Events and News

Events - Sustainable Tiverton

Activities and events information, kindly provided by Sustainable Tiverton's newsletter.

Find more details for all these events at info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

Note our Community Fridge opening times:
Monday, Tuesday Thursday mornings 10-11.30am
Friday afternoon 1-2.30pm There will now be two volunteers at the start of each session when it is busiest.
Please remember our rule :
ONLY ONE VISIT PER DAY PLEASE

We can always do with more volunteers! Contact us through facebook or at info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

Phoenix House Phoenix Lane, Tiverton EX16 6SA

Day of Event	Event
Saturday 9.30am till 12 Noon	Share Shop
2nd and 4th Wednesday 10am-12noon	ECOE drop in for Energy advice
3rd Thursday 2pm-4pm	ECOE drop in for Energy advice

Other activities and locations:

Saturday 8th November	Repair café @Tiverton Library
Saturday 15th November	CAG Skill Share in Newton Abbot
Sunday 16th November	SASSY event @ Exe Valley Leisure Centre from 10am.
Friday 21st November	MDW Visit Lower Otter Project.
Saturday 22nd November	Tree Team-tree planting at new wetland
Thursday 27th November	MDW White tailed eagle talk @ Cherith Hall.
Friday 28th November	Sustainable Sewing Bee practical repurposing day @ St Georges.
Saturday 29th November	ReRooted café @ St Georges-am
Sunday 30th November	Tidcombe Fen Working Party am

Further details and volunteering opportunities for all these events below, or later ones in the next newsletter.

Sustainable Tiverton Membership scheme

Become a member of Sustainable Tiverton CIC!

Sustainable Tiverton is a company limited by guarantee and like all companies is accountable to its members. Membership is open to everyone aged 16 or over who lives or works in, or within 15 miles of, Tiverton.
As a member you will get notice of our AGM and other general meetings, and be able to vote at these meetings, including the appointment of the Directors who run the company day to day. For a membership application form, please e-mail committee@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

Friends of Sustainable Tiverton

There are lots of opportunities for you to get involved in Sustainable Tiverton

Be a regular project volunteer for  Repair Café or  ReRooted,

Develop a new skill - become an equipment librarian for Shareshop, or learn to keep bees with  the Bee Group

Join in with one-off events such as Tree Planting Days
Become a member or friend
Get a friend involved!
Can you be a Sustainable Tiverton Director? We are looking at the skills we most need centrally - we would love to hear from people with skills to offer who can commit the regular time needed.

Look at individual project details for who to contact below, or get in touch at info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

NEWS FROM AROUND THE GROUPS.....

Share Shop is now open!

Shareshop Lending Sessions

Every Saturday 9.30am-12 noon

at The EcoHub, Phoenix Lane Tiverton

We have 200 items to choose from, and our website and online catalogue are now live at shareshoptiverton.org.uk
To borrow - visit the website and follow the links to become a member. Then browse our catalogue and reserve items on-line.

We now have lots of camping equipment and are checking it all at the moment - including tents, pans, sleeping bags, airbeds and camping mats, and even a camping toilet!

We also have some items for parties -reusable crockery, popcorn machine, cupcake stands, karaoke machine. We would love more items for children's or adult parties, equipment for visiting children or adults, and to add to our newly started 'newborn' section.

Bring your items for donation to us at the following times:

Fridays 10 - 1 pm at the Eco hub

Or take to next Repair Café @ Tiverton Library between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm.

Are you unsure if your item is suitable, or need larger items picked up? Email shareshoptiverton@gmail.com to discuss what you have or make different arrangements for donating.

Volunteers Needed

We always need more volunteers to train, and we are also collecting names of people who can step in occasionally when a rota volunteer has to cancel.

Email shareshoptiverton@gmail.com fill in our volunteer form.

Or chat to the team on a Saturday.

Skills Sharing and Re-purposing

Sustainable Sewing Bee

Repurposing old fabrics, clothes and wools into household items and accessories to keep people warm.

