ago, aims to raise awareness of the importance of nature and the environment within the community. The Group has almost eighty members, some of which have already been making a difference by clearing footpaths and permissive ways with the cooperation of local landowners. This has proved highly popular within the community. In order to raise awareness of their work, and that of other environment and partner organisations, the Group held an Envirofair and invited the community along. It proved to be highly popular. Plans for the Second Annual Envirofair are already under way. The fantastic effort made by members of the Group was rewarded by the positive feedback from members of our community. We are building a firm base and a clear vision so that we can carry out more projects that will have a positive impact on peoples’ wellbeing, whilst contributing to the work needed to tackle the impact of climate change. We welcomed a wide range of groups and organisations including the Somerset Wildlife Trust, RSPB, Somerset Waste Partnership, Coates English Willow, the School, Somerset Beekeepers, Somerset Wildlands, Dykes Farm, the Parish and Baptist churches, and Willow Set and clubs. There was also a very interesting and informative presentation by Alasdair Cameron of Somerset Wildlands. His inspirational leadership has made people think again about the benefits of re-wilding parts of our countryside. Feedback was very positive, from the visitors and exhibitors: Rev Simon Bale – Athelney Benefice "I am so pleased the messages people left were 'of God'. The spiritual side to the climate emergency is so often overlooked or assumed to be understated, but I feel very strongly that making more of it can encourage broader action in general. I think the day was successful because it didn’t set out to do too much. The stalls were relevant and local, the talk from Alasdair was very helpful. The welcome was honest. Perhaps, one thing for future is to have some more child-focused activities? Also, perhaps, more chance to gather in a workshop setting to discuss detailed issues? But, that said, if we were to do the same as yesterday in the future, it would be very good again!" Dawn Baker – Head Teacher Stoke St Gregory Primary School "I'm so grateful for your help and for those brilliant willow backing boards. They were simply incredible. Thank you for the update and I appreciate the encouragement about our input for the day. The children were certainly proud of what they have done. In terms of feedback, in all honesty, I was really impressed with how everything worked. Your communication with us in school, all the way from the early planning stages to the actual event, was great. Not too 'in my face' with constant messages, a mutual trust of knowing what the plan is and then being able to work to it and knowing exactly what we were doing. I am more than open to us being involved in future events." Rachel Parish – Head, Willowset Pre School, Stoke St Gregory "It was a lovely first event, it was advertised well and supported by mainly the over 40s. I think for younger families there will need to be something else to attract them but I’m not sure what that is in keeping with the event. It was good to be there and to showcase some of our efforts, recycling and keeping our village area clean. Thank you for inviting the Willow Set." Marilyn Clarke – Stoke St Gregory Resident "Thanks to all concerned for yesterday‘s event. What a great success. It was really good to have the opportunity to see what everyone is doing and to feel encouraged that the small things we do individually really are part of a growing trend. Very motivating!" An interesting and engaging display from Somerset Wildlife Trust Stoke Footpath Group aroused a lot of interest with their prototype village footpath walk maps and directions. The hamper full of eco friendly household goods was won by Sara Sollis. Somerset Beekeepers were on hand to answer questions and encourage newcomers. They hope to have live bees at next year's event. Climate Action Athelney brought along their amazing piece of kit that minces apples then presses the juice out using mains water pressure. The juice is available in local shops and the equipment is available for private hire.

