Ashby 2020 November Minutes

Ashby 2020 Minutes
23rd November 2010
7pm Legion House

TWE: Still awaiting progress from the utilities’ legal department. Launch remains January. All publicity, advertising etc will be co-branded Ashby2020 / utility. Clare Bampton and Socius will be handling the Ashby end of the arrangement.

Climate Week: Need ideas for events between 21 - 27 March 2011. Swishing event? Emma of ZeroCredit is interested in collaborating on a swishing event.

Short film: screening taking place on 18th December - slight hitch in location, confirmation of new details to follow. Needs ideas of interactive activities for this day.

CAP centre launches in Ashby 28th November at 3pm, Holy Trinity Church - Christians Against Poverty is a national charity working through local churches to help people of all or no faiths to deal with their debt.

Tree Planting - Jan / Feb? Will contact the National Forest about a community day and seek their guidance on what we could do (or seek other land)

Town treasure map - Mandy expressed interest in Ashby producing a map or guide highlighting strengths of the town and pointing out special spots tourists should visit. This needs further discussion and development.

Public building renewables - Need to establish if there’s interest in this, funding etc. Question raised about community funding for this.

Workshops - Would there be any interest in holding a COIN workshop or similar? http://www.coinet.org.uk/who-we-work-with/low-carbon-communities

Next meeting: TBA.

Ashby 2020 October Minutes

28th October 2010

6.30pm - 8pm

Legion House, Ashby
Chair: Carl Benfield

Agenda:
Sustainability  exercise
Networking  for sustainability groups
Town wide renewable energy
RCC funding application
Upcoming Events
Ashby2020.co.uk

1. Sustainability Exercise
Deferred to a future meeting.

2. Networking
The ‘Inspiration for Action’ event @ De Montfort University offers the chance for interested parties to learn more about what can be done locally to achieve low carbon lifestyles, and to network with other people taking action in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. The event will feature talks on community action climate change and workshops on permaculture, reducing carbon footprints etc.

We would like Ashby 2020 to have a presence at the event, and will arrange transport for interested parties.

Please get in touch if you would like to attend this event.

Inspiration for Action
Queens Building, DMU
Thurs 11 November 2010
6pm - 8.45pm
http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/inspirationforaction.html

3. Town Wide Energy Deal
We have a provider who may not be named as yet, however, their proposal includes:

• 100% renewable energy tariff at no extra cost
• £100 green energy bonus paid on anniversary
• £100 direct debit discount
• Free power monitors
• Free energy surveys
• Advice on energy efficiency
• Up to £50 per contract cash-back incentive for use in Ashby 2020 initiatives

For most households switching to the Ashby 2020 ‘green’ tariff will be cost neutral, though we must acknowledge that some people will be paying less and the renewable aspect will not be sufficient to tempt them to switch. The chosen utility are currently putting together the necessary legal details, more information will be forthcoming.

4. RCC Funding Application / Other Funding
We will put in a bid for the RCC funding (available for amounts between £200 - £5,000), for the purpose of raising the Ashby 2020 profile with a public event and ‘equipment’ that will be used long term for promoting the group at events. We will apply to fund the following:

• Film screening event (with refreshments)
• Eco Teams Training
• Banner
• Marqee
• Leaflet drop
• A-board
• Recycling points
• We will also consider taking a full page advert is Ashby Times/Ashby Life

5. Upcoming Events

• Climate East Midlands events - a series of events Changing Climate Weeks 2 (adaptation and mitigation),2 – 24 Nov. http://bookwhen.com/ccweeks2010
• Green Footprints Free Tree Scheme - application deadline is Mon 15th Nov.  http://footprints.nwleics.gov.uk/
• Green Footprints Awards - will be open for applications from Nov - Jan.  There are six categories: Businesses; Families & Individuals; Schools; Children & Young People; Partnerships & Community Groups; Sustainable Urban Design.  Three shortlisted applicants in each category will be invited to the Annual Awards Ceremony & Civic Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Kegworth on Fri 15th April.  More info due shortly in Vision newsletter, local press and on GF website. http://footprints.nwleics.gov.uk/awards-2011.html
• Climate Week - 21st - 27th March.   National event to promote action on climate change.  Green Footprints Challenge hopes to get involved and will be encouraging lots of local groups and businesses to take part too.  Further information due to be released soon.  http://climateweek.com/
• Spectacles Recycling Day – 13 Nov, 10 – 4. By Ashby and Coalville Lions, will be taking place outside Boots on Market Street.
• N.W. Leics Wildlife Trust talk on ‘Climate Change and Wildlife’ -  19 Nov. 2010, 19:30 . Burton Road Methodist Church Hall.

6. www.ashby2020.co.uk
Ashby 2020 has a place on the Ashby TCP website, which can be reached from the above web address. People are encouraged to access the site, and suggest content etc. From here you can see all our social media connections and news clippings, photos, videos etc.

A calendar of events will be added in the future.

Sitting under the Ashby TCP name makes for a good reference point and gives us official status, and through the ATCP Ideas area on the ‘parent’ site Ashby residents are able to submit suggestions of things the Town Partnership and its sub-groups could attend to. There has already been communication through this online form for Ashby 2020 as well as the other groups, and it can be found here: https://sites.google.com/site/ashbytcp/ideas.



Next meeting: Tuesday 23rd November 2010 @ 7pm.

Blankety Blank

Hello, Gemma here. Yes, again. You wait for a blog entry for ages, then two show up on the same day!


There is something happening at Ashby 2020 HQ, but I'm not at liberty to divulge just yet. Believe me when I say it's harder on me than it is on you, but I promise it's worth it. In the meantime, I'm going to tell you a story about two things that seem not to be connected but are, just very tenuously:
     I am a big fan of the popular American sitcom Friends. I think it's predominantly a generational thing as when I was at secondary school everyone watched it (and what's more, my friends and I all nicknamed each other after the character we had most in common with - I'm Chandler, for the record).
     You're probably wondering what this has to do with sustainability and the truth is... nothing. BUT, something this week reminded me of an episode, so bear with me. One storyline sees two characters (Rachel and Joey) swap favourite books (Little Women and The Shining, respectively), but half way through reading them Joey accidentally reveals a plot spoiler. From this point he begins speaking in code about What Happens Next. It is this element that came to mind yesterday during a meeting with Carl Benfield and Clare Bampton to discuss something HUGE on the horizon for Ashby 2020. Actually, it was on the horizon a month ago, now it's waving at us from the swing set next door.
     But let's briefly go back to my poor analogy. You see, Joey's code merely involves substituting the word 'blank' for others that reveal aspects of the plot ('All blank and no blank, makes blank a blank blank'), and that is how I feel when updating FB, Twitter etc. this week. I can't reveal what the 'blanks' are, but similarly can't not tell you something superb is about to be announced. 
     Thankfully, all will be revealed next week and I'm not alone in struggling not to bounce off the walls - when Carl, Clare and I sat down to discuss the meeting we're having with BLANK about the BLANK this coming Tuesday, it was a sight akin to three Tiggers on Spacehoppers.


Now admittedly, you're not getting many clues here about what's coming to town from this post, suffice to say in retrospect you'll appreciate why I'm oscillating as I type. Something for the whole town, green, and the first of it's kind - history in the making!