Friday 28 November
10.30 am - 2.30 pm
at St Georges extension

Volunteers needed.
We would like to run practical community sessions on repurposing. We need skills in crafts, hand or machine sewing, woodwork, but most of all we need your ideas! Do you have something you have repurposed you can show to others to start them off? We are also collecting left over fabric in bright colours. To get involved, contact Gill at gillgale101@gmail.com, email shareshoptiverton@gmail.com . or call Catherine on 07763882955 to find out more.

Shareshop Volunteers needed!
Sign up to help at a Saturday session on our rota here volunteersignup.org/938Q7
We always need more volunteers to train, and we are also collecting names of people who can step in occasionally when a rota volunteer has to cancel. Email us at shareshoptiverton@gmail.com, fill in our volunteer form at https://shareshoptiverton.org.uk/volunteer-now/ or chat to us at a Saturday session.

Tidcombe Fen SSSI

Tidcombe Fen Nature Partnership took over the tenancy of Tidcombe Fen on 1st March,

There is an active volunteer group managing this important site, and they would welcome help. You can find out more and contact them through their website www.tidcombefen.com

Monthly working parties are the last Sunday of the Month, from 10am until 1pm. Dates coming up:-

25 May, 29 June, 27 July, 31 August, 28 September, 26 October, 30 November

Please wear trousers, sturdy footwear, waterproofs, welly boots and bring a pole/stick for support and a drink/snack/ packed lunch if you want one.

Introducing Emily, Callum, Megan and Indi, the members of SASSY, our new Youth Team.

Picture of The Sassy Youth Team

Sustainable Tiverton has been successful in securing some ongoing funding from the Norman Family Trust and Devon Community Foundation to continue it's successful SASSY project which we started last year.

Indi McIndoe who was one of the youth team from last year to work on some youth events to relaunch the project, and she has already started organising some events for youngsters .

Sassy Graffiti on a wall

It's been a creative month for SASSY with a wonderfully successful Sustainable fashion work shop led by the fabulous Eve Jones.

During the workshop 10 young creatives were given the tools to create some wicked and edgy outfits with only a pair of scissors, an old T-shirt and some safety pins.

It was a brilliant reminder that we do not need to succumb to fast fashion and extra expenses to have clothes we love. Sally and I got involved too! We have another SASSY event at the Leisure Centre in Tiverton coming up- see you there! Indie

SASSY next event at
Tiverton Leisure Centre from 10am
Sunday morning 16 November

Collage making , smoothie bike and more!
Come along and enjoy it - no need to book.
We are looking for young people as volunteers for this event, and also have some roles for paid activity leaders and musicians. Please contact SASSY at sassy.sustainabletiverton@gmail.com

SASSY has been busying away getting onto social media and planning events! Please do give us a follow and see what we've been up to. We will be posting upcoming events, successes and regular environmental hot topics of discussion. Go to
https://www.instagram.com/sassy_tiverton/

Friends of the River Exe

Friends of the River Exe have now established a Tiverton Citizen Science water testing group.

They recently had their first training session at Lowman Green in Tiverton run by Howard Cuthbert.

Coming up next week - Thursday 7 August from 6pm
- a volunteering opportunity at Wild Tiverton and a chance to see the progress of the rewilding wetlands project near Cove. Please email to confirm attendance and directions will be provided. See you there! Contact info@friendsoftheriverexe.org

FORE's Citizen Science Investigations (CSI)

Water quality monitors continue to provide information to West Country Rivers Trust (WRT) and the Environment Agency to identify pollution hot spots in the River Exe, River Barle, River Batherm, River Creedy, River Culm and The River Clyst for more info contact :- info@friendsoftheriverexe.org

Apple Day at Sampford Peverell

A very successful Apple Day- bumper harvests meant over a ton of apples making around 550 litres of juice, a record in recent times! Plus refreshments, music from the Courtney’s Folk Ensemble, stalls from Charity Knitters and the local Beekeepers and, new this year, an exhibition of art work from the school.