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

Click HERE for ENVIROFAIR Home Page Raffle Prizes - Tickets only available on the day at the Envirofair Prize: 1 Year's Membership to the Trust SWT looks after a wide range of habitats from wetlands to woodlands, grasslands and meadows, and provides secure environments for a range of wildlife such as dormice, otters, hedgehogs, barn owls and many other species. Visit their web site HERE Prize: £25 to spend at Coates English Willow Shop A place to see the willow industry, from the Withy Bed to the Basket. You will find a warm welcome and are invited to learn about the history and art of willow growing and basket making. Dogs on leads are welcome to all areas. Visit their web site HERE Prize: Mint Bundle – toothpaste x 2, mouthwash x 2, metal winder and mouthwash cup Welcome to the wonderful world of Waken. We were born in 2019 in the UK and ever since we’ve been on a mission to change the world of mouthcare. We do this by creating effective, more sustainable products that look beautiful in your bathroom Visit their web site HERE Prize: Clothes Washing sheets and pack of 3 soaps For every pack of Serious Soaps laundry detergent or bar soaps they sell, they recover 1kg of ocean-bound plastic. That’s the equivalent of fifty 500ml plastic bottles or 500 crisp packets. Visit their web site HERE Prize: A Water Butt " By 2030, we aim to achieve net zero operational carbon emissions. These are our annual emissions linked to our energy use and transport, plus other greenhouse gases that are emitted from sewage and sludge treatment processes." See their web site HERE Prize: A Compost Converter Compost converters are made from recycled plastic, UV-stabilised to prevent degradation, require no assembly, and are guaranteed for seven years. See their web site HERE Prize: £10 Gift Voucher Monkton Elm is an award winning family owned garden centre. Apart from plants & seeds there is a Farm Shop, gift cards, home decor, garden furniture and BBQ’s, pet centre, greenhouses and garden buildings. Visit their web site HERE

LITTER BACK to Projects We've all done it. The tissue that blew away an a windy day. The empty can we didn't notice when we cleared up after the picnic. But hopefully anyone reading this is not a 'litterer'. There have been litter picking days around the village, and a few dedicated individuals have picked away quietly over the years. We are now aiming to get the whole village covered on a regular basis. Apart from 'Keeping Stoke Tidy' , the theory is that the less litter lying around - the less likely people are to drop more. If you can help, please get in touch envirostoke@yahoo.com It doesn't matter how small an area you can deal with, but it would useful to know exactly where. To date (August 2021), people have volunteered to litter pick regularly in the following areas: Woodhill Playing Field Pincombe Drove Pound Drove North Drove Slough Lane Willey Road Huntham Close Huntham Lane Church Close The activity is already making a difference, but areas still looking for volunteers include Meare Green, Griggs Hill, Dark Lane, Polkes Field, Churley, Curload and Windmill. If you can take on any or part of these (or indeed parts of those roads already covered), do please get in touch envirostoke@yahoo.com No, it couldn't happen here? Animals may get trapped or poisoned with litter in their habitats. Cigarette butts are a threat to wildlife and have been found in the stomachs of fish and birds, who have mistaken them for food. Also animals can get trapped in the rubbish and be in serious discomfort. For example, the plastic used to hold beverage cans together can get wrapped around animals' necks and cause them to suffocate as they grow. Other instances where animals could be harmed by litter include broken glass lacerating the paws of dogs, cats, and other small mammals. Lets do what we can to help them.

Take photos any time before the end of May 2022 Four age categories: under 12 years; 13 - 17 years; 18 – 59 years; and over 60 years. Full Rules Available HERE *NEW* Links to Handy Hints Below This Competition is to raise awareness of the natural world around Stoke St Gregory, and to encourage us all to take an interest how the natural environment plays a part in our lives. Being out taking photos can help us appreciate our surroundings. We encourage you to submit a photograph, taken between January and May 2022 in the Parish of Stoke St Gregory, that captures an example of the natural world. The best photographs in each of four age ranges will be awarded a prize at the Envirofair 22. Photographs may be taken using a simple ‘everyday’ device such as digital camera, mobile phone, tablet etc. No editing or ‘photoshoping’ of the image will be allowed. Photographs will be accepted in digital format at any time between 1 January and 31 May 2022 . There will be no specific topics, but the photograph must be taken in the Parish and is expected to capture a natural subject – it can be flora or fauna and any native species of either. So the photograph can feature anything from an earthworm to a sunset! To ensure the quality is maintained when printed, images must be of 2Mb size , at least. A panel of SEG members will be formed to judge the winner of each age category. If possible, a guest ‘celebrity’ judge will be included. The top four photographs will be printed, mounted and framed . Permission will be sought to display each picture in the HOTV Coffee Shop for three months after which, the framed photograph will be presented to the originator. So, Get Snapping! If you fancy a few tips and handy hints here are a few links to other web sites: Naturehood HERE Natural History Museum HERE C.P.R.E. HERE Ephotozine HERE Countryfile HERE

