Friends of the Earth AGM 2010 - Review of the Year

We're posting this on the blog, as it is too long for email. Herein you will find chest-beating about our wonderfulness, and thankyous to all the people who helped, most of whom are in the group. By the way, these people on the left are at Calgary Buddhists AGM, wishing they could be with Alnwick Area Friends of the Earth in the John Bull.

i. Films - We've shown 11 films. We've had between 5 and 25 attendees at each film, and good press coverage. It's been reasonably easy to keep going as a regular event, and we're breaking even, if not actually making any money.

Thanks to: Bill Grisdale for posters, Rachael Roberts, Sue Patience for ice creams and cakes, Mick Townsend and Vickie Fyffe of Dunstanburgh Castle Hotel for wine. Helen Sanderson and Ken MacDonald for suggestions and lending of future films.
And to: People who hang about at the end and help clear up, like Jean Lovie, Martin Swinbank, Martin Paminter, Chris and Christine Waterston.




ii. Environmental Question Time - How long ago this seems now! We managed 40+ attendees when going head-to-head with first party leaders' debate on TV - only 20 less than the official event at St Michaels, and better reviews from people who went to both. And even from one of the candidates!. More about Environmental question time.

Thanks to: Bill again for posters, agents and friends of candidates Clare Mills, Bill and Margaret Weatheritt. And to Sir Alan Beith, Alan Strickland and Michael Weatheritt for showing up. No thanks to Dr Rob Loughenbury and Anne-Marie Trevelyan who couldn't fit it into their diary at 8 months notice.


iii. Community orchard and tree planting
We gave away fruit and nut trees to 15 schools and Parish Councils. We planted fruit and nut trees at Barndale and Shilbottle School, and by the roadside at Rugely Road.
Thanks to: Rachael Roberts in particular for ordering trees, co-ordinating deliveries and volunteers. Thanks also to: Peter Harvey, Pete Edge, Martin, Jessica, Robert and Karen Swinbank, Bill, Sue, Paul, Jack Richardson, Mike McPhun, Martin Paminter, Richard Starks, Terry and Angela Smith, Chris and Christine Waterston, and loads of other people who we might have forgotten.


On the planned community orchard, we almost have a lease.
Thanks to: Rachael for continuing to pursue Northumberland County Council for the lease. Thanks also to Sue, Richard, Paul, Rachael and Vickie for forming the committee, sorting out banking arrangements. With help from David Francis and Marc Johnson at CAN and especially Richard we now have a constitution which works, and thanks to Tim Noble and Ian Selby at NCC for responding patiently to all our questions.


iv. Allotments - We carried out a mapping exercise of the town and county council allotments, and Sue and Bill have persuaded the town council to restart the allotments and playgrounds sub-committee, and set up an allotments steering group. Thanks to Rachael, we have representation on that too.
Thanks to: Sue, Bill, Rachael.


v. Heritage open days - In a co-production with Transition Alnwick, we managed 100-120 visits over 4 days to 3 houses, which have helped promote solar thermal, solar pv, energy efficiency measures, low-energy appliances and biomass burners to people from as far afield as Sunderland and Carlisle. More about Heritage Open Days.

Thanks to: Paul, Clare, Martin, Karen and Rachael. And especially to Jean and David Lovie for having the idea in the first place!


vi. Church links - Another Transition Alnwick co-production. Jean has been contacting churches throughout year, and held a planning meeting in November with 4 churches to see how we can work more closely together. Plans are now in place for a regular church update from both groups, and for a speaker in March 2011.
Thanks to: Jean


vii. Eco-market stall - In a less successful co-production, we held a stall for an hour on a rainy and freezing October, and gave away 5 soggy film leaflets in an hour before we packed up and went for lunch.
Thanks to: Paul and Philip Angier for organising the stall.


viii. Food festival stall - Rather more successfully, we had a Food festival stall in partnership with Transition Alnwick, got more people onto the mailing list, promoted our activities and showed that we are not a bunch of weirdos.
Thanks to: Martyn Tuckwell who gave us the stall, and all who helped on it: Sue Bairstow, Ann and Brian Lowrie, Liz Anderson, Ian Brown, Ellie Noble, Angus Robson, Helen Sanderson, Steve Passey, Sue, Bill, Rachael - and anyone else we have forgotten.


ix. Community wind - We have worked with Transition Alnwick again and a number of other individuals on the working group for a 2-turbine co-operatively owned event developed by Energy4All at View Law farm, near Longhorsley.


x. Apple day  - Sue and Bill's allotment was the focus for the 2nd annual apple day. Juice is drunk, but cider is still fermenting. A splendid time was had by all.
Thanks to: Huge thanks to Bill and Sue, and to Ron and Sue for the loan of the apple press. All who brought apples and food.


xi. Early Day Motions - Alan Beith has signed EDMs on 10 subjects this year on renewable heat, solar pv, the sustainable communities act, pension funds and corporate reporting, offshore wind infrastructure, minimum energy efficiency measures in rental properties, UK wildlife, sustainable livestock production, and use of measures other than economic growth to indicate well-being. Thanks to Alan, David Cameron has now adopted that one! Alan Beith refused on 2 (beak trimming and inclusion of trident in the strategic defence review), but we still won eventually on Trident.
Thanks to: Sir Alan, and Clare and Gill in Alan's office.


xii. Stop climate chaos lobby - Sue and David visited Alan Beith agreed to talk to Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Climate Change about: (a) Requirement for an Energy Performance Certificate of E or above for properties before they can be let, (b) Grants for owner-occupiers living in fuel poverty to get solid wall insulation, (c) More start-up funding for the Green Investment Bank. And to feed back.
Thanks to: Sue, Sir Alan, Clare and hopefully Chris


xiii. Consultations - We provided input on Northumberland Strategic Partnership's Heat Is On delivery plan, being developed by Ruth Machen, via a group meeting and follow-up written comments. We also contributed to Northumberland County Council's Sustainable community strategy - securing agreement to include additional impacts of climate change in Northumberland, strengthening commitments to energy-efficient homes, and supporting green businesses. We also contributed to NCC's Transport strategy - we have commented, challenging NCC to commit to reducing carbon emissions from transport rather than simply offer sustainable transport, and requested more explicit support of cycleways.
Thanks to: Ruth Machen and to Sue.


xiv. Publicity - We've continued to get reasonably favourable coverage in the Gazette, and managed 27 blog posts in 2010, compared with 11 in 2009, with visits 30% up on last year, and page views 70% up on last year. We've also managed regular monthly updates since March with online signings and other news. Helen Sanderson has set up Facebook page for the group.
Thanks to: Helen


xv. Waste - We've recently started working with the County Council on promoting awareness of what can be recycled, and becoming master composters.
Thanks to: Rachael, and Sheila and Lorna at NCC.


xvi. Buyer co-operative - together we are defeating the power of the supermarkets! We are now buying food and household essentials collectively from Suma, who visit once a month.
Thanks to: Ruth Sanderson, Steve, Helen, Sue, Bill and Paul the Suma-Driver.