This year all our juice went into pre-loved bottles, so no extra plastic,
Thanks to generous donations we added to the funds we are building up to replace our ageing equipment for future years.

Sampford Peverell Bees

All our honey is sold, and almost all the candles, at the very successful Apple Juicing Day in Sampford Peverell Village Hall.

We are going into the winter with five hives, and we are preparing them for the cold and wet ahead as best we can. Two hives have been treated for the varroa mite – the other three had very few varroa on the board underneath the hive, below the level where DEFRA advises you need to treat.

We have weighed the hives, which gives us a rough idea of which ones may need extra feeding, and have been providing those that need it with fondant, specially made to be digestible to bees. But they are still out and about when the sun is out, feeding on ivy and other late flowering plants. The beekeepers will shortly be meeting to plan ahead, see what equipment we need to replace, and how to best allocate our budget. Then we need to organise a cleaning day, so all our equipment can be cleaned and sterilised ready for next spring.

If you live nearby and would like to join us, emailinfo@sustainabletiverton.org.uk.
Teresa Butchers

Food Growing
Community Allotment Tiverton

If you are interested in joining the new food growing group email info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

There's always plenty of gardening jobs! If you want to help, please join our WhatsApp group & message us at
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EDmf8smIoglIJcwwnkML5Z?mode=ac_t
Or email info@sustainabletiverton.org

Please bring your own gloves, sunhat, sunscreen and water bottle and wear suitable clothes and sturdy footwear for gardening.
Location: Tom's Well allotments, Higher Loughborough off Rackenford Road. What 3 words location ///fairly.cage.amused. Limited parking and no toilets ( toilets at Morrisons.)

Talks to Groups

Would your club, church or community organisation members like to hear more about the work of Sustainable Tiverton?
We recently gave a well-received talk to Tiverton Civic Society, and are happy to talk to other local organisations, and also get their feedback on what we do.
To discuss having a talk for your organisation, please call Peter on 01398 332094 or email info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

Tiverton Tree Team

The Tree Team winter planting and tree maintenance programme has now started, and continues until February 2026. Next planting day is
Saturday 22 November
Tree Planting at new wetland
To volunteer for this day, please register at wildtiverton@gmail.com, and you will receive directions. Please note this is a riverside site, so children must be closely supervised at all times.

Save the dates! Three further days are planned on
13 December, 24 January 14 February
More details: facebook.com/groups/tivertontreeteam

Shared Use Exe Valley Path Group

Following our presentation, Tiverton Town Council have passed a motion supporting this project, and we will also be presenting to MDDC planning environment and sustainability committee. We recently responded to the DCC cycle path planning document noting lack of proposals around Tiverton

If you would like to join us in working for more sustainable transport contact us via info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

Shared use Exe Valley Path TTC have passed motion in support.

News from other organisations...

Uffculme Green Team News

Uffculme Community Fridge

Opening hours
9.30- 11.00 a.m. Monday-Friday

Uffculme Community Fridge container
Grounds of Uffculme Branch Surgery, Commercial Road. Contact us for more information on hello@uffcommfridge.org.uk Please come and help us stop food waste - this is a community fridge and larder which is open to all.

The only day we'll be closed over the holidays is Christmas Day 25^th December - otherwise a warm welcome (and some good food) awaits!

Ponderers and Wildflower Warriors meet each Sunday morning from 10am at the village pond behind the village hall garden room- developing and maintaining the surrounds of the village pond as a wildlife area and keeping wildflowers tidier along the main road to avoid them being sprayed with herbicide.

Contact Uffculme Green Team at uffculmegreenteam@outlook.com
For swift news contact uffculmeswifts@gmail.com

Tiverton Volunteer Litter pickers

Love Where You Live –

– Help Keep Tiverton Tidy

We start at 10am every 2nd Saturday in the month,

finishing by 11.30am

All equipment provided for litter picking
Contact: tivertonvolunteerlitterpickers@gmail.com, and come and join us.