Click HERE for ENVIROFAIR Home Page Click HERE for full list of contributors Family Fun Lots of activities…. Playing, making and learning! Get mucky making Seed Bombs Get building… Bird Feeders Bird Boxes Bee Houses! Join in making & painting Plant Pots! Discover how bees make honey! Growing Minds – fun play through nature! Meet and learn all about Owls – watch them fly too! 1pm – 3pm

Home Composting Composting Workshop - Saturday 19th March, 10 am - 2 pm It is possible to produce good quality garden produce from a range of kitchen waste (vegetable peelings, paper etc) and garden cuttings in a relatively short space of time and with minimal equipment. However, there are some simple techniques that can improve the quality of the compost. An expert in the field of home composting, Nicky Scott, has authored several books on composting and recycling. He also advises schools, local authorities and businesses on composting kitchen waste and helps set up community composting groups. Check out his web site HERE The “hot box” composter he developed is widely used for composting food waste. Nicky has agreed to visit Stoke St Gregory and run a four-hour ‘workshop’ which will include ‘hands-on’ demonstrations. For the practical part of the workshop, Nicky will use prepared compost and answer any queries on the topic. There will be a small charge for the workshop, but it will be subsidised from SEG funds. Get in touch envirostoke@yahoo.com if you would like to come along Why Home Composting? Compost is a pile of organic waste that over time breaks down or 'decomposes' into a nutrient rich soil. The compost pile is usually made of a mixture of green organic materials like food scraps, garden trimmings or fresh manure and brown organic materials like dead or dry leaves, cardboard and wood chips. The green materials contain a chemical called nitrogen and the brown materials contain a chemical called carbon. Add air and water, and the bacteria and moulds, as well as creatures like worms and insects can feed on the organic matter and help to break it down. It is estimated that almost half of the food waste in the average rubbish bin could have been composted. You can do your bit to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill or other more costly forms of treatment by composting your food and garden waste at home. You may ask "Why do I need to compost - and why should I worry when my local council does food waste collections?" It saves money, saves resources, can help to improve your soil and can reduce your impact on the environment. Did you know, composting at home for can save global warming gases equivalent to all the CO2 your kettle produces annually, or your washing machine produces in three months? What to Compost? The best compost will be made from a mixture of 'greens' and 'browns' in the table, and it's always best not to put too much of one thing on at a time (unless you are able to fork it in well with the mixture). The table below shows what NOT to compost. An increasing amount of packaging is now labelled as 'compostable', but beware! Some of it can only be processed industrially at high temperatures. For a look at the different labels you might find in this minefield see HERE There are plenty of helpful web sites out there - just put 'home composting' in your search box. The Eden Project has also produced a useful video See HERE Happy Composting and don't forget 19th March

BACK to Mobility & Transport FOOTPATHS - HISTORY BACK to Footpaths & Footways Projects Maps History Legal Contact Many of Stoke’s footpaths originate from Anglo Saxon times, when the manor (then called ‘East Curry’) consisted of hamlets and homesteads such as Huntham, Sharpham, Pinkham, Stathe, Currilode and Woodhill. The connecting paths would be alongside streams, through uncleared woodland or across the commons. As fields were enclosed with hedges or fences, footpaths were incorporated along the boundaries, with stiles or footbridges, to enable workers to access different parts of the farms and for everyone to go about their daily lives. When Slough Lane and Dark Lane were dug out to create gradients that made it possible for a laden hay cart to be horse drawn up to the top of Woodhill, steps were added, such as the ‘Clammer’ in Slough Lane. Some of the old paths remain, though, as the few ‘cross field’ paths we have in the parish. Nowadays our footpaths are mainly used for recreation, although some are still used for journeys to school, shop, pub and churches. Some have been linked with newly created permissive footpaths, to create the East Deane Way and the Parrett Trail. There are also interpretive trails at Coates Willow & Wetlands Centre. The Open Spaces Society is Britain's oldest national conservation body. Much of the Society's work is concerned with the preservation and creation of public paths. Before the introduction of definitive maps of public paths in the early 1950s, the public did not know where paths were, and the Open Spaces Society helped the successful campaign for paths to be shown on Ordnance Survey maps. It advises the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and local authorities are legally required to consult the society whenever there is a proposal to alter the route of a public right of way.