september 2011 newsletter
DESCRIPTION
Welcome to our new look, extended newsletter. We've taken the best bits from our previous newsletters and added in local news and features. We hope you like!TRANSCRIPT
20112011
Welcome to our extended Septembernewsletter. Read on for local and Eco-centrenews, events for your diary and lots ofinspiring Back to School ideas.
We hope to see you soon!Jane
Find us on Twitter:
@northfieldeco
Diary Dates :
Date Time Event Description
Sat 3 Sep 9.15am -5pm
CycleMaintenanceworkshop
Learn to keep your bicycle safeand in good working order.Maintain gears brakes andwheels. £40. SOGL* Places Left!
Sat 10 Sep 10am -1pm
SWAP IT! AndEnergy Surgeryadvice
Swap your good quality unwantedclothes for something else forFREE! Receive advice on how tokeep your home warm and savemoney
Sat 17 Sep 11am -12 noon
Make aHedgehogHome
The last of our monthly naturegardening workshops. Adults andchildren welcome. £2 donation.Booking required Booking
Tues 20 Sep 10am -1pmm
AutumnForagingWorkshop
Wander the urban wilds ofNorthfield in search of edibletreats! Led by Tom Baker of Loafcookery school. Booking required.£29. SOGL* Booking
Sat 24 Sep 9.30am -1pm
PermacultureWorkshop
Learn to design abundant outdoorspaces, nature’s way. Bookingrequired. £20. SOGL* Booking
Tues 27 Sep 7pm -8.30pm
Friends ofVictoriaCommon
Regular meeting – all welcome.This month we’ll be planning ‘TheChallenge’ volunteer event, whichtakes place on October 1
For more information or to book a courseCall 0121 448 0119 or Visit: www.northfieldecocentre.org/courses
Family Hour: every Thursday 4-5pmRecycled craft activities and eco-story time for children
1 Sept – Book Worms & Book Stands 8 Sept - Pencil Pot Holders15 Sept – Plastic Bag Seascapes 22 Sept – Foil Celtic Brooches29 Sept – Leafy People
Weekly groups
Family Hour:Thurs 4 - 5pm
Gardening:Thurs 10 - 12 noon
Sewing & Crafts:Fri 10 - 12 noon
Regular events:
2nd Sat of the month10am-1pm
Public OpeningTimes
Thursday 10am-5pmFriday 10am-5pm
EcocentreServices
· Loans Library· Fact sheets· Home energy audits· Free advice service· Tours of the
building· Free items· Seed swap· Internet access· Interactive displays
This Month…Back to School tipsEcocentre in the news!The ChallengePractical Permaculture
Sept Newsletter
LOCAL
NEWS
For more local news read our blog: www.northfieldecocentre.org
Our new Northfield’s Orchards projectmade exciting regional headlines lastmonth when it featured on BBC WM’sJoanne Malin show. We also featured inthe Birmingham Mail and made the newsa-frames outside local shops in NorthfieldTown centre! (August 24 & 25)
Northfield’s Orchards come to Fruition
We’re planting 1400 trees within North-field in the next two years, in over 30orchards. We’re looking for schools,churches, parks and community groups toget involved as well as individuals to spon-sor a tree!
For Information visit:www.northfieldecocentre.org/tree-planting/
Listen to us on Radio (2.06 hours in):http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00jptt0 (August 25, morning show)
Grow an Orchard
Sponsor a Tree
Take a tour of two local eco homes to findout how to cut carbon emissions, waterusage and more and save money.
BournvilleFri 9 Sept – at 4pm and 5.30pmSat 10 Sept – at 10.30am and 5pmSun 11 Sept – at 2pm, 3.30pm and 5pm
Harriet and Chris Martin’s Address:39 Hawthorne Road, Bournville, B30 1EQ
To book a 90 minute tour visit:www.superhomes.org.uk
and search ‘Bournville’ or email:[email protected]
Balsall Heath
Sat 10 September. 11am to 4pm. All welcome. No need to book.
At 2pm a special children's presentation will describe how the house works, throughits use of sun, rain, wind and earth.
Address: 103 Tindal Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9QU
Northfield Ecocentre Hits the News
Bournville Eco Home Opens Its Doors
Above: Eco home in Bournville
For children’s activities visit : www.northfieldecocentre.org/activities
Back to School Tips!
FEATURES
Walk or cycle – it’s free and a great wayto exercise !
Car share – fill those empty spaces, bytravelling with your friends and savemoney on petrol by sharing costs.