Mid Devon Wildlife Group Including Junior Wardens.

Mid Devon Wildlife was formed by a group of enthusiasts in 1981 and holds regular meetings in Tiverton and field trips through the year. New members/ visitors welcome for a nominal charge. For more information visit our website www.mdw.org.uk, email info@mdw.org or follow us on Facebook @Mid Devon Wildlife

Mid Devon Wildlife now incorporates the Junior Wildlife Wardens, and we will report their future activities here.
Indoor monthly meetings, with a wildlife or natural world theme are held between September and May on the 4th Thursday of the month, at Cherith Hall, Blundells Rd (200 yds from Tesco’s). Free parking and disabled access/hearing loop.

Friday 21 November - Visit to the Lower Otter Project.
Details at www.mdw.org.uk All welcome. Non-members pay £3.50

Thursday 27 November- Indoor meeting
Zoe Smith - Return of the White-tailed Eagle
7.00 for 7.30pm at Cherith Hall

Further autumn meeting on 18 December Reflections Evening Dennis Pickering Photographic

Mid Devon Wildlife now incorporates the Junior Wildlife Wardens, and we will report their future activities here.

Harvest Mice Re-introduction

We thought you would like to hear about this amazing rewilding project - two local teenagers Eva and Emily, have spent years carefully breeding harvest mice in order to re-introduce them into the wild. They have also spent time talking to other school kids about the project and the need to support endangered species

This August, with the help of Chris Packham from Springwatch, they finally released 250 mice into a suitable local area. You can read more about their great efforts to re-establish harvest mice in a small part of our local countryside using this link. https://hughwarwick.substack.com/p/helping-hedgehogs-and-harvest-mice

Energy Advice

Energy Outreach Project - Get 1-2-1 advice or book a presentation on saving energy

This winter we are working with Citizens Advice to meet individuals or households and provide invaluable energy advice that will help you or your community to save money and keep warm.

Along with this advice, our DCT Energy Champion Martin Rich is available to come to your community for a free community energy presentation to provide advice to people in your area. These can be held in community spaces such as public libraries or village halls. This is especially beneficial to the community if you are a Parish, District or County Councillor and want to address high energy costs.

If you would like to receive 1-2-1 advice or arrange a presentation, please contact martin@devoncommunities.org.uk or call 07984 001542.

You can also contact Martin if you need advice on undertaking energy audits, funding energy saving measures or other help with cost reductions. All events and advice are completely free. Further information may be found below, including any upcoming community events.

Find out more at https://www.devoncommunities.org.uk/projects/energy-outreach-project
Best wishes,Devon Communities Together

MID DEVON REGULAR FREE DROP IN ENERGY ADVICE CLINICS
Sustainable Tiverton Ecohub – Energy advice drop-ins

Wednesday mornings 4th week of the month, 10 – 12.00

Thursday afternoons 3rd week of the month. 2 - 4pm

Information on other ECOE drop in sessions can be found on https://www.ecoe.org.uk/healthy-homes-clinic-information/
On this site you will also find information on current grants and on retrofitting insulation.

The Retrofit Service. If you are a home owner, this service provides professional impartial advice to help identify the right next steps for you- e.g. increasing insulation, installing a heat pump, tackling damp. Special MDDC offer - free retrofit advice home visits and discounts on paid for retrofit services are currentlly available to Mid Devon residents, subject to eligibility and whilst funding lasts. More information at https://ecoeadvice.org.uk/retrofit-services/

Home visits are available to those eligible, and regular clinics are now being held across the area. https://www.ecoe.org.uk/healthy-homes-clinic-information/

Talks are available to community groups. If you'd like a talk for your local group or parish please contact ECOE as above.

Repair Café 8th November @ Tiverton Library

Drop in or pre-book a slot - email with details of the item needing repair to tivertonrepaircafe@outlook.com.

