Thame & surrounds Environmental Newsletter

Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Environmental Groups in Thame		Volunteer		List your Events

If you have been forwarded this email, sign up to receive it directly here.

Six Inches of Soil - local film screening

Six Inches of Soil is the inspiring story of British farmers standing up against the industrial food system and transforming the way they produce food - to heal the soil, benefit our health and provide for local communities. You have the opportunity to come and watch the film locally:

ON: Friday 7 Jun

Times: 4pm or 7pm

Where: Lopemede farm - an inspirational, local farm between Thame and Long Crendon, leading the way on implementing regenerative farming practices.

Find out more and get your tickets now using the links below:

Six Inches of Soil Tickets, Fri 7 Jun 2024 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

Following this showing there will be a presentation from Eddie Rixon Regenerative Farmer at Lopemede Farm and Q&A

Six Inches of Soil Tickets, Fri, Jun 7, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Following the film there will be a panel discussion about Farming, Nature and Food with Eddie Rixon Regen farmer at Lopemede Farm, George Simons, Project lead Roots & Rhythms and Chris Van Tulleken author of Ultra Processed People.

Food is also available - pre-booked only - kindly supplied by professional chef Matt Gill, formerly proprietor at the 100 at Ashendon, and now running the Cabin Take Out at Haddenham. Matt will be procuring local seasonal ingredients from regenerative farms.

Thame Business Energy Breakfast - spread the word!

9am – 10.30am, Friday 17 May

Thame Barns Centre Church Rd, Thame, OX9 3AJ

If you know of a business or any organisation that regularly uses the same building, that may want to reduce the energy they use, please encourage them to come to our Business Energy Breakfast. The workshop will cover eliminating wasted energy, how to improve energy efficiency and which low carbon technologies are appropriate for small to medium sized businesses. There will be light touch solutions for those with little time or money and more impactful suggestions for businesses wanting a strategic planned approach to energy. Everyone will go away with practical steps that they can take to manage their energy better.

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with South Oxfordshire District Council as the lead authority.

At the end of the workshop there will be an opportunity to businesses to apply for up to £1,000 of funding to part-cover the cost of a building energy assessment for your business, which will include a site visit and report.

Book a space here.

Put your lawnmower away this May!

We’ve lost approximately 97% of flower-rich meadows since the 1930’s and with them gone are vital food needed by pollinators, like bees and butterflies.

But your lawn can help! A healthy lawn with some long grass and wildflowers benefits wildlife, tackles pollution and can even lock away carbon below ground. Even the smallest grassy patches add up.

Simply don't mow your lawn this May! You can pledge your commitment here if you want to.

Oxfordshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy - Progress Summary

May 8th, 6-8pm, online - Local Nature Recovery Strategy webinar

Thank you to everyone that contributed to the Local Nature Recovery Strategy sessions both online, in person and via the survey. There was a really good response across the county. The LNRS intends to create a shared ambition of the most urgent nature recovery priorities across Oxfordshire.

At this free webinar on the 8th of May, you can hear a summary of the responses from the survey and workshops. You will also then be able to hear the processes that the county council will follow next in order to create a list of biodiversity priorities and to then map the areas where actions could be prioritised across the county.

Sign up here: Oxfordshire’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy - Progress Summary Tickets, Wed 8 May 2024 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

To find out more about the local nature recovery strategy, visit the council’s website.

Support the Climate and Nature Bill

Zero Hour is the campaign for the Climate and Nature Bill - formerly the CE Bill and the CEE Bill – a plan for a new UK law that addresses the full extent of the climate and nature crisis in line with the most up-to-date science. The Bill is the only proposed legislation before the UK Parliament that ensures a comprehensive and joined-up approach to the emergency.

There are different actions you can take to help the Zero Hour campaign for the Climate and Nature Bill. Including asking your General Election candidate to back the CAN Bill.

Find out more about everything you can do here.

Get involved in green action in your community

If you want to take action locally, here are current opportunities:

Could you lead a 'Big Bike Revival' in Thame?

We are cycling UK currently has grants of up to £3500 available to local groups to take the lead on running a local 'Big Bike Revival'. The project is an intervention for adults aimed at encouraging an uptake in cycling. By providing solutions to perceived barriers, adults are enabled to learn to how to cycle and to increase their cycling levels for short, everyday journeys. Events focus on presenting cycling as a practical, normal and habitual way to get around locally.

There is a lot of support, resources and advice from a central team. Thame also has volunteers who would play a part in supporting this initiative, and Thame Town Council's Environmental Project Officer would be able to play a part in making things happen. However we just need a small group of people, a community group or an individual who might be willing to take on the lead role in this project.

Find out more here

Contact [email protected] to discuss more about how it could happen in Thame.

Become a Green Champion

Join a local network to receive support and ideas about how to share 'green' tips and ideas with your peers.

Click here to find out more

Upcoming events

Thame Environmental Forum

Dates and time:

23/05/2024, 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start

25/07/2024, 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start

12/09/2024, 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start

28/11/2024, 6.30pm for a 6.45pm start

Location: Thame Town Hall

A regular meeting with the purpose of working together to embed environmental issues in the community muscle – ensuring they become an integral part of community and citizen life (and ultimately a part of political life), recognising that much of this work will have to happen through empowering, connecting and nurturing community groups, rather than creating a plethora of ‘new’ initiatives through the Environmental Forum.

Thame Repair Cafe - 21st Century Thame

Date and time: date to be confirmed - check link below, Saturday 2pm - 4pm

Location: Racquets Fitness Centre

The idea is to match amazing amateur repairers with people who need stuff fixed and all for FREE. The Repair Cafe will be a learning experience to help everyone get more confident on fixing things at home.

Bring your small electrical, mechanical, household items and textiles and learn how to repair them.

https://21stcenturythame.co.uk...

READ MORE

Chinnor Climate Cafe

Date: Last Wednesday each month

Time:10.30am - 12pm

Location: Chinnor Village Centre

Time:7pm - 8.30pm

Location: White's Windmill Cafe

A monthly meeting in Chinnor exploring Climate Change. Email [email protected] to find out more.

Green Living Fayre with bike exchange

Date and time: 2/06/2024, 11am - 4pm

Location: Chinnor Village Hall, Church Road, Chinnor, OX39 4PG

BIKES: Bring bikes to sell from 10.30 – 11am, clearly marked with name and selling price, return at 1pm to see if your bike has been sold

GREEN LIVING: A range of displays and activities for all, including Walking, Cycling, Bee Keeping, Hedgehog Highways, Plastic Free Living, Clean Air Campaign, Recycling and Climate Change Action

ENERGY ADVICE

PLUS: Crafts, gifts, plants, books, jewellery, local and Fairtrade. Café serving soup and rolls, cakes and drinks. Fun activities for children - free

ENTRANCE FREE

For further information, please contact Maureen Dyroff, Chinnor & Thame Friends of the Earth, on 07528030151

or e-mail [email protected]

Six Inches of Soil - film showing with Q&A with Chris Van Tulkien

ON: Friday 7 Jun

Times: 4pm or 7pm

Where: Lopemede farm, Thame Rd, Long Crendon, Thame OX9 3SH

Six Inches of Soil Tickets, Fri 7 Jun 2024 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

Following this showing there will be a presentation from Eddie Rixon Regenerative Farmer at Lopemede Farm and Q&A

Six Inches of Soil Tickets, Fri, Jun 7, 2024 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

Get in touch!

email [email protected] if you have an article you would like to include in this newsletter

If you want to unsubscribe, click here.