Fuel efficient driving: burn less fuel, re-duce wear and tear. Drive in the highestgear possible. Apply light throttle.Avoid heavy breaking. Switch off yourengine if stopped for more than a fewminutes
Ask your school about Bike Ability:www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability
Cycle Maintenance Course (Adult):Saturday 3 Sept, Northfield Ecocentre.www.northfieldecocentre.org/courses/
Buy a new or second hand bicycle:http://birminghambikefoundry.org
Travel to School
Cook your own: recipe ideas:www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes
Grow your own: Join our GardeningGroup – Every Thursday, 10am –12noon, Northfield Ecocentre. FREE.
Sign up for a local allotment:www.birmingham.gov.uk/allotment-enquiry
Wild Food Foraging Course :Tues 20 Sept (£29).Permaculture Course:Sat 24 Sept (£20).www.northfieldecocentre.org/courses
Learn to make tasty breadFor all those bumper sized lunch boxsandwiches! www.loafonline.co.uk(Cotteridge)
School Lunches
Charity shops – a great place for secondhand reading books, shoes, school bags,winter hats and even school uniform.
Swap It! 2nd Saturday of every month(Next: 10 Sept, 8 Oct, 12 Nov).
Swap unwanted, good quality clothing,books, CD's, DVD's, toys etc for FREEwww.northfieldecocentre.org/activities/swap-it
Mend & Alter Uniforms Join our SewingGroup (adults). Every Friday, 10am –12noon. Northfield Ecocentre. FREE.Beginners, aspiring and skilled crafts peo-ple all welcome. Sewing machines, fabric,knitting needles, buttons available to use.
FREE Books Join your local library andborrow reading books for free. NorthfieldLibrary, 77 Church Road, B31 2LB.Tel: 0121 464 1007.
Books, Bags & Uniforms
Back to School Tips!
School of Green LivingCycle Maintenance – Sat 3 Sept (£40)Autumn Foraging – Tues 20 Sept (£29)Permaculture – Sat 24 Sept (£20)Crochet – Sat 22 October (£20)Willow Baskets – Sat 29 October (£40)Mosaics – Sat 26 Nov (£45)www.northfieldecocentre.org/courses
Things we like…Tell us about your communityevents and local eco initiatives andwe might feature them here!
Email your ideas [email protected] call 0121 48 0119
In yourHouse:
Download our seedsaving fact sheet:www.northfieldecocentre.org/advice/fact-sheets
Start seed savingSaving seeds is verysatisfying – you growyour own plants,harvest the seeds fromyour favourites andplant them again togrow a new crop thefollowing year. It is away of becoming moreself-sufficient and iscompletely free!
Support ourwork: Become aFriend of NorthfieldEcocentre. Go towww.northfieldecocentre.org/join-us/support-us
Address: 53 Church Road, Northfield, B31 2LB (behind Oulsnams)Phone: 0121 448 0119 Email: [email protected]: www.northfieldecocentre.org
Activity Day on 1 Oct in Victoria Common - get involved!Friends of Victoria Common have teamed up with a volunteering scheme called The
Challenge to bring in 60 teenagers for a day of rejuve-nating the park. But we don’t want to just let themhave all the fun so we’re opening up the event to ev-erybody else as well!
On the 1st October between 11am – 3pm there we willbe making bird & bat boxes, apple juicing, planting 100shrubs and hundreds of bulbs, litter picking and clean-
ing up graffiti. You can also hear how Friends of Victoria Common are developingthe park further, including a new picnic area and orchard.
The event is FREE and open to all ages. For information and to book contactLuke Olly [email protected] or 0121 448 0119.
Practical Permaculture Workshop - booking now (£20)Permaculture is the practical philosophy of living our lives more sustainably by followingthe patterns of nature. It is about observing what nature does and then using thatknowledge to design abundant spaces around us that have little impact on the earth.
Permaculture can be used to design anything from a garden or window box to a farmor even a whole community or city. In this workshop we will explore its main principlesand then carry out practical techniques such as:- Beneficial relationships in the garden- No-dig gardening- Principles of forest gardening- Cyclical, as opposed to linear, use of resources- Making use of microclimatesSuitable for anyone with an interest in gardening and/or sustainability.
To book call 0121 448 0119 or visit www.northfieldecocentre.org/courses
Join The Challenge - Sat 1 Oct
Practical Permaculture - Sat 24 Sept
For event information visit: www.northfieldecocentre.org/activities/events
Make your ownwashing up liquid:1 tablespoon liquidcastile soap (you canbuy this online)1 tablespoon whitevinegar½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon lemon juice1/2 pint warm water1 drop tea tree and/oreucalyptus oil
Mix the ingredientstogether & pour into abottle. Voila!
In yourGarden:
Central England Area Quaker Meeting Charities Registered Charity No. 224571