Bring electrical items, sewing, ornaments, toys - just get in touch if you are not sure

If you can volunteer to help with the Repair Café please email them or speak to them on the day.

We need help with repairs, with refreshments, set up and greeting people. If you can help, call Gill on 07762 730847

Planet and People

Planet & People launches a new Planet Action Workshop for schools.
'There's No Place Like Home' is a fully-funded half day workshop that offers a positive and age-appropriate introduction to climate change that empowers students to create a better future for planet and people. It inspires students to co-create a book for your school to encourage others to act for the planet.
If you are a parent or teacher connected to a school in Devon that would benefit from these curriculum-linked (to take the pressure off teachers!) and well-respected environmental education workshops (we have reached over 9000 students since Nov 2021), please get in touch via hello@planetandpeople.co.uk. We work hard to fundraise to ensure that our workshops are accessible and available to all. We are very grateful for all donations given (via the 'donate' button on our website), please consider making a contribution as we bridge the gap in environmental studies in schools. We also support eco councils and committees through our Environmental Health check and can offer teacher training days. You can see more on www.planetandpeople.co.uk.

Community Action Groups Devon

CAG (Community Action Groups) Devon is an organisation which supports community projects to reduce, reuse, recycle, share, swap, mend and compost.

If you have a local project that you would like to start you can find useful information here
https://cagdevon.org.uk/doing-stuff

To sign up to their monthly newsletter and keep in touch with what is happening with other groups around Devon and get ideas for your community go to
https://cagdevon.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=1df054a243851ef35de6d23ee&id=d857be1c51

Devon Climate Emergency

Are you interested in what's happening across Devon to make our lives more sustainable? For more information about the Devon Climate plan and latest news from Devon Climate Emergency, go to https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/. You can also sign up to their ,mailing list to receive a regular newsletter.

Sustainability advice for businesses

Devon Climate Emergency also provides a range of tailored support to businesses to enable them to become carbon neutral and work in a low impact way. You can find information, and access to funded one - to one advice on their website at
https://devonclimateemergency.org.uk/resources-for-organisations/tailored-support/
Other resources for business support in Devon are shown below.
The Devon Local Nature Partnership business section helps direct businesses to advice and resources, particularly in the Devon context
https://www.devonlnp.org.uk/knowledge-hub/sustainability-at-work/
The Federation of small businesses has free advice here
https://www.fsb.org.uk/knowledge/fsb-infohub/small-business-sustainability-hub.html as well as offers for its members

The Devon Planet Action Partnership (DPAP) is a sustainability consultancy service for businesses run by Jess Carter to help them take action for the planet through a supportive and practical framework.
To find out more go to www.devonplanetactionpartnership.co.uk

Plastic free North Devon has set up The Sustainable Business Resource which works with small and medium size businesses to improve their sustainability - see https://www.thesbr.org.uk/

Plymouth and Devon Chamber of Commerce has some free advice as well as more information and support for their members.
https://devonchamber.co.uk/net-zero-directory/

Interested in Electric Carsharing?

I would like to hear from anyone in the Tiverton Area interested in starting a low scale electric car sharing scheme or willing to share their electric car, sharing costs.

I gave up my car in March 2019 to cut down my carbon footprint, and rely on an electric bike, public transport and many kind folks who give me lifts. I would like to be more mobile and flexible but am reluctant to go back to resource wasting individual car ownership. Sadly Co Cars in Exeter closed down last year and traditional car hire fees seem cost prohibitive.

Please contact me if you are interested at sallychapman81@gmail.com

If you can help with any of the activities shown in this Newsletter, get in touch direct with the project, or email Sustainable Tiverton at committee@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

CONTACT US
You can contact Sustainable Tiverton using this email link

‘Sustainable Tiverton is always keen to hear from people with new ideas they would like to share’

Our mailing address is:
info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk

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Find more details for all these events at info@sustainabletiverton.org.uk